WALES - July 2025 - Kites, Waterfalls & Tryfan

Devil's Bridge Waterfalls

Rheidol Valley

Nant-y-Moch Resevoir

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Wednesday 2nd July - Nanty nr Arian, Kites and Lake Ogwen

What a contrast! I awoke at 6am to an amazing blue sky morning, and sadly drove to another spot for breakie where I knew I had 4G....

Nearby, not on the itinerary were the Devil Bridge (3 bridges on top of each other from differing eras) Waterfalls....a coffee and cake nearby first (really to use the loo) then I entered the turnstile to pay for the pleasure of the walk! I claimed O65 concession and the rather lardy youngish woman warned me that it was a long arduous walk...how long I asked? "As much as 45 mins!!" FFS

I nearly mentioned that I was planning on scrambling the North Ridge on Trefan the next day, but lardy wouldnt have known what I was talking about. Cheeky mare!

The falls were quite impressive...but next stop Nanty Yr Arian. 2pm was the Kite feeding time, and unknown to me this area was also a mountain biking centre, so I had 90 mins to at last take the gravel bike out...cracking area for gravel too, and eventually ended up very close to where Id stayed over the previous night...I went down one of the red routes on the way back, which was easily doable on the bike, but didn't have time to conduct further exploration.

There was still 30 mins until feeding time, but as I approached the centre, the Kites clearly knew their freebies were imminent....scores and scores of them in air and covering some of the Pines. With a quick spin around, I walked down to the viewing spot and took a front seat on the ground! It really was impressive, whilst the woman was there, they were diving and scooping, but once she left a lot of them landed, together with the bloody seagulls! Defo worth the visit, and will probably return, if my fading cycling doesn't completely disappear? 🤷‍♂️
I did clock some good looking off grid places above the centre too.

Now, partially my fault on two fronts...a predicted 2.5 hour drive to Lake Ogwen for Tryfan tomorrow. Firstly I did asked ChatGPT to include both Cader Idris and Trefan....in the future I'd concentrate on one region, there's so much to see.However it took me well over 3.5 hours...why? In Google Maps I entered Ogwen Cottage as the destination, which does exist where I wanted....but I was questioning why I was driving so far east, even into England, passed Wrexham and Chester....then saying I was only a mile from my destination in Holliwell, NE Wales not far from the Wirral! I realised immediately I'd gone to the incorrect Ogwen Cottage, and really missed out on what should've been an excellent cross country route. Anyway, I arrived eventually at Lake Ogwen, lots of space on the layby, and overnight staying OK, albeit 80 minutes later than in shouldve been! Top spot.....

Thursday 3rd July - Trefan and the North Ridge (Bochlwyd Horseshoe)

No signal again, so couldn't check the forecast, although the chat in the layby was that it was going to be a good day. However, that was the least of my worries, my ankle and knee were worrying me. This was going to be a huge rocky scramble day, and didn't want to get to a stage where I could hardly walk! Also I admit I had some apprehension re the North Ridge and the grade 1 scramble...there was no single obvious route, it was a free for all...where one route could be easy, but the adjacent one could be bordering a grade 2.

As it happened I met a rather typical Aussie, Russ from Perth and very early on a couple from Manchester - the guy had done Trefan numerous times, so we trusted him!

Generally it was really good, and like other things, after a while you get more confident and smoother. There was one section that was rather sketch though, a rope would have been useful! We stopped for photos at the Cannon, although I bottled it, not sure why...and as for Adam and Eve (two rock pillars on the summit) I didn't even consider climbing up one, never mind skipping across them!

Cracking scramble though, almost from the very start to the top...the mountain is considered "the mountain" in Snowdonia....and the dramatic vertiginous rock scenery underlined that....the rocky nature didn't stop on the tops either...another ridge, Bristly, a grade 1/2 scramble was up to the next peak, although I went solo just before this....I'd had enough of head down scrambling and wanted to soak in the views (that was my excuse 😉)...although I stepped into the ridge for the last 1/3 of the ridge....solo now I headed to the interesting Castles in the Wind rock morphology, chatting and talking to two local guys who were descending the exact same way as me, the Y Gribin Ridge....two routes down this, a relatively easy path to the left of the ridge, or right over the spine of the ridge, right on the precipitous drop below! I followed the boys on the latter!

