Category: Trip Ideas
Dolwyddelan bound but Dolgarrog destined
3rd June 2008 The strange title comes from the fact that a planned walking trip to Dolwyddelan got scuppered by a public transport lapse. I was travelling on a sunny Sunday a few weeks ago when the promised 07:40 rail replacement coach service to Wilmslow didn't materialise; what was listed on the National Rail website was a work of fiction. The result was that my train tickets for Dolwyddelan weren't to be fully used because of missed connections.
Instead, I resolved that a safer prospect to go part way up the Conwy valley to the quiet backwater of Dolgarrog. I was sorely tempted by the idea of a bus connection to my intended destination but I stuck to my guns for a walk with a slightly earlier start. Inspections of maps since then has made me realise that Dolwyddelan would still have been an option but that's not how I saw it at the time.
Once in Dolgarrog, I made my way up the steep wooded slopes that really worked out my legs and warmed me up. The confusing maze of paths and tracks also exercised by navigational skills and I am pleased to state that no failures occurred. After that start, things levelled out a bit and I rounded Coedty reservoir to set off into open country as part of a circular hike. Clouds were aplenty but the sun still broke though as steady progress was made along a good track along the lower slopes of Moel Eilio. I soon reached the broken dams of Llyn Eigiau, a relic of the disaster than struck in 1925 and a reminder of the 16 people who died in Dolgarrog and the need for the reservoir legislation that has been passed since then. Somewhat appropriately, members of the Carneddau offered a brooding backdrop to the scene as I then turned away to start my return trek to civilisation again. As I plied my way, I detoured over Waen Bryn-gwenith for some freestyle wandering before returning to the tarmac for a timely drop down into Tal-y-Bont, a short hop north of Dolgarrog, in ample time for a bus back to Llandudno Junction from where the railway conveyed me home again and without mythical connections confounding my progress.
All in all, it was a good day out. I might not have got to Dolwyddelan as planned but there are seeds sown for future outings. A walk from Dolwyddelan to Capel Curing is one such ploy but another is a trek from the Conwy Valley through to Bethesda or Bangor, passing by the Carneddau. It's a tempting possibility even if there would be a goodly amount of ascent and descent for those legs in the middle of the hike. Leaving somewhere with ideas for return visits is far from disappointing; in fact, I am inclined to consider it a successful attribute of a good day out. Having new places to explore does keep me going back to the outdoors and, if I ever felt that I had explored everywhere, a clear impossibility, then that desire for the outdoors could wither. I think that I may have experienced that sort of feeling at times over the last year so it feels good be building up a list of potential trips for one of them to be pulled off the shelf and dusted down when an opportunity presents itself. I hope that those ideas keep coming.
Options that come and go
29th March 2008 The options that I have in mind for this post are of the public transport variety. I have noticed that there are years when I visit an area a lot and that is down to number of factors: it might be somewhere new for me to explore and the weather conditions are more favourable there than other places. A window of opportunity for getting there using public transport can be yet another contributor.
After all, public transport options do change over time and not always for the better. One factor that contributes to this is public demand. There have been times when the frequency for bus services has been improved only for it to be cut back again, possibly because of patronage. An example of this that comes to mind is the T3 Trawscambria service that became hourly in 2006 but is as good as two-hourly these days, even if some services extend to and from Chester with Wrexham being the main northern terminus. the trouble with this is that there is the nagging question as to whether enough time was allowed for patronage to build up; that is something that might take a few years rather than twelve months in some cases.
The next thing that crops up in my mind is the loss of a public transport connection and rail-bus connections particularly come to mind. Sunday rail-bus connections in Bangor (in Wales, not NI) or the lack of them have disappointed me in the past. Having the bus leave before the train arrives does sound a bit ridiculous but short connection times are just as useless, especially when you recall how late trains can be.
Then, there regulatory hurdles to be overcome. One that recently came into play was the 50 km limit for local bus services brought into force following an EU directive. That has done for a Sunday Dalesbus service operated by Arriva and introduced changes where there previously were through services. I could see the 555 in the Lake District being hit by this as well. However, I suppose that England and Wales had a better express bus system like Ireland and Scotland, then all of this wouldn't cause any problems.
The route length limitation can be seen as a piece of regulatory madness but there are home grown ones in the U.K. too. One that annoys me a little is the intervention of the Competition Commission in the Scottish bus market following the coming together of Scottish Citylink and Stagecoach's Megabus. Thankfully, a sensible compromise was reached with services on some routes going to Parks of Hamilton and they are agreeing to work with Citylink as regards timetables and ticketing. Otherwise, it could have further fragmented an already fragmented system and is an exhibition of the sort of mindset that could stop us ever getting the joined up transport system that we so desire.
What has brought all of this to mind is the retiming of the Macclesfield-Crewe bus service on Sundays to leave twenty five minutes earlier. I seem to remember that an early departure from Macclesfield on Sundays was a possibility some years back but it has since disappeared for some reason. So, the earlier start for the bus service in question is very much a good thing, even if it means that last one home is earlier too. That earlier first departure restores the option of getting to Shropshire and Mid Wales after its being removed by train retiming. I hope to make good use of this opportunity to explore Shropshire and mid Wales a bit more. Who knows but I may even walk new sections of the Offa's Dyke Path. Not all of the world's going downhill...
