Showing posts with label mountain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mountain. Show all posts

Thursday, 6 April 2017

167. A Trigpoint & 12 waterfalls

10/10

Parking @ CF44 9JX Penderyn Wales

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A birthday special this week, Andy being 51 years very old !
Being as he is Welsh another trip over the bridge as is the tradition and this time and after last weeks brilliant walk more waterfalls.
We headed for Penderyn just on the edge of the Brecon Beacons some 80 miles from home. Started up the steep slope from Penderyn with views of Pen y Fan.


The Trigpoint on Moel Penderyn at 371m, Penderyn is houses in center of frame, below. It only took around 23 mins !


Me at Trig only my 84th and a beautiful day.


 With commanding views over the hole walk. 
A good start to our day,starting on a high.


Our first Waterfall on the way down is a small detour and very steep steps down but definitely worth it .Called Sychryd Waterfall


Follow on down to Road and follow for around 1/2 mile we come to Pontneddfechan
And now the waterfalls trails start proper, around every turn there's another, not sure of this ones name.


To my surprise a Dipper ! saw around 10 Dippers on the whole walk, singing and streaking along rivers. Wish i had my big lens !


The Dipper in picture above, was still on this waterfall, right hand side top.
Its called Sgwd Gwladus/Lady Falls and has a drop of 20ft, 6 meters and is spectacular.


After crossing the river by jumping and wading through ! we carried on up to find another two waterfalls further up we came to Craig Cilfach-bronwydd Falls and had to cross river again by hopping across rocks......I fell in ! Up to my knees very wet and cold but think this made Andy's day, it was his birthday after all, I did it on purpose, not ! 
I tried to get a picture of Andy crossing and falling in but not sure how, he managed to stay Dry !


 Returning the way we came and passing Pump Pwll Falls i dried off and emptied by boots.


Following on more minor waterfalls but just as spectacular.


Horseshoe Falls/Sgwd y Bedol or Sgwd Ddwli Isaf


I forgot my ND filter on camera, but think F22 3rd sec shutter worked quite well.


Sgwd Ddwli they just keep coming !


Leaving the River and falls behind we now head  towards Pont Melin Fach and climb a few tracks and then onto a road to head for the Four Waterfalls walk. The Trigpoint from this morning can be seen from here.


These are different waterfalls and the earlier one were devoid of people every waterfall we came to had people visiting and posing for pictures. couldn't get down to this one but its called Sgwd Clun Gwyn.


Sgwd Isaf Clun Gwyn.


Sgwd y Pannwr.


Me for scale.


Plenty of photo opportunities and more Dippers here Singing! 
Never heard before and beautiful to hear. 


After continuing along the very well marked path and signposts telling you 10mins down and 25 mins up all very handy. we come  probably the most famous and most visited Falls in Wales, Sgwd yr Eira/Upper Cilhepste Falls.


You can walk behind easily, i was being very careful as i had now dried off !


You'll be lucky to be there by yourself, people taking selfies and screaming and shouting.


We walked through and stopped on the other side.


The guy in white hood decided he was gonna ring everyone he knew! but a great place to sit and wonder.


No Pot of gold but it's a 10/10 from me !


Last hill was the one leaving the falls with blue skies and sunshine, unusual for wales!


A special place worth coming back in maybe winter with a bit more flow on the rivers and maybe ice. Wales stunning !


Thats all for this week, join me again next week  :)

Tuesday, 5 April 2016

143.Garth's 50th (9.2 miles)

8.5/10




A special this week as it's Andy's 50th birthday !!
So we headed over the Severn crossing to Wales and the first mountain in Wales Mynydd y Garth or The Garth standing @ 307 m (1,007 ft)
In the UK, geographers historically regarded mountains as hills greater than 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, which formed the basis of the plot of the 1995 film The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain.
But Today, a mountain is usually defined in the UK and Ireland as any summit at least 2,000 feet (or 610 meters) high, while the official UK government's definition of a mountain is a summit of 600 meters or higher

This is View of said mountain or hill

Starting below Castell Coch, which this one was built in 1875 but a castle of sorts has stood here since 1081.


A Coch heading into Castell Coch :). Castell Coch in Welsh means Red Castle.


After following the Taff Trail we head under Barry Railway Penrhos Branch / GWR Rhymney Branch line, Then head towards the small hamlet of Taffs Well

 
Passing over the River Taff then a very steep uphill hill climb on to Garth hill


Once at Lan Farm which has a Zoopla Estimate of  £2,609,000 !!! its just beyond wall .


You start to see a few views up in to the valleys this view shows Pontypridd to left.


Quite a few birds about as well 5 Wheatears my first this year and many Skylarks up and singing Nuthatch,Buzzards,Jay to name a few.


Blue skies add to stunning vistas


Llantrisant and wind turbines at Tonypandy


Jogger for scale


And finally the trigpoint standing at 307m or 1007ft , just over half a mountain.


Sorry special occasion had to post picture !
A 50 year old man and my walking companion of 24 years !!


Sun was shining bright (my excuse for B+W ) here's Castell Coch and looking back across Bristol Channel towards England


Trigpoint and valleys .


Me looking on :)


After leaving summit we make our descent passing Wood Anemones and Crossing remains of the Barry Railway again then skirting along the side of a very busy and noisey M4.


A few more views of Castell Coch.


This one as we cross the Taff Vale Railway, which runs from Pontypridd to Cardiff

 
Then finally crossing the River Taff which runs from Pen Y Fan ish  to Cardiff about 40 miles.
A great walk scoring a high 8.5 nearly 9 but lacked a Mr whippy but well worth the trip We shall return to Wales again soon .


Thanks for looking now walk it !!