Cry, Havoc...

...but do not let slip those dogs!

Some question about the weather today, but should be reasonable until early afternoon. Plenty of time to find today’s target methinks. Pipedream as it turns out.

So, today I’m running with the Celtic theme and heading to the stone circle of Bryn Cader Faner. The circle looks pretty spectacular and I’m led to believe that the walk is very pleasant. I am coming to the conclusion that I should be more thorough with my research before setting out rather than rely on Google … or All Trails or OpenStreetMaps for that matter!

Anyway, Google is the Nav of choice for the day.

Oh.

My.

God.

I don’t mind going off-piste a little but this was a journey into the land that time forgot (but unfortunately not the bit that I was looking for) - or maybe the Celtic cloaking is still in operation? I was taken down some genuinely scary roads - not just that there was no way of two cars passing (I’ve gotten used to that driving to the cottage), not just that there is nowhere with enough space to turn around, or the car damaging terrain and the sort of hills that if you don’t blindly leap over quickly you are likely to find the car stuck and rocking on the crest. Still, the only way is forward and so into more and more remote parts of the hills.

Eventually, I come to a dead-end - some private property. The look of the property didn’t encourage trespass, but it turned out that turning around outside was topologically impossible. So I ventured into the driveway of a somewhat ramshackle residence, only to be greeted from around the perimeter by a number of dogs trying to chew their way out of metal cages.

I am put in mind the Torchwood episode where they discover a village of Welsh cannibals. No doubt I am being foolish, it’s probably just a meth lab. Fastest 3-point turn I have ever executed.

After some nerve-wracking weaving through no man’s land, I make it back to some sort of civilization and find a parking spot. Reassessing the walk from this point, it seems likely to be a 5 hour round trip. I am reasonably up for it until I spot the curtain of cloud descending. I don’t mind a bit of rain but given recent experience, I would prefer some level of visibility.

I have to abandon… but I shall be back, Bryn Cader Faner, you shall be mine!

Plan B.

Nostalgia tour. I spend the rest of the day circumnavigating the coast of North Wales.

First to nearby Harlech. I’m thinking that I can make use of my Cadw membership and have a wander around the castle. Why I thought I would be able to park in a town like Harlech on a rainy day in June is beyond me.

Onwards for a whistle-stop tour of childhood holiday haunts. Cricieth, Abersoch, Hell’s Mouth, Nefyn. All in the rain, as is historically appropriate!

Whilst I am doing the grand tour, I decide to take the route back via the A5 for some top scenery. Of course, I cannot do this in one go as the route passes my very favourite place in Snowdonia, and I have to stop for a brief trek up to Cwm Idwal. Well worth it in any weather!