On Saturday, taking advantage of a weather window, I drove over to Llanfairfechan for a walk that took in the coastal path, a waterfall, a Roman road (allegedly!), ponies and pylons.
Parking up on the Prom car park I booted up and got ready for a walk I’ve had in mind for a while now. Nothing too adventurous and with plenty of variety. I need to get fell fit so it was a gentler walk compared to the previous week, but, typical of me, I ended up doing more than planned.
It was a high tide when I arrived – I don’t know whether it was a Spring Tide but the water level was higher than I’d seen here before. It was a glorious day too, and stayed like that right until the end of my walk.
I set off west along the prom following the North Wales coastal path. there were plenty of people about, walking their dogs, birdwatching or just taking a ramble.
I passed a favourite building – an Arts and Crafts style house designed by local architect, Herbert Luck North.
Inland, the hills were looking good. I was hoping conditions would stay like that later in the day.
I carried on towards Traeth Lafan. The salt marshes of Morfa Madryn were inundated with sea water and teeming with bird life.
It had been chilly when I set off and was wearing my down jacket. the day was getting warmer. With the sun beating down as I walked I was heating up so stopped to lyer down, swapping my jacket for a lighter fleece hoody with a full zip. A local walker approached and stopped for a chat. He warned me that the path was flooded close to Abergwyngregyn, so after continuing for a while I cut inland on the drier, but muddy, Pentre-du path and made my way towards Aber. My plan was to walk through the village and then take the track up to the old Roman road and over the lower reaches of the Carneddau back to Llanfairfechan. But it was such a ice day I decided to extend the walk by climbing the hillside to the west of the village and follow the path to the Aber falls.
Looking down to the coast as I climbed
The route was fairly busy with people making their way back from the falls. early on I encountered some locals coming down the path as I climbed. They veered off when they saw me on the way up.
Reaching the top of the climb there was a great view over to hills to the east of the valley and I could see the route I’d be taking later in the day. Juust a few days before these hills and mountains would have been covered in snow when the cold front passed over on Thursday. There was hardly a sign of it left.
As I carried on along the path the falls eventually came into view. There’s actually two falls – the main one, Rhaeadr Fawr, which is the objective of most visitors who take the gentler route of the east side of the valley, and, over to the west, Rhaeadr Bach. They were in deep shade from the high mountains with the low winter sun, so it wasn’t so easy to take photos.
I reached Rhaeadr Bach first. If you look closely at the photo you can see a couple of people who’d made their way high up the steep slope beside the falls. They’re probably wondering how to get down again!
A little further along the path I reached Rhaeadr Fawr. There were plenty of people looking at the dramatic falls that plunge about 120 feet over a sill of igneous rock.
I crossed over the bridge to the other side of the river at the bottom of the falls and stopped for a while for a break to fuel up while lots of people came, took their selfies, and headed back to their cars.
Refreshed and reinvigorated I set off back down the easier path on the east side of the river until I reached the narrow, winding road that climbed up the hillside towards the wilder and rougher country below the high Carneddau mountains. It was a steep climb, tougher than I’d expected, and I had to take care to dodge the cars coming down the road from the higher car park. A couple of them, an Audi and a BMW (no surprise!) were coming down at a fair pelt, and could have quite easily hit a less wary walker or another car coming round a blind bend in the opposite direction.
Reaching the car park, a steep climb up the grassy slope
and I reached the stoney track that was, reputably, a section of the Roman road from Chester to Caernarfon.
I was now on wild, higher ground with good views over to the high hills and mountains and down to the coast.
and it wasn’t long before I encountered my first little herd of Carneddau ponies.
The first time I’d been up on these slopes I’d wondered whether I’d spot any. Well, since then every time I’ve been up here I’ve seen plenty of them and this walk was no exception. It’s always great to see them. They’re not as shy as sheep, but still tend to move away if you get too close, especially if they have foals with them, as they did on this occasion.
I love this wild country up here and to have the sunny weather with clear views all around was a bonus.
