11.3.19 - Garreg Lwyd 498m, Cefn Cenarth 460m and Bryn Y Fan 482m.
These were three Marilyns I wanted to do on the way up to North Wales.
Garreg Lwyd: This is a few miles north of Rhayader and you can park at its base right by the A470. It’s the entrance gate to a wind turbine service road (on the right heading north). There is a sign saying no parking but I parked on the other side of the cutting/sign.
The hike...simple enough, head steeply uphill on the un-metalled service road and after about 1.5kms you go over a cattle grid. After 2kms hang a right on another service road. Of course there are turbines everywhere by now!
You go about another km and then head off country on indistinct paths upto the high ground to the right. You have to climb over a fence and then just go to the obvious high point. There is no set summit point. Then simply retrace your route.
Route Summary: Easy track hike with a bit of cross country. The views of the mid wales valleys are somewhat okay to middling!
Route Statistics: A 5km hike with 240m of height gain done in 61 minutes.
GPX files:For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’
Ascent Entry: Garreg Lwyd
Cefn Cenarth: This in an adjacent valley to Garreg Lwyd. You simply drive back to Rhayader and take the B4518 north to Llanidloes until your pretty much level with Garreg Lwyd again.
You now head off on a narrow UC road towards a place called Tan Yr Allt (marked on the map) at the start of the route.
Now I parked in a cutting before TYA but if you drive up the forest road going past the house there is a sizeable parking area there at SN 965 760 (trust me). You can easily save a km.
Anyway just follow my gpx trail. You head into the forest and uphill on an obvious forest track that weaves its way steeply upwards until you come to a gate. Now I had a bit of a walk about at the top but if you want the summit then on going through the gate head for a nearby fence on the left. You have to climb this into a field and go to the obvious high point. It’s only a spot height summit in the middle of a field. After...return to start!
Route Summary: Another forest track hike with okay views. Nothing to write home about.
Route Statistics: 4.4km hike with 175m height gain done in 54 mins.
GPX files:For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’
Ascent Entry: Cefn Cenarth
Bryn Y Fan: This last Marilyn of the day is on the eastern edge of Llyn Clywedog right next to the B4518 virtually smack bang in the middle of Wales. You start at a car park on the big bend near the lake where the toilets are but which are now closed. Sadly so as there is ample disgusting evidence of people using the nearby bushes as the new toilet.
From here you walk north adjacent to the road and take a wide trail that takes you to a mucky ford and to a gate where you gain access to a wide track that zig zags to just below the summit. About 500m from the top you then go off trail to reach the summit trig point. You then simply retrace your steps.
Route Summary: Stunning mid Wales valley views with Llyn Clywedog in the background. Really beautiful countryside. Not so much today as the weather was closing in as per the forecast but this is a nice hike albeit short.
Route Statistics: A 3.3km hike with 246m of height gain done in 48mins.
GPX files:For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’
Ascent Entry: Bryn Y Fan
Route overview of Garreg Lwyd using Wikiloc.
Parking area by the A470.
Turbine service road. Just follow it uphill.
View from the top. No summit cairn or trig point.
Route overview of Cefn Cenarth using Wikiloc.
Parking on the road but there is more parking further on. See entry.
Tedious forestry road to the top.
View from near the summit.
Route overview of Bryn Y Fan using Wikiloc.
Parking near the disused toilets.
The wide track to the top.
Nice views on the way up.
Trig point on Bryn Y Fan.
Nice end to the day.