Grade 1 again, but descending can be harder...anyway once complete I was scrambled out for the day. I let the boys go, and sat for 15 mins looking at the excellent views, eyeing the full route Id done....and the forecast was spot on, very warm and sunny.

Soon I passed the tarn Bochlwyd, with youths cooling down in the waters....but soon it was my turn, once back at the layby, straight into Lake Ogwen....very refreshing!

I sat for ages with a guy who had been rock climbing, but had an almost identical running and cycling background to me....he also had identical attitudes...it became funny, reminded me of Alan Partridge meeting his nemesis, and trying to out do each other on all they agreed. He included slagging off modern runners getting excited about doing an 18min 10k; ultra runners and triathletes piss poor quality and thinking they are bloody Olympians; deluded cyclists; strava warriors who have never raced, "finisher"T shirts, "turn up" medals etc etc The only mistake is not swapping numbers as he was looking to move to Ruthin from Wiltshire....although Id never rock climb, not now! Top geezer! 

So that was the amazing Tryfan, I'll definitely be back, but explore the regions more intensively, so much to do and see!

And all in all, 5 great nights, ticking all my boxes from nature to challenging mountains, with stunning river valleys but only scratching the surface, the start of a Walesfest!

This time, rather than use Google Maps, I got my road atlas out and headed towards Mold and Ruthin via Betswy Coed....via Park4Night I parked on the edge of Ruthin with views of the castle.

I considered a light hike in the Clwydian Range on the Friday, but decided to head home. My right leg gremlins had survived Tryfan, in fact bizarrely I never felt the knee issue, but thought best now to fully rest with a frustrating two weeks rest.

 

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. 

Lake District - June 2025 - Coniston to Pilling

Tuesday 24th June

Coniston; A6 to eventually Pilling!

The bike is becoming quite quickly very secondary. I've certainly reignited my love for mountain hiking for one, but also with the demise of Mallorca, I always had a sub conscious to stay reasonably fit, to springboard on my Mallorca visits...so at least I'd do 2 or 3 bike sessions per week, indoor or out....but not anymore.

So, similarly to Scotland, the bike has been dragged around on the rear of the van, with hardly any use! So I decided to find a reasonable route from where I'd parked the van..Komoot to the rescue, a pretty good route materialised. The first half much tougher but the whole thing was spoilt by friggin gates....really don't know how many I went through but easily more than 50...for 2 hours it was OK, and then I wanted it to end!

Anyway another water dip, this time in the Lake...clean and refreshed I set off south....not really wanting to go home...why go home to an empty house, I love it in the van, especially in the evenings with my feet up, good location, reading, listening to the radio or music, and tea! (Seriously haven't had a beer for a while now, discovered the joys of a cuppa!).

I headed to Grange over Sands, I must have been there sometime in the past (in fact I recognised a nearby roundabout,  the National 30mile TT Champs - VTTA Champion btw by several minutes!

Anyway, Grange, quite a delightful small resort, lovely prom but don't go to the bakers on the main drag...the pie and cake were awful!

I then decided to drive down the old pre motorway route all the way to Pilling getting close to Blackpool, overlooking the Morecambe Bay....I  vaguely recall queuing at traffic lights at places like Carnforth on the way to the Lakes....the only downer was Lancaster, where I hit their rush hour plus roadworks....going slow enough to view the historical context of the city (it was the capital of traditional Lancashire), and pondering although I grew up not far away, I cannot recall spending anytime there...

Soon south of Lancaster I passed the University where in those revolutionary days of 77 and 78 I went to the occasional punk gig...Stranglers stands out and the Stiff Tour with Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe and Wreckless Eric...."If it ain't stiff, it ain't worth a fvck" said the T shirts!

