Towards the Misty Mountains
Crossing Wales.
Despite being only around 100 miles overland from Cardiff, it takes nearly 4 hours to reach where we were staying in Snowdonia, giving an average speed of around 25 MPH, or 40 KPH. The slow speed is partly due to the road weaving around mountains and valleys, and partly due to the fact that the roads are extremely poor. North Wales is generally forgotten, and the highest quality roads that travel the length of Wales vary between single and two lane. Still, it does allow the chance to shout at the driver to stop so you can take a picture, which is more than could happen on a motorway.
The weather was not exactly great in either direction, and plenty of mountains were not looking their best. Plus many pictures were taken from a moving car. End of excuses. Some pictures were taken on the return journey, so they will appear to be on the wrong side of the car, if that matters to you.
In the upper reaches of the River Wye, close to the Elan Valley. This is the second longest river in Wales, and as the rain on the windscreen shows, it's not surprising. The road is the middle part of the A470, the largest road in the area.
Just past Llanidloes, and another major road. Yeah.
Llyn Clywedog. The route has now passed from the River Wye into the River Severn, the longest in the UK, which starts in wales, passes through England, and then ends as the enormous estuary separating England and South Wales. Behind the reservoir is the tallest mountain in Mid Wales; Pumlumon Fawr (752 metres).
Afon Twymym. These hills are fairly typical of Mid Wales' tallest hills.
Afon Dyfi, approaching Machynlleth. It is quite easy to tell when you have left the national park on the return, because the mountains disappear, and are replaced by these shallow valleys. Typical Mid Wales farming countryside.
Then Foel Benddin (543 metres) bids welcome to the National Park, and the mountains begin at the end of the Aranau massif. Spot the road quality again. This is the A470, the most important road in the area.
Y Gribbin (602 metres), another of the Aranau.
Maen Du (674 metres) on the edge of the small massif to the East of Cadair Idris.
Crags on Maen Du.
Cribin Fawr (659 metres), in the same massif as Maen Du.
The southern end of the Aranau, showing Glasgwm (780 metres) and Pen y Brynnfforchog (685 metres). Aran Ffawddwy (907 metres), tallest of the Aranau, is behind Glasgwm.
Cribin Fawr and Waun Oer (670 metres).
Cadair Idris (893 metres). Stunning Mountain that for a long time was throught to be the tallest in Wales, due to its impressive rise from the sea to the summit. Terrible picture because Cadair is exposed to all the worst that the Irish Sea has to offer. I got some much better pictures on the last trip to North Wales. See the other holiday galleries to find them.
Rhinog Fawr (720 metres), Rhinog Fach (712 metres) and Diffwys (750 metres) - right to left. Sadly, this picture does no justice at all to these excellent mountains, which dominate the skyline for many miles.
The Rhinogydd ridge running North to Moel Ysgyfarnogod (623 metres). This is some of the toughest walking terrain in the country, despite its modest size. Tough boots are required.
Moel Ysgyfarnogod.
The Arenigau, the highest of which is Arenig Fawr (854 metres). This is the only time we would see them.
Moelwyn Bach (770 metres) and Moelwyn Mawr (710 metres).
Moelwyn Bach.
Manod Mawr (661 metres) overlooking the Vale of Ffestiniog, near Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Vale of Ffestiniog.
Llyn Mair.
The Snowdon massif.
The back of Moelwyn Bach.
Cnicht, the knight, the best looking of all the Moelwynion.
The Moel Hebog range, showing Moel Hebog (782 metres), Castell ridge, Trum y Ddysgl (709 metres) and Mynydd Drws-y-Coed (695 metres).
Gelert's monument at Beddgelert. See, this is the grave of Gelert, the dog of ...
... nah, on second thoughts, you can just read it here.
Fossilised remains of Gelert. Yeah.
The Eastern end of the Snowdon massif. Craig Wen (608 metres), Yr Aran (747 metres), Y Lliwedd's West Peak (898 metres) and East Peak (893 metres).
Yr Aran buttress.
Llyn Dinas and the Moelwynion.
Mountain goats.
Traffic obstruction.
BrynCastell, the view from our cottage.
The trouble with stone cottages in winter is the temperature. Good thing I know how to light a coal fire.
Good Welsh coal.
In the upper reaches of the River Wye, close to the Elan Valley. This is the second longest river in Wales, and as the rain on the windscreen shows, it's not surprising. The road is the middle part of the A470, the largest road in the area.
Just past Llanidloes, and another major road. Yeah.
Llyn Clywedog. The route has now passed from the River Wye into the River Severn, the longest in the UK, which starts in wales, passes through England, and then ends as the enormous estuary separating England and South Wales. Behind the reservoir is the tallest mountain in Mid Wales; Pumlumon Fawr (752 metres).
Afon Twymym. These hills are fairly typical of Mid Wales' tallest hills.
Afon Dyfi, approaching Machynlleth. It is quite easy to tell when you have left the national park on the return, because the mountains disappear, and are replaced by these shallow valleys. Typical Mid Wales farming countryside.
Then Foel Benddin (543 metres) bids welcome to the National Park, and the mountains begin at the end of the Aranau massif. Spot the road quality again. This is the A470, the most important road in the area.
Y Gribbin (602 metres), another of the Aranau.
Maen Du (674 metres) on the edge of the small massif to the East of Cadair Idris.
Crags on Maen Du.
Cribin Fawr (659 metres), in the same massif as Maen Du.
The southern end of the Aranau, showing Glasgwm (780 metres) and Pen y Brynnfforchog (685 metres). Aran Ffawddwy (907 metres), tallest of the Aranau, is behind Glasgwm.
Cribin Fawr and Waun Oer (670 metres).
Cadair Idris (893 metres). Stunning Mountain that for a long time was throught to be the tallest in Wales, due to its impressive rise from the sea to the summit. Terrible picture because Cadair is exposed to all the worst that the Irish Sea has to offer. I got some much better pictures on the last trip to North Wales. See the other holiday galleries to find them.
Rhinog Fawr (720 metres), Rhinog Fach (712 metres) and Diffwys (750 metres) - right to left. Sadly, this picture does no justice at all to these excellent mountains, which dominate the skyline for many miles.
The Rhinogydd ridge running North to Moel Ysgyfarnogod (623 metres). This is some of the toughest walking terrain in the country, despite its modest size. Tough boots are required.
Moel Ysgyfarnogod.
The Arenigau, the highest of which is Arenig Fawr (854 metres). This is the only time we would see them.
Moelwyn Bach (770 metres) and Moelwyn Mawr (710 metres).
Moelwyn Bach.
Manod Mawr (661 metres) overlooking the Vale of Ffestiniog, near Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Vale of Ffestiniog.
Llyn Mair.
The Snowdon massif.
The back of Moelwyn Bach.
Cnicht, the knight, the best looking of all the Moelwynion.
The Moel Hebog range, showing Moel Hebog (782 metres), Castell ridge, Trum y Ddysgl (709 metres) and Mynydd Drws-y-Coed (695 metres).
Gelert's monument at Beddgelert. See, this is the grave of Gelert, the dog of ...
... nah, on second thoughts, you can just read it here.
Fossilised remains of Gelert. Yeah.
The Eastern end of the Snowdon massif. Craig Wen (608 metres), Yr Aran (747 metres), Y Lliwedd's West Peak (898 metres) and East Peak (893 metres).
Yr Aran buttress.
Llyn Dinas and the Moelwynion.
Mountain goats.
Traffic obstruction.
BrynCastell, the view from our cottage.
The trouble with stone cottages in winter is the temperature. Good thing I know how to light a coal fire.
Good Welsh coal.