Rutland Water

Saturday 22nd March 2014

Last year I travelled to Rutland, the smallest county in England, for a seminar at The Lodge Trust and since that was over by lunchtime I thought I would take advantage of the good weather and of being in the area to head across to Rutland Water, the largest reservoir in England. I used to come to Rutland Water every year to walk around the perimeter of the reservoir as I saw it as a good way of getting my hillwalking fitness back up to scratch after the winter for the start of spring. For some reason I stopped coming, possibly because of a perceived lack of hills that led me to think a better preparation could be had elsewhere. Nevertheless it was enjoyable to come back to Rutland Water after so many years and see all the changes that have taken place over the last couple of years, particularly in the western end of the lake where lagoons have been created to enhance the nature reserve.

Rather than parking in one of the car parks that surround the reservoir I parked in the village of Manton, in the south-western corner of Rutland Water, not far from the Horse & Jockey Inn, which is where I had parked previously. I set off immediately eager to make up for the time that I’d lost in the morning, and I immediately discovered a new section of path that I didn’t remember from my previous visits. A track heads downhill from Manton alongside a railway line to reach the main road beside a bridge. Originally the cycle track that follows the perimeter of the reservoir followed this track down to the road and then went under the railway beside the main road. Perhaps in order to keep cyclists (and those people who walk all the way around Rutland Water) off the main road a path has been built around the top of the entrance to Manton Tunnel and down to the road on the other side of the line.

Further along the track the route has been diverted further away from the reservoir to make room for the lagoons that have been created and to prevent cyclists (and the occasional walker) from disturbing the birds that people come to the reserve to see. After passing the Birdwatching Centre I passed through the picturesque and daffodil-filled village of Egleton before walking along quiet country roads to a T-junction where a right turn would take me around the Hambleton peninsula and extend the walk to a leg-breaking 25 miles, but since I had started the walk late I turned left, missed out the peninsula and followed the road onto the main road on the northern shore of the lake. The cycle track keeps away from the road on its own good path finally veering away from the road to come back down to the shore of the reservoir.

By the time I reached the deserted Barnsdale car park, the first of three on the northern shore of the reservoir, the good weather that I had gazed at longingly all morning had gone and it now started to rain. I had actually anticipated this rain and planned to use it as an opportunity to test a rain cover for my rucksack: I would need a smaller cover. Since Barnsdale car park has always seemed to have been deserted whenever I do this circuit, usually early spring, I must conclude that it is only used during peak times as an overflow. After passing through Barnsdale the track plunges into a wood that later in the season must surely be covered with woodland flowers, but unfortunately, except for a few primroses, it was too early in the season for me to see them. Despite the lack of flowers I would still consider Barnsdale Wood to be the best part of the entire walk.

Not far beyond the wood is the large car park of Whitwell with its associated marina where the rain finally stopped and I was able to put my new rain cover away, and by the time I reached the third car park on the north shore, Sykes Lane, the sun had come out again to compensation me gloriously for my wet and dull walk along the north shore. By the time I had crossed the wind-swept dam the weather was fabulous with lovely blue skies, bright sunshine and stunning views across the reservoir leaving me with a thoroughly enjoyable walk along the south shore of the reservoir. I couldn’t help lingering at the stranded Normanton Church that is such an icon of Rutland and a frequent visiting place for me when I was young, so I couldn’t resist taking a picture or two before continuing along the circuit to Normanton car park and beyond to Lyndon nature reserve.

The circuit deteriorates after passing the visitor centre for the reserve as it climbs up to the south shore road to follow that, sometimes actually on the busy road, all the way into Manton and back to my car. I enjoyed this walk immensely, and more than I was expecting, partly because I was actually expecting more rain than I got, and the good weather at the end was a surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated. This walk reminded me of why I used to return to Rutland Water year after year, but I was still stuck with that lack of a hill despite the presence of a couple of steep gradients. This is not a walk that deserved to be abandoned, even though it was ignored by my blog until I became desperate enough to put it in. A walk in Scotland or the Yorkshire Dales might sound more exciting, but for a good, long walk that took me less than an hour to get to, there are few better options.