The one blot on the landscape are the string of pylons that cross the moor land, but they’re easy enough to ignore
The temperature had dropped up here with a chilly wind blowing. it was time to swop my fleece for the down jacket and put on my buff and beanie. Gloves weren’t needed though.
Other than the ponies, it’s quiet up here. I only encountered a handful of other walkers, with a trio of mountain bikers in the distance.
I eventually reached the fingerpost and turned off down the path towards Llanfairfechan.
I took the fork that led to the summit of Foel Garreg, a relatively modest peak but with excellent views over the sea and mountains.
It’s a steep descent down from the top – you lose a lot of height right down to sea level in a relatively short horizontal distance.
I got fairly close to the herd of ponies
Looking over the sea as I descended
and over to Penmaenmawr, lit up by the low sun that was close to setting
The last stretch of the descent of the hill was probably the worst section of the whole walk. It’s steep enough, but the ground underfoot was very wet, muddy – more slippery slutch – and if I hadn’t been using my poles it was pretty much guaranteed I’d be sliding down on my backside – I came close to it doing just that even with the support from the poles!
The last stretch of the route was through the old streets of upper Lanfairfechan, the original village that was home to workers in the nearby quarries. The old part of the village isn’t so pretty, although there are some attractive Arts and Crafts houses by H L North, built in the early 20th Century, in the Close to the east of the town and there are newer housing estates over that side of the town. The lower part of the town, down towards the coast was developed as a seaside resort in the late 19th century.
I arrived back at my car about half an hour before sunset. the tide had gone out by now, of course, revealing large stretches of sand
It been a good walk on a sunny day. A good stretch of the legs. Nothing over ambitious, although my unplanned diversion to Aber Falls had added and extra 3 1/2 miles to the route. I just can’t help myself!
Down by the Dougie 
You certainly had some good weather for this one Mick, I love the clear views and the ponies :)
It was a cracking day for a walk 😀, before a return to the murk today ☹️
I swear by my poles, I was a relatively late starter at 55. I wish I’d started using them much earlier
Me too!
I did enjoy that stretch of the legs, Dougie. The sunshine lifts everything.
It surely does 😉
Love this walk and remember seeing the walk along the pylons on your blog previously. Some superb views down to the sea from the high hills along this part of North Wales. I looked at a walk to Tal y Fan when I was up that way last year but was put off by the pylons, might have the reconsider based on your photos
I hardly notice them. And depending which way you go up to Tal-y-fan you might not see much of them
That was a good stretch! I don’t know that area at all. I’m glad it’s not just me with a weather eye for those German automobiles – I was beginning to think I was paranoid.
Not paranoid at all (or we both are😂). My main gripe these days, though, are Range Rovers. The drivers of these oversized monsters seem to be particularly pretentious and arrogant. And why do they need them? (I do have a German car myself but it’s only a medium sized hatch. )
Ah yes, the Range Rover and other SUVs. They’re very practical on those twisty little roads in the dales designed for horse and cart – but don’t get me started. No reverse gear, either, I’ve noticed – must be an optional extra.
The Parisians have the right idea.
Apart from the falls my main memory of that moorland walk was the massive pylons. Mind there were steeplejacks working high up in them, terrifying.
I find I can unsee the pylons even though sometimes I see them, if that makes sense. Are they any worse than the modern day wind turbines?
I’ve also seen steeplejacks working on the pylons during my walk up there back in September
That walk has everything. The sea, Beautiful views, hills, waterfall and gorgeous ponies. Looks great!
It was 😊 A great day
What a lovely walk. The views and waterfall are gorgeous 😍
You’re not wrong Mélodie. I added on the waterfall loop on a whim and was glad I did.
This is so gorgeous. You must have been very good to deserve such sun
I don’t know about that, Ruth. But it was a great day for a walk 😉
Beautiful walking day and some lovely photos. I know the Carneddau pretty well but not this part. Always a joy to see wild ponies on a hike (we have lots down here in south Wales) especially when they have youngsters in tow
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