Braich-yr-hwch Merionethshire

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.796143/-3.6662121 or Grid Reference SH8723. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Upland valley & path above Pen y Graig with view towards Aran Fawddwy

This mountain path soon zigzags up the hillside to the right.

Colin Park

Small cairn on summit of Llechwedd Du with view to Arans range

A small cairn marks the summit of Llechwedd Du. A sketchy path follows the fence line east to Bwlch y Groes. There are a few squelchy bits en-route but present no real problems during summer months.

Colin Park

Cairn on Erw y Ddafad ddu

Steven Brown

Cairn on Erw y Ddafad ddu

Steven Brown

Trig point atop Aran Fawddwy

Steven Brown

Fence leading down from summit of Esgeiriau Gwynion

John H Darch

Bwlch Sirddyn

Foel Hafod-fynydd in the distance.

John H Darch

Summit stake on Foel Rhudd 2162' / 659m

The Aran ridge on the horizon.

John H Darch

Flush Bracket S1608 - Aran Fawddwy

Built into the base of the stone trig SH8622 : Trig point atop Aran Fawddwy, and originally levelled in 1937 at 906.78m Ordnance Datum Newlyn (at which time there was a conventional concrete trig pillar here - the stone affair is a more recent addition)

Richard Law

Walls and fences north of Aran Fawddwy

A little way north of the summit area, and at the foot of a slope of jumbled blocks and scree, this old derelict stone wall and a newer fence mark (what is presumably) the boundary between two pieces of grazing land.

Richard Law

A ladder stile and a fence

As the path along the ridge runs north towards Aran Benllyn, the fence is crossed here by this handy ladder stile.

Richard Law

'Clag'

A common term used by walkers for light hill mist, the inside of a cloud, a bit of temporary fog etc. Here it's not really a problem, as the way is marked by the fence on the ridge.

Richard Law

Hillside on the way towards Aran Benllyn

Richard Law

Looking down Erw y Ddafad-ddu to Creiglyn Dyfi

The lower slopes to the east of Aran Fawddwy, and realistically just about the only way down from the ridge for a mile or two in either direction without encountering some very steep ground indeed. The lake Creiglyn Dyfi is considered to be the headwaters of the Afon Dyfi, reaching the sea at Aberdyfi/Aberdovey.

Richard Law

Grassy slopes on Erw y Ddafad-ddu

This photo gives a good idea of the angle of the slope from the Aran ridge down to Creiglyn Dyfi - it's all walkable in either direction, but carrying a big pack it can become a bit of a drag. The view is northeast towards the hills around Cwm-ffynnon.

Richard Law

Down Erw y Ddafad-ddu towards Foel Hafod-fynydd

Pretty much the opposing view to that seen in SH8623 : Erw y Ddafad-ddu as seen from Foel Hafod-fynydd

Richard Law

Evidence of dirty wild-campers

Or 'fly-campers' which is the term that is coming to prominence. The concepts of 'Tread lightly and leave no trace' don't seem to be as well respected as they once were in the hills; here someone has pulled a ring of stones together and lit an open fire (God knows where they obtained the wood, there's no trees for miles) and then left the following day, with no effort to put things back as they were. I'd happily drown them, frankly. My brother and I might have camped here ourselves, but there was a howling gale blowing straight across the lake, and it wouldn't have been practical.

Richard Law

Campsite by the streams

We'd originally planned to camp beside Creiglyn Dyfi SH8622 : Creiglyn Dyfi from the south but there was a bit of a gale blowing up there, so we dropped down beside the infant Afon Dyfi to this flatter, sheltered cwm. The location is just a few yards offshot in the bottom-right corner of the photo linked above. For the cognescenti, yes, that brown tent I'm using is indeed a 40-year-old Phoenix Phreak; the poles need new shockcord in them, but otherwise it's perfectly serviceable.

Richard Law