Epic, barren and wildly beautiful. Those were the three main descriptions my mate Steve gave of our walk in Mid Wales. We had enjoyed some nearly wild camping the previous night and I wanted to give him a good taste of The Cambrian Mountains before we headed home. Like many people, he had never heard of the area until I had started going on about them. Now he would finally get to see whether all of my fussing was justified. The plan was simple. Park high and then head off into the wild on what I thought may well be the best walk in mid Wales. It didn’t disappoint.
Where To Park
We parked the car on the small country lane that passes through the tiny village of Dylife. It offers tremendous views north towards Snowdonia and in fact we ended up leaving the car at an altitude of 509 metres. We had originally planned to park down near Glaslyn Lake, but the gate was locked and so we used the small lay-by to the side of the road. There was one other car there, when we arrived. I doubt it’s ever busy such is its remoteness.
You could also start the walk from the opposite side of the circuit. A well surfaced dead end road leaves the A44 at Ponterwyd and terminates about 1 km from the stunning Hengwym Valley, which this walk takes in. You can see that part of the walk on a previous trip I did here. A beautiful and wild drive for sure.
The Route
I do love a good circular route as it means you aren’t covering paths you’ve already walked. Starting high means there is a bit of gentle descending to begin with and in fact the whole journey isn’t overly undulating. Much of The Cambrian Mountains consists of high moorland plateau and this hike follows several river valleys that snake their way across it. You can find out more about the area in this article I wrote about it. Here are some key stats Steve took from his GPS which you might find useful:
Distance: 14.35 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,775 feet
Calories burned ( 78 kg man ): 1,797
Moving time: 5 hours 29 minutes.
Pace: 22.59 minute miles on average.
Will I be fit enough?
I’m well used to hiking and Steve is a keen trail runner. For this reason, we planned quite an ambitious route that ended up being around fourteen miles in length. It is challenging in places and requires a good level of fitness. We certainly aren’t olympians though, so if you’ve got a whole day free, then you should have no trouble with the physical demands of the walk. Water and food are the main things you need to get right. You will be out for hours and there isn’t a shop in sight, so you must be totally self-sufficient. Two litres of water per person would be a minimum in my eyes. If you plan to use a water filter or treat it like I did, then you’ll be fine carrying less. There are plenty of mountain rivers and streams to fill up along the route.
Leaving Civilisation Behind
Things were already desolate when we left the car behind, but it just got more and more wild the further we traveled. We soon passed Glaslyn Lake not far into the hike. It’s an odd place as it sits around 1,500 feet up, yet there is a huge drop off just the other side of its northern shore. The views from here across to southern Snowdonia were incredible. Photos don’t do it justice.
It is a clear byway at this point and a couple of kilometres further on takes you to Bugeilyn Lake. By this point you really do feel like you are in the middle of nowhere and it is highly likely that you won’t have seen a single person since leaving your car. It is odd then that there is a boathouse at the northern end of the water. I can’t imagine there are any other lakes in England and Wales as remote as this in which to go sailing. Some research does suggest this is also a great spot to fish if you want to escape the modern world and connect fully with nature.
A New View At Every Turn
The views on this walk are extensive and vast. In many places you could certainly describe it as big sky country, I’ve never been to Mongolia, but imagine it to be similar in some ways. Vast, empty and with a true sense of space and remoteness.
What we really appreciated was how each turn in the track revealed a new far-stretching view. Even before we reached the most special part of the walk, we witnessed remote lakes, moorland views, cascading streams, a meandering river and the site of Plynlimon in the distance. This is the highest mountain in the area and in fact the highest peak for some considerable distance. It might not be towering at 752 metres, but the views are incredible, as I witnessed on a wild camp there on a previous trip. It also happens to be the birth place of many rivers including the Wye and Severn.
Just being close to this beautiful yet rarely visited mountain helps make this the best walk in Mid Wales. Scaling it on this circuit would just make it even more epic. You’d probably need an extra three hours and plenty more energy to achieve it though.
Soon you enter the forest that can be seen in the picture above. It makes a welcomed change from the wild open terrain you’ve already covered, especially if it is windy and wet. Like many forests in this area though, it is a plantation rather than naturally occurring. I’ve no doubt that a fair bit of Britain’s timber comes from these forests such are their size.
The track continues clearly through the trees and you can’t help but stop and gaze into the forest either side. Even on a sunny day, little light can reach the forest floor and it is dark and rather spooky in there. If you fancied a game of hide- and-seek here, then I doubt you’d be ever found!
