Monday 21st August 2017 Rhos-y-Gwaliau - Llanuwchllyn - 10 miles

Monday 21st August 2017 Rhos-y-Gwaliau - Llanuwchllyn - 10 miles

Another dry day, but grey and misty, would we get the views the route promised? This was the last section that we would travel daily for - the next time we walk, it will be our final jolly to complete the whole project! We're getting close!

We arrived at Llanuwchllyn, but finding our proposed parking spot was a bit of a challenge. The guide suggests a parking spot on the route opposite the Post Office , but the old Post Office is at the far end of the village near the pub! Eventually we stopped in the community centre car park and driving on up that lane showed that was the way the route goes! So we returned to the Community Centre car park and checked that it was fine to leave our car there. People are very helpful!

We then drove back through Bala to Rhos-y-Gwaliau to the parking area where we finished our last section. The route goes cross country from the parking area following a track through the woods. This climbs up through a farmyard, with kennels full of frustrated dogs, on up to more open land with views ahead. You then come to another farm which you walk right through the middle of! Here the dogs were loose, but at least they were friendly - one looked dead! Fortunately it managed to open its eyes as we went past but we weren't worth any more consideration!

This leads to a lane which takes you down into Rhos-y-Gwaliau. This in turn meets a bigger lane, eventually joining the road into Bala. This crosses the river running into the lake at an old stone bridge where we met a lovely German couple who kindly took a photo of the four of us (to prove we'd made it!)

Bala is lovely, a busy High Street with lots of facilities, but it must be the main centre for quite a large area. There seemed to be a lot going on, sailing, kayaking, fishing on thje lake, so certainly worth a return visit to explore further.

Irene stopped for an ice cream to keep the energy levels up and we all availed ourselves of the loos before continuing back out of Bala past the rugby club towards the Bala lake railway station. You walk right through the station and cross the line over the footbridge to start the climb up into the surrounding hills.

After climbing on footpaths through fields, you reach a track which runs right past the Bala Lake Hotel with fabulous views of the lake below. After walking through the hotel grounds, you pick up another footpath which climbs on up through woodland with lovely views of the lake through the trees.At points, the route is a bit unclear, its hard to be exactly sure how far through the instructions you are, but generally you follow the main walked route. You eventually emerge out of the woods to bracken covered open land heading away from the lake.

 Still climbing, you finally pick up some footpath posts as you crest the ridge. For us, this was easier to spot as a party of ramblers was coming from the opposite direction!

You climb a bit further on a bridleway before taking a footpath heading back down in the direction of the lake. The views were fabulous!

The path drops across fields, down to eventually cross a stream, and on through another farm to join a lane. This again heads away from the lake up a valley until you reach a bridge to cross the stream running through the valley, allowing you to climb again up the other side of the valley.

Now you are climbing Cefn Gwyn, fortunately not right to the top, heading back towards the lake, past yet another farm, with views opening up as the way levels out. Here we opted to pause for lunch, finding a handy fallen rowan tree to sit on. The path now drops down tto cross another stream followed by a brief up, before dropping again through the garden of Cae Glas farmhouse. This is a beautiful cottage in an idyllic spot facing the lake.

The owner came out for a chat, recalling the time an oil tanker overturned in the lane leading up to the cottage and the rescue vehicle overturned too - one rolled all the way down to the lake! It is steep! He kindly gave a donation before we headed off down his drive to cross a lane into a bridleway again heading towards the lake. Eventually you join the road that runs by the lake parallel to the Bala Railway line.

After following the road past Pentre-piod station, you turn off to join a bridleway which makes one more climb up the hillside opposite the lake. This is a big climb, eventually arriving at another isolated farm again with fabulous views of the lake. From here you make the final descent down the farm lane, then across a paddock to the lakeside road once more. After a short distance, you take a footpath towards the railway line. This was very boggy and we picked our way from tussock to tussock to reach the stile to the railway. After crossing the line, you follow the track into the railway yard past the engine sheds and station. The trains were being cleaned down - it was just like Thomas the Tank Engine, Beautiful engines, troublesome coal trucks, vintage tractors, a signal box! Marie even got a cup of tea from the station.

From the station, you follow the lane to the main street, and along to the community centre where we had parked. That was it - next time we walk it will be three consecutive days to finish the entire route. Roll on September - Barmouth here we come!