Tuesday 25th July 2017 Pont Robert - Lake Vyrnwy Dam- 10.8 miles

Tuesday 25th July 2017 Pont Robert - Lake Vyrnwy Dam (Llanwddyn) - 10.8 miles


After our last expedition, we checked our route and mileage carefully - we were all a bit pooped! Hopefully it was the humidity! This section couldn't be altered much, Pont Llogel was only 7 miles and before any major climb. Beyond that, Lake Vyrnwy was the best stop with easy parking and loos!! We could stop at Llanwddyn itself but parking would be a bit of a challenge, so we thought "go for it"!

Another good day, and arrived at Lake Vyrnwy to leave one car in the lower car park by the sculpture trail before heading back to the Post Office at Pont Robert.

The route leaves Pont Robert on the Glyndwr Way going up! You gradually climb out of the valley- lovely views of the Vyrnwy Valley - across open fields before dropping down to the River Vyrnwy itself. The Glyndwr Way follows the riverside path through broadleaf woods.

This is a delightful walk, rocky outcrops, rapids in the river and natural 'beaches'. One family were using one for a picnic and playing in the river, it really was a super spot.

You finally drop out onto the B4382 which you follow to Dolanog, famous for the Ann Griffiths chapel. Ann Griffiths was a late-18th Century methodist who only lived to the age of 29, but wrote 70 hymns in that time. To visit the chapel, you walk over the old stone footbridge and right through the village.. Its very plain and simple, beautifully symmetrical with high pews. It was worth the slight detour to visit and there are public loos in the car park opposite!

The route leaves the Glyndwr Way here, to follow the Ann Griffiths Way devised in her memory. This leaves the village by the village church, across pasture land towards a farm. You actually pass through the farmyard and the beautiful timber framed farmhouse dated 1664. Its currently for sale if you fancy a project! The route now rejoins the river, so we found a sunny spot for lunch. We were beginning to meet a few fellow walkers - obviously the route between Port Llogel and Dolanog makes a nice stroll!

You follow the river through woodland and then out in!to pasture land with views of Alt Dolanog behind. You are still following the river, but at times less closely, to cross pasture land and past a beautiful cottage , with manicured garden seemingly in the middle of nowhere! The route finally heads back into the trees to follow the river path into Pont Llogel.  Here we met a father and son walking to Pont Llogel and kindly made a donation to our fundraising.

Pont Llogel is a great place. It has a Post Office selling bottles of water and ice-creams, a handy picnic table by a stream, and a portaloo in the car park! Walkers paradise - so we had to stop and avail ourselves of the facilities!

Finally, moving onward, the route rejoins the Glyndwr Way, climbing up past the church and along the ridge, with a large caravan park below. You continue away from the ridge through small rough paddocks and following the way marks until you come to a more open section with hills climbing away to the right.

Here the guide tells you to climb the steep section early, on the diagonal, so we did. Unfortunately, too early, only to meet a fenced corner high on the ridge! Obviously we weren't the only ones, a lost hat hung forlornly on a branch nearby! There was also a  worn section, under the fence, creating a space big enough for a sheep or four lost walkers to crawl under. This we did, none of us able to face losing all that height only to have to climb it again. Then followed a bit of creative navigating to try and pick up the route again, which fortunately we managed quite quickly. It was a good decision for the route continued to climb, up and up, through gloomy conifers, really dark and barren. Finally, out of the trees, it was still up, until you eventually reached the top. The view was wonderful when you finally recovered enough to appreciate it!

Then we had to go down the other side! More gloomy conifers and a steep descent this time troubling the knees rather than the lings! Wales has hills!

The route does take pity on poor walkers and eases some of the descent by leaving the Glyndwr Way early and following the road. The Glyndwr Way joins this road further down the hoillside, leading you into Llanwyddn itself.

From here the road will take you directly to Lake Vyrnwy, but the route takes you across country, crossong the river and up a track on the fringe of a wood.This track climbs until you pass a cottage where you get views of the lake itself. The track then drops and eventually turns into the lanes taking you to the car park just below the dam where we had parked.

A hard days walking, but very enjoyable - the Glyndwr Way is very scenic if a bit hilly!