WALES - June 2025 - Cader Idris & Nice Chicks No Beaver

 Monday 30th June - Cader Idris

Wales at last! Of course I've been to Wales before, but often I've considered there is so much to explore in Wales, and so much diversity. Setting off on the previous evening, I stayed barely 15 minutes from the planned start of the climb up Cader Idris at Minffordd- on the hoof fairly late in the morning, as the forecast was better later in the day. 

 

Some sea fog early on, but it cleared and it was very humid...the first main stop was Lake Cau (tarn) then onwards to the summit of Cader Idris....steady climbing, no scrambling as such...but impressive panorama on the top, and great views of fighter jets training. 

 Extended the walk to Mynnd Moel summit then a rather gnarly descent, great views (see the stile photos) and after man built rock steps all the way down, which was a godsend because my lower quad upper knee was complaining, aswell as my right ankle...these have been slowly worsening for a while. A dip in the river at the car park...then I set off looking for a spot for the night....in prep for a "nature day".

Via Towyn on the coast, then Aberdovey...eventually I headed slightly inland along the Dovey Valley to Machynlleth. Struggled to find an off grid spot, so decided to park rather hidden on a No Overnight Camping layby, with great views of the Dovey. What's the worst that can happen?

 

 

 Cader Idris                                                                                   River Dovey nr Machynlleth 

 

Tuesday 1st July -  Nice Chicks but no Beaver

First stop, a walk along the gorgeous River Dovey at Machynlleth- Llollo Williams of Springwatch produced an excellent 4 Welsh valley series including the Dovey. And apparently there is a single beaver on the stretch I walked....no sign though. I spoke to 3 locals, one of which knew the exact spot (under the new bridge) but none of them had ever seen it in all the years that had lived locally! And dusk or very early were the best times, not 10am in the morning! A colony of sand Martins though were nice plus a solitary goosander. 

 

 More guaranteed were the Ospreys with 3 fledglings, just 20 mins down the valley...very nice and clear to see from the observation tower, telescopes and screens provided.

Next door was a RSPB reserve but closed on Tuesdays and finally the only Welsh nature heritage site near Borth....mainly dunes, estuary and beach but £10 to park on the beach, so I headed off towards my next stop (BTW all based on a ChatGPT itinerary).

I popped into Aberystwyth for a short time (I don't do towns) via Lidl (coconut Greek yoghurt! ) and although it was on my itinerary for the next day, I thought I had time to see the Red Kite feeding at Nanty yr Arian. Arriving at 2.30pm, it had actually just finished.

However what was on my itinerary was an overnight stay in the Upper Rheidol valley. Several dams had filled the valley with reservoirs and the target was the Nanty Y Moch Reservoir...very remote, with a choice of places to stay remotely, but no phone signal! As I bedded down, the hill mist rolled in right down to the resevoir.