The Aran Ridge

Monday 31st May 2004

On the final day of my holiday in southern Snowdonia during the Spring Bank Holiday in 2004 I returned to the hills that I’d walked up on my first day of the weekend. I don’t know why I felt the need to come back to Aran Fawddwy, whether this was what I’d always planned for the weekend or whether it was a spur of the moment decision. Whatever was the reason for my repeated walk along the Aran Ridge it was a great idea as it gave me a fantastic walk in tremendous weather on a range of hills that sees few visitors. I remember being astonished by the difference in the number of people on this hill compared with Cadair Idris which I’d climbed the previous day. That hill is lower than Aran Fawddwy and yet on a Bank Holiday Monday I saw less people on my walk than I can count on one hand. The Aran Range is a fantastic ridge that affords you with tremendous walking and it deserves to be more popular.

The walk began near the southern end of Llyn Tegid (also known as Bala Lake) at the village of Llanuwchllyn, which is a delightfully unpronounceable Welsh village. A track opposite the car park immediately starts the climb up the ridge and after skirting around the final hill (or rather the first hill in ascent) on the ridge, Garth Fach, a footpath climbs up to the top of the ridge beside Garth Fawr to begin the ascent of the Aran Ridge. Route finding was now very easy as I followed a thin footpath that generally kept slightly to the west of the top of the ridge as I slowly climbed all the way up. Although the gradient was not usually severe there were a couple of spots where the gradient was rather trying and I was reduced to a crawl as I struggled to climb the steep hill.

I remember this climb as not being the best part of the day and I was not able to enjoy my surroundings, or the walk. I generally don’t like long ascents as they just seem to drag for me, so I am always eager to get high as quickly as possible so I can enjoy the feeling of being up high for as long as possible. At the time of doing this walk I didn’t know this about myself, but it was after walks such as this that I realised my loathing of long ascents. The weather had been very good all weekend, but it may have been poorer on this walk, particularly on the ascent. This walk was over ten years ago and I made no notes at the time about it, so I am relying on my memory, which is proving patchy. I don’t have a clear memory of the ascent, which must be a clear indication that I didn’t enjoy it.

Image public domain from Wikipedia

Eventually I reached the craggy top of Aran Benllyn which may or may not have been covered in cloud. I really can’t remember. It probably was if the weather was poorer on this walk than on the previous two days. Nevertheless I continued undaunted along this fabulous ridge to the second of the three high tops on the ridge, Erw y Ddafad-ddu. This is the lowest of the three and leads on to the highest point on the ridge and the hill that I’d reached on the previous Saturday, Aran Fawddwy. After stopping for my lunch at the summit I turned around and retraced my steps for a walk of enormous delight. This descent has gone down in history as one of the greatest I have ever completed. The tedious ascent was banished from memory as I ignored the footpath I had taken in ascent and made my own way following the very top of the ridge all the way down.

© Copyright Nigel Brown and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

I am sure the weather must have been much better in the afternoon during my descent as I returned along the stony ridge over Erw y Ddafad-ddu and Aran Benllyn carefully selecting my route as I made my way down passing from one top to another. Small sheer outcrops occasionally barred my way forcing me to either make a long diversion or more preferably to scramble down the rock faces as I tried to keep to the very top of the ridge. When I was following the footpath my steps had been dictated by other people, but now I was free to go where I wanted and enjoy every moment of that freedom slowly making my way down the ridge. The sun was shining and I felt carefree and happy while walking miles away from anyone else on this gradually descending, craggy ridge.

I passed over the top of Craig Llyn with expansive views to the east of grassy hills and continued along the ridge pausing at the top of every little rise in the descending ridge. I stopped at the top of Moel Ffenigl and later at the top of Craig Geifr. After successfully getting down the rock face I made my way to Moel Ddu where the rocky terrain I had enjoyed scrambling down finally came to an end and left me with just the two hills I had started the walk with, Garth Fawr and Fach. Once I had passed over the top of Garth Fach my car was only a short distance away and this wonderful descent was finished. I had such a gloriously enjoyable time on my walk down this ridge that it has since been remembered as one of the most enjoyable walks I have ever done. Walks that return the way you came are often looked upon negatively, but on this occasion the return walk was vastly superior to the outward walk, which is a testament to this fabulous ridge in a stunning part of Wales, and my desire to go back is now stronger than ever.

