Bryn walking recce on sarn helen in snowdonia

Recce for a bryn Walking Event for women: Elen of the Ways

The accommodation which will be used for the residential event in October: Tan yr Allt

day 1: Dolwyddelan to Blanau Ffestiniog

This was a very challenging day because of the weather and it might be the case that this day's route is modified before the actual event is in October. Bryn Walking always recce routes before these residential events and today justified the need for appropriate recce walks over proposed routes.

day 2: llan ffestiniog to trawsfynydd

With fine weather after an initial weather forecast for snow flurries (in June!!), we drove over to Trawsyfnydd to catch the 0930 bus to LLan Ffestiniog and parked in a layby close to the northernmost bus stop in the village.

We were at the bus stop in plenty of time and were quite relaxed until a passing motorist told us the bus didn't stop at the bus stop anymore. On his advice we rushed over to the centre of the village and just managed to board the bus in time before it drove down a different road onto the A470. The driver told us that the bus hadn't stopped at the bus stop where we were waiting for ten years!

We changed buses at the Oakley Arms bus interchange and were lucky that a  bus pulled in soon after we arrived which was running late which was in our favour as we avoided a long wait there.

Arriving at Llan Festiniog we looked at a community run hotel which looked quite nice before descending into and traversing eastwards in the Ceunant Cynfal NNR, passing the waterfall to arrive at Bont Newydd.

Continuing southwards we climbed up to Sarn Helen to arrive at the Castell Tomen-y-mur Roman Amphitheatre complex where we enjoyed lunch with great views over towards the Rhinog Fawr NNR.

​We descended back to our vehicle and drove back to Newtown together and myself continuing on to Cardiff.