Date walked: 26th November 2013

Distance walked: about 7 miles

Cumulative total of miles walked along The Wales Coast Path: 488

The official website of the Wales Coast path is http://www.walescoastpath.gov.uk/default.aspx

OS map required:  OL23 – Cadair Idris and Lyn Tegid.  I get all my maps from Dash4it. They are well discounted, and delivery is free and fast.

Most of this part of The Wales Coast Path comes within the Ceredigion Council’s area, although machynlleth is in Powys.  Ceredigion’s Coastal Access Officers can be emailed at countryside@ceredigion.gov.uk

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My base for this walk was London House in Eglwys Fach, so I had time for a leisurely bowl of porridge before setting off on a very grey day. 

London House, Eglwys Fach, photographed by Charles Hawes

I can’t understand why Anne is not waving me goodbye from her bedroom window!

From opposite the cottage a steep little tarmacked No Through Road climbs up the side of Foel Fawr to re-join the Wales Coast Path at a property called Melindwr. On the way I passed a neat hole in the side of the hill – evidence of the extensive mining history of the area.

Mine working above Eglwys Fach photographed by Chjarles Hawes

I wasn’t able to find a specific reference to this mine

One of the farm buildings at Melindwr was a mill; its little metal wheel was still intact. I would have loved to have had a look inside.

I think you can just make out the workings inside the mill

I think you can just make out the workings inside the mill

The little brook that drove it is called the Afon Melindwr.

Afon Melindwr above Eglwys fach, Ceredigion, photographed by Charles Hawes

We ought to be able to harness the power of these little streams in mini hydro schemes.

 The Wales Coast path re-joined me here and to celebrate being back on track, I took a pic of some sheep.

Sheep! As you know. We, like sheep.....

Sheep! As you know. We, like sheep…..

 On the map the path leaves this  little road  at some point but I managed to get to the end of it without finding where, so I retraced my steps and headed off on a farm track in what seemed like the right direction.

Not The Wales Coast Path

Not The Wales Coast Path

This track came to and end in a field at the end of which was a stone wall. I climbed over and found myself in the middle of a forestry operation.

Forestry track in Garreg wood, Ceredgion, photographed by Charles Hawes

This was one of the more solid bits

The tracks made by the logging machinery were very muddy but I followed them on the basis that they would lead me out of the wood and back down the hill. They did- passing a loading operation; no one seemed bothered by my presence.

Forestry working in Carreg Wood photographed by Charles Hawes

I could see the A487 at this point. Which I didn’t want to be on but it meant that I could locate myself again.

From this spot I had a good view over the Dovey and the railway bridge at Dovey Junction.

View over Dovey Junction from Garreg Woods in Ceredgion, photgraphed by Charles Hawes

I was to be walking though those woods the next day!

 The track joined the A487 and I only had half a mile to walk along this busy road before another minor road heads up the Llyfnant Valley. Once again I re-found the Wales Coast Path just before it crosses the river and headed due east up the valley.

Tucked into a hole in a tree above me I noticed a figure of a wizard.

Wizard stuck into a tree in the Llyfnant Valley, photogrpahed from The wales Coast path in Ceredgion by Charles Hawes

Its odd, but this did have some effect on my mood!

The valley narrows quickly and the path follows the little river Llyfnant, joined by several tributaries.

Tributary of the river Llyfnant, Ceredigion, photographed from The wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

All this rushing water makes for an exciting soundscape in the valley

In the solid rock walls by the path I passed another mined cave, this one with a pool of water at its entrance. I could see no further in than a few feet so climbed up to the entrance and tried several exposures using the camera’s flash.

Mined tunnel in the Llyfnant Valley in Ceredigion, photographed from The wales Coast path by Charles Hawes

No bad eh? Is that a pick in the pool or am I imagining things?

 I was rather pleased with the results!

The path climbs away from the river and enters a plantation of  conifers.

Conifer plantation in the Llyfnant Valley, Ceredigion, photographed from The wales Coast path by Charles Hawes

A dense plantation makes for tricky photography

Taking pictures is problematic in such low light levels. The camera tries to get a decent exposure, which makes the image appear lighter than it is and can only do so by using shutter speeds which I would normally use a tripod with, thus making the images more likely to by a bit “fuzzy” from camera movement and from increased “noise” from it’s sensor.

Woods in the Llyfnant Valley, Ceredigion, photographed from The wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Definitely fuzzy!

But to keep the mood of the place I don’t want to “improve” the image too much.  What was engaging me was looking out of this dense wood to where the light was; in the canopy or at the edges of the plantation where deciduous trees were still holding their golden leaves.

Woodland in the Llayfnant Valley, Ceredigion, photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Just before the forest finished two abandoned 4 feet long metal hoops looked like giant staples.  Part of the mining? Or some agricultural relic?

Anne thought they resembled a Giant's hairpins

Anne thought they resembled a Giant’s hairpins

At the top of the valley  a pasture marks the presence of a nearby farm. The path rejoins a minor road that heads north towards Machynlleth. Despite the gloomy light, there were fine views to the surrounding hills.

View from The Wales Coast Path appoarching Macyynlleth from the south, photographed by Charles Hawes

Where’s the sheep?

It is as if some land artist had been given trees as their palette and had created an abstract collage.

Mixed woodland near Machynlleth photographed from The Wales Coast Path by Charles Hawes

Someone definitely thought about that arrangement of the conifers.

 The path takes a hairpin bend and then crosses a field to join another small road that leads directly to Machynlleth. It rises a little and on the way is joined by  Glyndwr’s Way. 

Finger Post where The Wales Coast Path joins Glyndwr's Way near Machynlleth

I must have been here many years ago as I have walked from Knighton to Machynlleth on this excellent trail. The path then leaves this little road and drops down across the fields to the town.

View to Machynlleth  appoaching it from the south on The wales Coast Path, photographed by Charles Hawes

Machynlleth – one of Wales’ better market towns

 Anne was meeting in the town in an hour so I had time to pop into the Museum of Modern Art where there were four  exhibitions. I very much liked Ian Phillp’s linocuts, could live without Linda Caswells rather fancy porcelain, and was not excited by  Ian Jacob’s “Work in Progress”. What I found really engaging, though, were the geometric interpretations of landscapes by Neil Johnson.

This one is of the Wales Coast Path

This one is of the Wales Coast Path

Time for tea!

 

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