Cadair Idris

Sunday 30th May 2004

I had a great time over the Spring Bank Holiday in 2004 where glorious weather greeted me every time I set off on a walk. I was staying at the Corris Youth Hostel and it was on this occasion that I was introduced to the delights of Earl Grey Tea and ever since I have been drinking not only that blend of tea, but also the brand of tea that was in the youth hostel: Clipper. This would have made it a memorable weekend for me if only for that reason, but the walking was also sensational with fabulous weather over some truly great mountains. The previous day I had driven to the southern end of Snowdonia and walked up to the highest point in the Aran range of mountains, which are rarely visited despite being the highest point in Britain south of Snowdon, however there is a mountain nearby that, though smaller in height, draws in the crowds. Although Cadair Idris is topped by the nearby Aran range it has all the other characteristics that make a mountain popular.

There is a main road all around the base of the mountain that provides easy access from many different locations which results in several popular named paths to the summit. More significant than that is that it dominates the view from Barmouth and the Mawddach Estuary as it rises from sea level all the way to the top giving it the impression of having a much higher height than it actually has. Even from its higher neighbours its distinctive top draws the eye and draws people to climb this striking mountain. It is no wonder that this is probably the second most popular mountain in Wales, after Snowdon. The September before this walk I had come to Snowdonia for the first time to climb mountains and on that occasion I had climbed Snowdon twice. It took me less than a year for my attention to be drawn south towards this most regal of mountains.

I had heard that the best route up Cadair Idris was from the south, from the Minffordd Hotel so that was the route I took, parking near the hotel, on a heavily manufactured path climbs steeply through woodland past spectacular waterfalls. I came back to Cadair Idris in 2009, but I was not blessed with the same good weather of me first visit having instead encountered low cloud and rain. The path eventually levelled off into the glorious surroundings of Cwm Cau where craggy cliffs look steeply down on the glacial lake of Llyn Cau. In good weather this bowl is an awesome sight and it was no less inspiring when I returned in less than ideal conditions. The fabulous path continues less distinctly around the edge of the cwm as I gradually climbed to the top of Mynydd Pencoed while the pointed peak of Penygadair, the highest point on Cadair Idris, constantly drew my attention.

Image by NotFromUtrecht [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

After passing over Mynydd Pencoed I didn’t continue making my way around the top of Cwm Cau towards Penygadair, but headed out across the broad western slopes of the mountain to the edge of the northern cliffs of Cadair Idris, above Llyn Gadair. During this walk I had the aim of bagging all the significant peaks on Cadair Idris and I had already bagged one of them in Mynydd Pencoed, but in order to bag Cyfrwy (also known as the Saddle) I had to make a detour past the Pony Path that comes up the northern slopes and make my way to this cliff-edge top. Nowadays I wouldn’t be so bothered about going out of my way to bag a top unless I had a good reason, but back in 2004 I was eager to get to the top of all the mountains in Wales, including their subsidiary summits. Once I had visited the cairn at the top of Cyfrwy I joined the Pony Path for the final ascent to the summit of Cadair Idris.

The top was packed with people also prompted to climb this popular mountain in the good weather of this Bank Holiday weekend, so it wasn’t long before I set off again from the summit following the edge of the northern cliffs. After stopping briefly at an unnamed 852m top that has minimal re-ascent I continued heading east visiting the top of the fourth and final significant top of Cadair Idris, Mynydd Moel, before continuing along the ridge slowly descending until I reached an old fence. The ridge now levelled off and continued until eventually I reached a cairn above the terminal cliffs of Gau Graig. At this point I turned right and followed a fence that heads south-east off the ridge plunging steeply down to easier slopes on Mynydd Gwerngraig. I remember being rather concerned about whether I’d find a way down this steep slope, but in the event I found a well-graded path that handled the contours competently.