Seeing the spire church of Pilling brought back memories of my teenage cycle trips out to these marshes and mudflats with my Dixons binoculars....I spent the night with a few other vans close to Fluke Hall...I tried chatting to a French guy, but failing...and then we both got Google Translate out!

In the morning I had a nose around Knott End and Preesall, two more places I used to visit....then set off back to the darkside (Yorkshire)....until the next time! 

Lake District - June 2025 - Cumbrian Coastline & Eskdale

Sunday 22nd June
Silloth to Ravenglass then Eskdale

I slowly edged down the coast through Maryport (where I stopped for a full English at the harbour cafe), Workington and Whitehaven. After which I went to St Bees Head, to check out the seabirds...similar to Bempton but probably less birds and no full RSPB HQ....in fact  nothing, but a farmyard to dump the vehicles then walk about a 1km to the cliffs. The wind was so strong off the sea, that it rather spoilt it...but still nice to see the usuals (no puffins though).

Heading further southwards, I passed the nuclear site: Seascale, Sellafield or Calder Hall...whatever they are calling it now. Nothing today is actually produced there, it's rather worrying function is to look after all the waste produced plutonium, that has massive half lives...

Not far further southwards,  I headed down to the small seaside town of Seascale...actually a rather nice setting. Strange coastline all this, in that it is not easily accessible, so most people would never had visited it, and most probably could not name a town!

Observing a surfer coming out of the sea, and wondering how impacted the sea is from the nuclear site - it certainly used to be...

Taking a short stroll, I immediately came across a large memorial, in memory of all the victims of a deranged gunman in 2010, in the top 3 of mass murder in the UK (with Dunblane and Hungerford)...sitting on a bench, I read the detail on Wikipedia,  and realised I'd followed almost the exact same route...the reading was awful, disturbing, have a gander if you wish: Cumbria shootings - Wikipedia https://share.google/RUEedTzj26NmiRBsS

He killed three in Seascale, and then went to Eskdale where he killed another person, then himself. After Ravenglass, the exact place where I settled for the night...right next to the River Esk 

 

Monday 23rd June
Eskdale: Green Crag, Hardknott,  Wrynose,  Coniston

A morning wash / dip in the river followed by....

The mountain forecast suggested fairly low cloud, bit worse, really strong winds at 3000ft. So my planned hike including Pillar from Wasdale was off!

But exactly like my Bassenthwaite hike, there was a hike from where I'd stayed the night....and again it was in the Southern Fells Wainwright guide. And without, I wouldn't have known about a much more interesting circular route that was absent from the OS maps....a great example again, of where lower routes can be as joyful and infact have more variation than the big mountain days out....there were a series of tors and crags, the highest being Green Crag...and all to my self! Still 5 hours for a Wainwright afternoon amble!! 

Straight on from Eskdale was...Hardknott and Wrynose Passes...could my van take the gradients? Well, only just...a friggin monster hummer campervan beast came down, as I was going up Hardknott, my two offside wheels had to go off the tarmac...and I could not get going, wheel spin, rubber burn...I had to roll back and get all 4 wheels on the tarmac...thank God it was dry too....I won't drive over there again in the van!
Wrynose was nothing as bad, but heck knows how those cyclists manage it on the Fred Whitton, after 90 miles of many other Lakeland passes! 🤪

Soon I was in Lancashire! The Lancashire boundary stone is at the top of Wrynose, and soon heading to Coniston I passed the Three Shires pub - sad they fvcked up the traditional historical boundaries.

Coniston has always been a favourite, not just the setting, but I guess in the past, all those pubs in a relatively small place!

I briefly stopped at the lakeside cafe for a Magnum ice-cream, then found a cracking lakeside night stop towards the southern end....lovely views!

