backpacking in the cambrian mountains

objective - locate the cwm elan mine

This was intended as a 24hr overnight backpacking journey with Helen Menhinick of Bryn Walking so that she could bring groups here to visit this interesting site.

route description - day 1

Helen and I met at the Elan Valley Visitor Centre by about 1030. Checking our shared equipment we realised we were a MSR Pocket Rocket short of what we needed so we drove into Rhayader and purchased a Camping Gaz Twister Plus for £20 and a gas cartridge.

Back at the Visitor Centre, we finished packing our rucksacks (we were both using Deuter) and paid the overnight parking fee on Helen's VW Transporter.

Driving up the valley we crossed the Caban-coch road bridge and parked at the chapel car park (Spot Height 255m) where we ate lunch.

We'd planned on walking up the bridleway through Llanerchi Wood but this route can be a bit stream-like after heavy rains so chose to follow a forest road up to Cwm Coel. We briefly split up there as this was a Bryn Walking recce but met up just above Blaencoel old farm buildings. Walking up through heavy hail showers had been painful on our faces.
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On the open hill we crossed rough ground to Disgwlfa and handrailed the hill fence to just beyond the wooded Graig Ddu cliffs.

A faint track shown on our maps took us down into Cwm Elan and the old mine workings which were interesting but there was a lack of any on-site interpretation.

We chose an area beyond the site, on the edge of the open access land and pitched our tents. Apart from the heavy hail and very strong winds up on the higher open ground, we arrived dry without having experienced any rain.

tents

Helen:
​Alan:

catering

Day 1 
Lunch: Cambozola cheese and avocado sandwich - Carrot sticks - 
Dinner: Gin & Tonic - Olives - Welsh 30 day Sirloin steak cooked on site - Fruit crumble & Custard
Day 2
Breakfast: Fried/scrambled egg rolls and fresh coffee

other equipment

MSR Reactor Stove c/w coffee press
Camping Gaz Twister Plus Stove

clothing

Alan used the following clothing from Rohan Designs:

• Ventus waterproof jacket
• Paramo Bibs (only because Rohan Designs discontinued the fabulous Pinnicle Bibs!)
  
• Aether Boxers
• Alpha silver T 
• Core Silver Zip 
• Eos Down Jacket (it's importat to stay warm in the tent after a long day on the hills)
• Inner Flame Vest
  

leave no trace

Our overnight wild camp on Access Land fully complied with the LEAVE NO TRACE - Outdoor Ethics guidelines:

1. Plan ahead and prepare
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces
3. Dispose of waste properly (we took it out with us on Day 2)
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts (we didn't use a fire)
6. Respect wildlife
7. Be considerate to other visitors

We left no traces!

route description - day 2

After breakfast we broke camp and headed off down the valley after ensuring we hadn't left anything behind.

​Helen took a few final images of this interesting area before we left.

We crossed the Nant Methan carefully but soon after realised there was a bridge lower down that we could have used. The final section was on the footpath by the side of Garreg-ddu reservoir and we were soon back at my car.

We returned to the Visitor Centre for a coffee before parting company and headed for home.

Comments from Helen

A very enjoyable 24hrs.
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​Highlights for me were:

• Listening to the continual hail and wind throughout the night, thinking the flysheet had blown away....
• The steaks and crumble with custard
• Battling through the intense hail on the high ground
• The fascinating mining site
• Another night in a tent, in the wilds - love it