On easier ground I made my way down the grassy slopes beside the fence all the way to the road at the top of the pass. A short section of road walking was required before I was able to safely follow a bridlepath down Cwm Rhwyddfor that led me almost all the way back to the Minffordd Hotel. The weather continued to be fabulous and I had a pleasurable stroll. I remember someone asking me when I got back to my car where I’d just walked and he expressed surprise at the distance I had just done. However, I didn’t feel like I’d walked a great distance as I was elated at having just walked over a fabulous mountain in sensational weather. It was a pity the weather was not as good when I returned in 2009 and even more a pity that I have never been back since to renew my acquaintance with this fabulous mountain.

Glasgwm and Aran Fawddwy

Saturday 29th May 2004

As always happens at this time of the year I don’t have a recent walk to write about and so I’ve got to delve back more than ten years to describe a walk that I’ve not mentioned before. The problem with these walks from 2004 is that, apart from my holiday in the Lake District, I didn’t make any notes at the time or take any photos. Consequently I am reliant on my sketchy memory and since my holiday of the Spring Bank Holiday 2004 is in an area that I’ve hardly ever been back to I am going to have to raid the internet for someone else’s photo. It is a tragedy that I have not been back to this area as it is a fabulous area for walking with few visitors. The weather was great all weekend meaning that I had tremendous fun on all three days. The first day was initially spent driving to Wales and once I reached the Dovey Valley I took a narrow road up into the quiet valley of Cwm Cywarch. Internet reports describe this as a beautiful valley but all I can remember of it is a sign in both English and Welsh but with the English crossed out. That did not seem very welcoming.

At the end of the road is a large meadow with parking and from there I set off west up the side of the valley. Although there is a right-of-way marked on the map I remember completely losing all trace of it especially after crossing over a hedge in an attempt to follow the green dotted line on the map. The latest maps show a track that zigzags up the hill and that is what I should have been on, but since it was not on my map I was not aware of it until it swung towards the hillside that I was walking up. After crossing another hedge I was able to join this track as it zigzags up the hillside until finally I reached the saddle at the top of the ridge. Turning right I followed the ridge-top fence in glorious sunshine heading roughly north towards Glasgwm whose awesome crags, Craig Cywarch, had been attracting my attention throughout the climb.

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Slowly I climbed the broad grassy slopes of Glasgwm until eventually I reached the broad top that is adorned by several small lakes and several small tops (at least it appears to from looking at the map, I can’t remember). I continued to follow the fence and headed down to the pass that separates Glasgwm from the Aran ridge. The path that comes up to the top of the pass from the valley looks like it could be an interesting climb with close views of the crags amongst a tremendous rock landscape that is giving me an insatiable desire to return to these awesome mountains. From the top of the pass I continued to follow the fence slowly gaining height as I gradually made my way all the way up to the top of Aran Fawddwy. This is one of the highest hills in Wales, but also one of the least known, which is a great shame as it lies at the top of a fabulous ridge. I can’t help thinking that I may have had a bit of poor weather at the top of Aran Fawddwy, although it could have been merely low cloud, but even so it may have been the only bad weather I had all weekend.

Turning around I headed back along the craggy ridge until I reached a junction where another fence joined onto the one I had been following. Turning to the left I followed this fence descending to a narrow, grassy ridge high above the valley of Hengwm where a cairn marks the start of the ridge. Although I had forgotten about this the internet reveals that this cairn commemorates a mountain rescuer who was killed during a rescue. At the other end of the narrow ridge a small rise brought me to the top of the grassy hill of Drysgol. There must be tremendous views of the eastern crags of the Aran ridge from this point, but since I didn’t have a camera with me at the time I can only look at other people's pictures and dream.

© Copyright Philip Halling and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

While coming down the grassy slopes on the other side of Drysgol I found a path that took me gradually down into the Hengwm valley. I do remember it being rather windy at this point because I had been trying out a wide-brimmed hat that I had just bought and I was finding that it wasn’t particularly useful when there is even the slightest wind, which is quite common on mountains. This path brought me all the way down to the road in Cwm Cywarch not far from my car at the end of a walk that was just an introduction to the delights I would be enjoying on this weekend in the southern mountains of Snowdonia. I had tremendous weather, most of the time, and the scenery was first class. The greatest tragedy is that I have never been back.