THE ROUTE

1. From Ddôl Uchaf car park, turn right and follow the road for 100 metres, bearing left at the junction. Look for a signed footpath and steps on the left: go up the steps and follow the path along the edge of the woods. Elusive dormice live here and in the surrounding networks of woodlands and hedgerows. Boxes have been put up in the wood to provide summer nesting sites.

2. When you reach a way marked kissing gate on the left, go through it and follow a path down towards Llyn Ysceifiog. The lake is well used by wildfowl in winter and known to have a good little grebe (‘dabchick’) population. Listen for the tinkling of goldcrest in the fir trees and watch for dragonflies along the path in summer.

3. At the north-east end of the lake, cross over a stile into a field. Keep to the left-hand fence, which leads to a footbridge, and cross here. Shortly, the path splits: go right and follow the river on your right.

4. Reach a small road and turn left, walking up the hill.

5. At the road junction, carry straight on.

6. Take the next footpath signed on the left, by a wooden shed. Follow a farm track across the fields, watching for flocks of sparrows and starlings.

7. At Bryn Eirion farm, go over the stile straight ahead and turn right on a path along the field edge to a kissing gate. Cross the top of the next field to another kissing gate then head between the farmhouse and an open barn. Dr Thomas Wynne lived here, at ‘Ty Tabitha Wynne’ – he sailed to America on the ‘Welcome’ with William Penn, who gave his name to Pennsylvania.

8. Continue along the main track beyond the farm. In summer, this area is full of day-flying moths and butterflies, such as meadow brown. Look for delicate harebell flowers in late summer, and poisonous lords-and-ladies/arum berries, turning red as autumn approaches. Forage here for blackberries in autumn.

9. Turn left at the road, then left at a footpath sign into woods. Go downhill through hazel coppice – good for dormice – then left onto a road. Where the road splits, keep straight on down the hill. Enter Ddôl Uchaf Nature Reserve at a gate on your left. In spring, look for bright red elf cup fungus and, in autumn, jelly ear fungus, which thrives on elder.

10. Take the right-hand path down to a small footbridge, then follow the stream to a second footbridge. Birds such as grey wagtail and dipper may be spotted along the water. Cross the bridge and follow the path around the reserve, crossing the river once more. As you enter the open grassland, look left to ponds, created by the underlying clay and home to frogs, toads, palmate newt, great crested newt and grass snake. On sunny summer days, this area is full of butterflies feeding on the wildflowers. Keep to this path to return to your car, or stay a while to explore.

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A Word Of Caution

Walking in the outdoors can be a strenuous activity and it is up to you to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to undertake the route described and to approach the venture with caution and care. You should wear appropriate footwear and suitable clothing, take along food and drink plus carry the relevant map and a compass and be able to use it. The details given here are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. However, neither North Wales Magazine nor the author can accept responsibility for inaccuracies encountered.

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