Welsh Walks

The Rivals

Date: 1st Oct 09
Distance: 6 miles
Ascent: 1633 feet
Time: 3 hours 45 minutes
With: On my own
Start Grid Ref: SH353441

Route Summary: Car Park above Nant Gwrtheryn - Bwlch yr Eifl - Yr Eifl North Top - Bwlch yr Eifl - Yr Eifl - Tre'r Ceiri - Caergribin - Car Park above Nant Gwrtheryn.

Walk Summary: It wasn’t until near the end of our holiday that the weather looked promising enough to attempt the main walk I had planned. As it happened the weather was, for the most part, as grey as every other day. On the plus side though the cloud level was fairly high and the sun was shining over Snowdonia so I at least got some good views.

The initial walk up to Bwlch yr Eifl was easy with some good views back along the coast. The views got really interesting though at Bwlch yr Eifl as Gyrn Ddu and Gyrn Goch came into view backed by the mountains of Snowdonia.

The climb to the north top was a good one with some rocky moments and the unusual assistance of some stone steps next to an old mine rail track. The north top is quite exposed but as with all three summits on the walk the views were first rate.

The climb to the top of Yr Eifl was fairly steep with nothing of interest except the views. The summit however was another fine place with a nice large shelter and a strange contraption attached to the top of the trig. I’ve still not looked up what this was supposed to be.

The real highlight of the walk though was Tre’r Ceiri which was reached by a fairly steep descent (which tested my knee) followed by a short easy climb. It was a magnificent place with one of the best preserved and most dramatically sited hillforts in the country. In truth I could have spent most of the day exploring the hillfort but I wanted to get back fairly early so that I could take Lisa and Rhiannon out in the afternoon.

The walk back from Tre’r Ceiri involved a slight detour to the rock outcrops of Caergribin which gave nice views over to Mynydd Carnguwch. Had this walk been blessed with perfect conditions for views and photos this would rank very highly not only among the year’s walks but possibly amongst all my walks.