Here we go then!! For the first time in 8 weeks we finally have a free saturday that wasnt cursed by constant downpours!
This year so far I've been angled to go to the Peak District due to the forecasts in other areas of the UK... .suddenly this weekend I'm overwhelmed with options. Lakes / snowdonia / Dales / pembrokeshire? This hindered the selection slightly as I had too many ideas floating around in my head. So I stripped it back and got onto my Nuttalls list (a list of hill & mountain tops I’m trying to complete in Wales). and i pinpointed a range that I've frequented in recent years, The Berwyn's. I'm very much aware that its the 6 weeks school holidays and I'm craving some solidarity. So there we go then, mid Wales bound. A large 17.6km walk was planned. Have I bitten off more that we could chew? It definitely came close!
I moan about the weather a lot. However, it dawned on me the morning we were due to go out to the big country that the repitition of hillwalking has prepared me very well. It was a slick exercise. we jumped into the motor at 7am sharp and arrived at a quiet little lay by cut into the hillside by 9am without a single other car in sight.
Off we started and not even 25 minutes into the walk disaster struck. I felt a cold wet sensation at the base of my back, my first thought was that the little man might have had an accident! A quick stop and i found out that the thread on Roskos 2nd bottle had given up the ghost. Leaving Rory with only half the amount of water I'd prepared for him. Its easy at this point to carry on beligerently however I have been caught out on water before (following drinking some muddy bog water on a trip in the Lakes, you realise how important it is to not ration here) so this was a potential showstopper. Before turning round i checked the map, I was travelling majority of thway by thre side of a river until near the top out. I had 2ltrs on me which I'd decant one aside for Rosko and ill keep refreshing from the river. Problem solved we continued onwards.
One hour went passed as we made way through a logging path into the Pennlyn forest which was beautiful walking! A gradual incline through the woods which continually changed our views on our way up to near the fell line. As we edged closer to the edge of the forest i took a wrong turn which sent me a little out west. Nevertheless I took anaccidental diversion onto a different path. A mistake I'll live to regret.
As we popped out of the fell line on the new path I’d picked up I noticed that there was a complete hill of heather laid out in front of me. The path noted on OS maps was clearly completely overgrown. The saving grace at this point was that the summit was clear in front of me so I went off piste through the heather onto the steeper incline. I set off with haste that didn’t not last at all, this was completely untrodden ground which was severely spongy underfoot. Years and years of heather growth was underneath me, as I took a 2ft step I sank at least a foot into the earth. Combined with the steep incline and some hefty weight on my back I really was at max effort. 45 minutes of this traumatic trudge ensued. As I thought it was over, It quickly became apparent that I’m experiencing every hill walkers nightmare……. False summit. Another 25minutes of max effort continued.
Finally, we’re on the top! Here’s Roskos first mountain! And my first break, I was so glad to take a sit down here, my legs were seriously shakey and my energy levels were seriously depleted. We both perched for lunch next to a really underwhelming summit cairn and took in the view and played some music, Rosko attempted to walk about but the long grass was too much of a match for him at the moment. I checked the map and noticed we was just short of half way through the route and at the furthest point away from the car on the circular route I’d planned. While there wasn’t much different in distances between either going back the way I’d came and the rest of the route I decided to double back on myself. My legs weren’t in tip top form following the struggle I had to summit and I’m now on water rations, I’d rather pick out the path I can clearly see (the one I should’ve been on) to go back down rather than go across terrain I haven’t been on before especially considering the heather growth and the precious cargo I have with me. I’m an avid hill / mountain bagger and there was 6 to top on my adventure today. In total I managed 2 which, if I was by myself would be a failure. However, our safety and comfort these days mean more to me that ticking a list off. The hills will always remain here and I’m in no rush.
We flew back through the logging woods and alongside the rivers while smashing packs of skips back. What more could you want from a walk!
Once back at the car we took a detour home and visited lake vyrny. What a place. Impromptu picnic was mandatory at the pic nic stop. What a gem of a place!
The Berwyn's are known as "the boring berwyns" as majority of the tops are just rolling grass mounds. This saying is completley unfathamoble to me. yes; the tops arent very exiting. But the scenery is something else, the lack of phone signal is even better. If, like me, getting out into some wilderness is what you are craving, this is the place to be. I seen one other person all day. The solitude brings me an unbelievable sense of calmness. With Rosko by my side there isn’t a single distraction from chatting baby talk and having a giggle together well away from the daily hustle and bustle. The berwyns have always delivered with their calmness and outstanding views out to the snowdon horseshoe and caviar idris. I’m growing more fond of the area after every visit.
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