Family Walks

The family walks in the hills around our rented house, in Pentre Gwynfryn, near Llanbedr, were fun, for the adults anyway.   Some of the children may disagree, but they all managed very well.

The house was in a valley, at the foot of the Rhinog Mountains, in the southern Snowdonia National Park.  A beautiful area.   And it was great to be able to walk out of the front door of the house, and immediately start a walk.

The River Afon Artro, which flowed past the house.   A very sparkly, and bubbly river.   Quite fast flowing though.

All ready to start a circular walk.   Very keen children.

The wooded areas were very green, with plenty of moss covered rocks, a sign of a wet climate.

Conference time, with maps on phones and a compass.   In fact the incorrect path was taken, and we ended up lost in farmland.  We should have turned left at this point and walked up the road.   Instead we walked up a path on the opposite side of the road.  

There was plenty of wool lying around, from sheep who had moulted, or caught their wool on prickly plants.   I suggested that we gather up the wool, and sell it.  Or give it to Kylie to spin, and knit into her rug.    Sadly no one took up my suggestion.   No imagination.

Lots of lovely woolly sheep about.   When one is lost in farmland, it is important to take note of the wildlife.

However, the worst hazard was the large amount of sheep poo around, which we tried to avoid getting on our shoes.  Perhaps we should have collected it, and used it for fertiliser on our gardens.    I did not mention this idea.

Jackson looked out over the farmland.   And there were no paths, or roads, just bracken, grass, stinging nettles and sheep poo.   Luckily, we eventually found a road, and arrived back in plenty of time for lunch.

I loved the stone walls.

On our next walk, we followed the River Afon Artro up into the hills, and then continued along the road, and followed the River Afon Cwmnantcol up towards a camping ground.

A beautiful reflective lake, on the River Afon Cwmnantcol.

Once at the camping ground we climbed up a steep path, from where there was a distant view of the Rhaedr Nantcol Waterfall.

Once at the top, the river became a series of rapids.   I tried not to panic as I looked down at the grandchildren, standing calmly with their parents.

Abi and Raphy, without a care in the world, peering into the water.   It was reasonably safe at this point.

We walked back down a gentler slope to the camping ground, where the children had fun in the area where the water had pooled.   Although a camping ground, the area was open for all visitors, at a small cost.   The water was very cold.

Fun on the swing, as along as it did not hit the tree trunk.

A grown up walk.   Aaron, Kylie, Emma and Steve set off for the higher slopes, for a day walk.   Walter dropped them at the end of the road, which saved quite a bit of time, although the car hit a rock on the way up, and ripped the tyre.  Luckily there were plenty of people to help change the tyre.

They had quite an exciting time, and challenging too, clinging to rocks and walking through bogs, mostly on very overgrown paths.   They had two excellent paper maps and a compass, so no mistakes this time.   They arrived back happy and tired, and extremely muddy.