A Possible Detour
There is more beautiful walking to be done as you emerge from the forest and follow the meandering Hyddgen River in its valley floor. It is here where you will see the best views of Plynlimon and you’ll be able to make out the large hollow to its north, which contains the Llyn Llygad Rheidol lake. This really is a beautiful place, more than holding its own with more famous bodies of water in Snowdonia and The Brecon Beacons in my humble opinion. If you have sufficient time, then you can make a detour up to the lake and maybe even the summit. The views alone will make you feel king of the world. As you view mountains i all directions, you’ll well and truly believe you’re on the best walk in Mid Wales.
The Hengwyn Valley
This must be one of the best parts of the walk and one of the main reasons this circuit must be the best walk in Mid Wales. The Hengwym Valley is simply gorgeous and is without one of the most beautiful valleys I’ve visited. Others who are lucky enough to have experienced this place would agree such as this adventurous chap. It might not offer the dramatic towering mountains that you’ll find in Snowdonia or The Lake District, but it’s still stunning in a way I can’t really explain. It just touched my soul and I believe the solitude and sense of space helped with that. The valley floor is wide with the Hengwym river snaking its way along its bottom. There are waterfalls, gentle meanders and plenty of spots that would be perfect for a dip on a warm day.
The Going Gets Tough
You’ll cross a bridge at the beginning of this valley and then this is where the fun begins. The path marked on the map seemed to disappear and we were left heading cross country. Much of The Cambrian Mountains are covered in bog and tussocky grass and this particular part of the walk was no exception.
The going got very slow indeed and Steve’s waterproof trail running shoes proved to be inadequate. A few choice words were shouted here, but thankfully nobody was around to hear us. You certainly need good ankle support and fully waterproof boots to deal with this terrain, even in the height of summer. I was thankful to be wearing the footwear I was, as they didn’t set a foot wrong.
https://animoto.com/play/ARSogzkUGY0CgwvLVpJOAw – a little preview into how challenging the terrain is in the lower valley.
You will need to pass through several gates and cross a section of ground that can only be described as a trampoline of grass. The ground looks like it’ll be full on bog, but instead is dry and leaves you with a spring in your step. I can well imagine that this would provide a very very comfortable night’s sleep if you were carrying a bivvy bag.
From here you will visit an old ruin by the banks of the river and spot another one on the other side of the valley. It is incredible to think that somebody may have lived out in these parts at some point. Being nearly four hundred metres above sea level, I can well imagine that winters are tough up here. They must have been hardy people for sure!
Soon enough you’ll have to cross the Hengwym River. It is quite fast flowing even during summer and isn’t easy to ford. We decided to stick to its southern bank and cross further upstream, where it was narrower. There may well have been a bridge here at some point near the main ruin, as it the path clearly crosses the river on OS maps. There was no sign of it though when we arrived. Perhaps particularly heavy rain washed it way at some point. This hike is certainly unpredictable, which I feel is one of the factors that makes it the best walk in Mid Wales.
The Home Straight
Once you cross the Hengwym River, you should be able to easily pick up the path that runs almost parallel to it on its northern side. You need to still remain focused as there are moments when it seems to vanish and your GPS comes in handy once more. You’ll then tackle the most challenging climb of the day. It is only around 150 metres in height gain, but the long grass may well make it seem tougher than it should be.
Make sure you turn and appreciate the view from the top. Once again you’ll enjoy a wildly beautiful landscape, offering a true sense of space. We both sat at the summit just to take in where we were. I know I keep saying it, but you may well find yourself in awe of where you are and what you’ve just accomplished. We certainly did. Steve even said that the previous torture of the bog had been worth it for this. That’s an achievement when you consider how wet his feet were.
From the summit, you will drop down the other side of the hill and spot the well surfaced path running alongside Bugeilyn Lake. If you’re anything like us, then you’ll be jumping for joy at seeing a clear path and finally walking on it. The gravel surface will feel so much easier than what you’ve just tackled.
You will retrace your steps for the remainder of the walk. Navigation is easy and the terrain gently undulating. It does take longer than you might think to get back to your car, but you’ll feel a great sense of achievement when you do. As you glance back and view the distant Plynlimon, you might find it hard to believe you just walked there. Well you did and if you’re anything like us, then you’ll want to tell everybody you know all about it. Where you’ve just been is rather special and you may well also believe it’s the best walk in Mid Wales and beyond.
Do you have a gpx file for this route by any chance mate?
Afraid not Tony.