 

Lake District - June 2025 - High Street Range & Bassenthwaite Circuit

Friday 20th June
Haweswater - High Street, Mardale Ill Bell & Harter Fell

So after my recently failed attempt at commencing this walk (due to the severe lower back issue), this the 2nd attempt, I drove up the previous night, not realising it was nearly 3 hours, arriving at 1130pm....a fair chunk being the tiny lanes after Shap, only 12 miles or so, but very slow going, and really praying that nothing came the other way!

The forecast continued with high temperatures for June, which actually made the views from the tops quite hazy, but mustn't complain!

I chose a classic Wainwright route (having my Dad's original books from the 70's!), ascending High Street via Rough and Riggindale Crags...with some low level scrambling, and drops on either side...including a great view of Blea Tarn and the best dramatic cliff views of the range. 

High Street summit is not the most interesting, but plenty of boyhood memories for me with my Dad. Including getting lost on Nan Bield Pass, and descending into Kentmere (the wrong way), then paying a farmer to drive us all the way around to Haweswater 🙄. However, no problem some 50 years later! Where Harter Fell gave the best views of Hawes Water....and via Gatescarth Pass I descended back to the van...a quick dip in the nearby stream, and I was off.

Firstly to inspect a telephone box, in the nearby village of Bampton. I met 3 "Mackams" on the walk, and they were big fans of the film Withnail and I....and apparently certain scenes were recorded locally, including the telephone box! See photos!!

Trying to find somewhere to stay the night, with plans to perhaps climb Blencathra or maybe the NW fells...ended up driving around Bassenthwaite. Eventually found a layby, but got frustrated driving aimlessly...this was on the east side of the Lake. Certainly much more difficult to search out off grid places, than in Scotland - but that's to be expected...more to follow...

Saturday 21st June
Lake Bassenthwaite, Ullock Pike, Carl Side

Although next to a main road out of Keswick, I slept OK...but the number of motorbikes racing up the road as if in the IoM TT was bloody annoying...apparently a Friday ritual 🤷‍♂️

Checking Komoot, the following morning, there was coincidentally  a good circular route on the Skiddaw massif, which was included in the Wainwright guide (Northern Fells), this was Ullock Pike - a conical shaped mountain, like a mini Matterhorn...cracking ridge climb to its summit, extended to Carl Side, on the shoulder of Skiddaw. However extended the route to firstly wander down to the Lake side...hoping to see an Osprey....I didn't, but it was v pleasant. The climb up onto the Ullock Pike ridge was initially super steep...but the rocky tor like ascent on the ridge was "grand". Skiddaw loomed in the background, but it is a mountain that never appealed to me...so I had no inclination to conduct the out and back from Carl Side, just to do it!

The rains started near the end of the hike, and arduous stony descent (aren't they always) very slowly causing issues in my right ankle and right upper knee 😢
After I drove over Winlatter Pass to Loweswater,  and even though it was generally a very sunny Sunday, I decided to check out one of my favourite areas: Crummock Water and Buttermere...they were seriously packed...eventually at Dalesgarth (the last opportunity before the rise to Honister) I turned around and escaped.

One discovery (in the van context) was that those Nazis the National Trust own a large percentage of the Lakes, and are anti off gridding...with signage a plenty for no overnight slumber and apparently wardens or even the police conducting late night checks. But NT campsites at £30 a pop PER VEHICLE. W@nkers!!

 
Never a fan for various reasons, but I think it started when we hiked what was a lovely valley in Shropshire near Church Stretton, that the NT had turned into a huge free for all carpark, with ticket machines! At the same period, banning mountain bikes from there land, then jumping on the popularity in cycling by organising sportives!

The next day was always going to be a chillax day, but the forecast was quite poor too.

I decided to head over to the coast, and check out Silloth. I'd been there once before, my first job after University,  arriving on a coastal vessel delivering or collecting grain, I cannot remember which!

Quite a nice spot actually, on the Solway, looking across at Scotland, and the Galway hills. Just south of the town, courtesy of Park4Night,  I dumped the van on top of a sand dune, overlooking the Solway with a rather nice sunset.