Joint meet, Mid Wales

Meet Report: 13-15 September 2024.

The Bryn Hafod hut lies at the head of Cwm Cywarch above the village of Dinas Mawddwy and beneath the line of mountains that make up the Aran ridge. Less visited than nearby Cadair Idris and Snowdon, it makes for an attractive destination for those looking for less populated and reasonably challenging hill walking. This being a joint meet, members of both the Yorkshire Ramblers’ and the Wayfarers’ Clubs gathered from Friday afternoon for the opportunity to enjoy a weekend in this appealing location. Many shared their tales of seeing and hearing the jets of the RAF as they completed the “Mach loop” of the hills and valleys around Machynlleth.

After an agreeable evening of introductions on the Friday, various parties set out on a bright and blustery day to tackle the Aran ridge. The main part of the ridge, roughly a third, runs from Glasgwm in the SSW to the summit of Aran Fawddy in the NNE. The whole ridge extends equally on either side of this, but it was this main part that held our members’ interest on the Saturday. Walking parties accessed the ridge at various points and their circular routes ascended and descended in clockwise or anticlockwise directions.

Taking a clockwise approach, Mike, Conrad and Stuart ascended the zig-zag path up Cwm yr Ychen and first achieved Glasgwm with its pleasant, isolated tarn proximate to the summit cairn. A boggy walk along a broad ridge brought them to the peak of Aran Fawddy. This approach was rather bland in comparison to the prospect upon achieving their goal. From the summit looking north, the rocky ridge continues invitingly, but the abysmal drop off to the east and down to the dark blue water of Creiglyn Dyfi was a spectacular view. The fair weather afforded long views of Shropshire in the east and towards Snowdon in the north. Cadair Idris and the Rhinogs were silhouetted impressively directly to the west with the Cambrian hills visible to the south. The small party then descended over Drysgol via the memorial to a mountain rescuer killed by lightning and back to the hut along the path on the west slope of Waun Goch.

Most walkers were up on the ridge and all parties encountered other members at various times during the day. Alan Kay joined the ridge from the back of the hut up Creigiau Camddwr, a shorter ascent then to the main Aran Fawddy summit and back down in similar fashion to Mike’s party. Peter and Ann Latham and Peter and Carol Baker took a similar route, the former pair encountering some drama ascending alongside the waterfall in Creigiau Camddwr. Solvig and Bev also found the ridge by the path at the back of the hut. They then worked in an anti-clockwise fashion to the Glasgwm summit and then down the zig-zag path encountering a magnificent (and thankfully placid) bull before reaching the valley.

Alan Clare enjoyed a day in the Cwm Cywarch valley with a diversion up the Cwm Terwyn before taking in the excellent cafes and hostelries of Dinas Mawddwy.

The climbers among us would probably consider their goals were frustrated during the weekend. Mike and Maddy arrived at the hut mid-day on the Friday with the intention of climbing Acheron. The path up to the crags shown in the 2002 CC Meirionnydd guide however, proved impossible to find. After scrabbling up through high bracken and scree they reached the base of the crags, but on reaching the start of the climb found that the first pitch was very wet and decided to retreat.

On Saturday, Steve set off with Mike and Maddy to do Will-o’-the-Wisp. Following a steep approach via the Aran Fawddy path, through high bracken and then along the base of the crag, they found the start of the route. While Pitch 1 was as described, the description for Pitch 2 was not so apparent. Mike managed to make it up a VS to the left of an overhang onto the next stance, but the remainder of the route was very vegetated and uninviting. Mike managed to downclimb and all abseiled off. Rather than descending the way they came they followed the path around the base of the crag, and it delivered them to the Aran Fawddwy path. This would have made for a better approach to the climb and Steve added some stones to a small cairn that marks the junction of this path and the Aran Fawddwy path.

Upon reassembling on Saturday evening, we were treated by Bev and Conrad to an excellent meal of pate, spaghetti Bolognese and fruit crumble. A pleasant evening of lively discussion ensued as the bats swooped in the dusk around the hut and scratched in the eaves into the night and early morning. Unfortunately, overnight the weather had deteriorated to overcast and dreary, and most members determined to head straight for home.

For some members however, the weekend was only the start or part of their adventure. Alan Kay drove on down to camp in the quiet, attractive and hilly area near Machynlleth. During the following three days he walked 34km with 1250m of total ascent along Glyndwr’s Way to just beyond Llanbrynmair. And while Sunday was a day of dreary, drizzly weather, devoid of any views, the following two days were brilliant and warm, some of the best he had experienced in Wales. Views were wide ranging of Cadair Idris and adjacent hills and 25 km due north, the summit of Aran Fawddwy, easily recognisable and appearing from that angle almost as a ship’s prow.

On the way to Bryn Hafod, Solvig and Mike had stopped off to visit Moel Famau, the County top of Flintshire and the highest in the Clwydian range. And, after the meet, Solvig stayed on at the Climbers Club hut Ynys Ettws for two nights. With the weather being poor on Sunday she looked at gear placement, stripping routes and testing gear at a climbing wall before doing some lead climbing. On the Monday she went to Dinas Cromlech and in the morning completed her first multi-pitch climb on Flying Buttress. Having taken some film will her B&H film camera, she was amazed to see Joe Brown and Don Whillans’ Cemetery Gates and Cenotaph Corner. In the afternoon she trained on setting up an abseil with a fixed line. On Tuesday she went on to Rhoscolyn and seconded Symphony Crack and Hi!Jack at Sea Cave Zawn. While the weather was glorious, she started both at low tide or lower pitches. Solvig then drove over to Tryfan to see where the 1953 Everest team trained. While staying at Pen y Gwryd for the last two nights she completed the Snowdon Horseshoe on the Wednesday and Tryfan’s East Face on the Thursday.