Sunday morning the forecast and the view across Cardigan Bay didn't
quite match, so I waited until lunchtime to see what the weather was up
to. In the early afternoon I went to Cwmystwyth at the end of the
Rheidol hydroelectric road at the exit of the Rheidol gorge. Photos of
the day's walk are at
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/060416.html
After crossing the Rheidol on a footbridge, I went up through forest to
Pontarfynach / Devil's Bridge. The path is a little different from the
OS map but is very clearly waymarked apart from the last signpost before
the village, which points into someone's back garden. The track of the
Vale of Rheidol railway is crossed almost at the top of the gorge.
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06041605bRheidolRailway.jpg
I left the village southward and went on across the B4574 onto a track
leading gently up the Mynach valley. It's the Mynach, just before
merging into the Rheidol, that's crossed by the Devil's bridge, but this
section of the river is rather calmer, before entering the gorge.
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06041614bMynach.jpg
A bit higher up along the river, the banks are getting rather boggy and
the river itself gets steeper and has some fine rapids. The bog was
just serious enough to top up my boots, which were in danger of drying
out after the bog trotting exercise on Friday... I wasn't sure if there
was a bridge or ford (the map only shows a right of way crossing the river
at SN771776, but that doesn't necessarily mean much of course) and was
beginning to wonder if it was worthwhile continuing through the quagmire
given that I might have to come back the same way. But then a couple of
people and dogs came the other way and brought me the good news about the
bridge, and I could reassure them that the bog in which we were all standing
was the worst bit I had encountered so far. Here's a view upstream from
the footbridge:
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06041617bUpperMynachRapids.jpg
The next section was up Llechwedd Mawr through Forestry Commission land:
rather eventless but quick progress on wide tracks. The forest extends
to the top of the ridge, where the view opens back over the rolling
hills of Ceredigion:
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06041625bLlechweddMawrWest.jpg
On the way down, I had a short exchange of views with a farmer's dog,
but the farmer called it back immediately and successfully. Meeting
the A4120 at Ysbyty Cynfyn, from where the path descends the Rheidol
gorge. On the descent, I met a chap who was looking for the bridge.
When I told him that it's right at the bottom of the gorge, he said he
wasn't sure he'd be able to make it back up. I hope I didn't scare him
away, muddy trousers and sharp end of my pole sticking out of my
rucksack and all that... The views from Parson's bridge up and down the
gorge are stunning:
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06041631bFfeiradRocks.jpg
and a huge waterfall can be seen on the way up on the other side:
http://users.aber.ac.uk/ruw/album/06041633bNantYsbytyCynfynFall.jpg
After a short section on high ground cutting off the bend of the gorge
(where there's no space for a path), I went down once more to reach the
car at Cwmystwyth. Not as wild as on Friday, but an interesting mix of
farmland, bog, forest, open hillside and gorge, with a bit of local
history thrown in for good measure.
--
Rudi Winter, Aberystwyth, Wales