Glen Finglas: a tempting idea?
27th March 2008 When I was walking from Drymen to Callander last August, I encountered a leaflet proclaiming the attractions of Glen Finglas. These days, it is owned by the Woodland Trust, and they have big plans to restore the woodland in the glen. The glen forms part of the Great Trossachs Forest National Nature Reserve and a 200-year landscape-scale woodland restoration project, ensuring its preservation for future generations to enjoy.
However, it wasn't that which caught my eye but the walking possibilities. There are nine waymarked walking routes of varying difficulty, including the Great Trossachs Path, a 48km trail that traverses the entire Great Trossachs Forest. Cycling routes and a play trail for children in Little Druim Wood further enhance the outdoor recreation opportunities available. Wildlife watching opportunities abound, allowing visitors to connect with nature on a deeper level.
Glen Finglas was once a royal hunting forest, graced by the presence of kings such as James II, James IV, James V, and Mary, Queen of Scots. The site of the Hunt Hall, built for James II in the 1400s, is believed to be near the Glen Finglas Reservoir. A Visitor Gateway Centre is located at the Lendrick Hill car park, offering essential facilities such as toilets, Wi-Fi, and visitor information. Open daily from April to October, it serves as a vital hub for those exploring Glen Finglas and its surroundings.
The glen has long been an inspiration for artists and writers, including Sir Walter Scott, who penned the poem "Glenfinlas, or Lord Ronald's Coronach" in 1803. The famous art critic John Ruskin and painter John Everett Millais spent time here in 1853, while poets such as Wordsworth, Coleridge, and Gerard Manley Hopkins were also captivated by the glen's ethereal beauty.
Given all of this, it is possible to see why the Woodland Trust bought the 4,875-hectare estate in 1996. However, without a car, it appears that getting there is the tricky bit; it might be a case of doing a spot of cycling, then. Even so, it is perhaps not as far from Aberfoyle as initial impressions might lead you to believe, though there will be uphill travel. The way from Callander is longer but more level.
Why not Kinlochleven?
23rd September 2007 The following thought entered my head not so long ago while looking at the idea of creating a West Highland Way photo gallery: why is Kinlochleven a sleepy place in the heart of fine mountain country rather than a bustling centre of all things outdoors? My visit last month might have one answer to this. I suffered the attentions of a swarm of midges while awaiting a bus and it is not an experience that I wish to repeat. Fort William was mercifully free of the blighters.
In a sense, it is too easy to ignore Kinlochleven for it is bypassed by the A82 and the railways. Fort William has the "Ben" and much more with the accommodation provision to match. Yet, it isn't for nothing that the West Highland Way passes through Kinlochleven as it is in the midst of its climax. Proximity to Glen Coe and the Mamores ensures that eventuality but not a steady stream of other visitors, it seems.
The village's history may not help its cause either. After all, it did nearly get called "Alumimiumville" and possessed the requisite smelter that used hydroelectric power provided from the Blackwater Reservoir. These days, the old smelter is now an outdoors centre with the The Ice Factor being its major attraction but there is an outdoor equipment shop and a cafe to complement the said indoor ice climbing wall.
As the mention of Glen Coe and the Mamores suggests, this is quality hillwalking country that is not limited to the attentions of winter climbing wannabees. A quick inspection of an OS and Harvey map will reveal a plethora of hill tracks probing countryside that affords plenty of peace and solitude. I didn't see it at its best last month but I did like what I saw and the views over Loch Leven were excellent, even with rain laden skies and low level cloud.
With its prospects for good walking and reasonable bus service to and from Glencoe, Ballachulish and Fort William, Kinlochleven is well worth using as an access point for hill country. I suppose that its being overlooked by the hordes that frequent Fort William does have one very attractive compensation: you get to feel that you admire the scenery at your ease without the feeling that you are constantly leap frogging others. I hope to go back.
Public Rights of Way in North Lanarkshire
9th September 2007 While ScotWays do a reasonable job of publicising public rights of the way going through Scottish hill country, their lowland cousins seem to fall into some sort of black hole. It often feels as if you stumble upon them entirely through serendipity, which can make a day hike more interesting at the expense of predictability. There are places where you should not take risks like that.
The fact that OS maps don't depict Scottish rights of way like their English and Welsh counterparts is no help either. That makes route planning and navigation all the more challenging, especially when a map does not reveal what may be possible in a more accessible manner. Guidebooks and magazines then become invaluable for building up a library of ideas.
The only saving grace is the Scottish Right to Roam legislation that makes rights of way less crucial than they are in many parts of England and Wales, where someone is more likely to be put out by anyone rambling in the wrong place. Scots tend to be more tolerant anyway, which helps. Navigation in a right to roam situation then becomes more free-form, though there is need for added care given the scale of the Highlands and the Southern Uplands.
Thus, it was with some interest that I stumbled on the Public Access section of North Lanarkshire Council's website. There are loads here of interest, and the maps of the proposed core path network are especially useful, especially for the Kilsyth hills and the Kelvin Valley, and the Campsie Fells are not far away either.
The effort makes me wonder if other Scottish councils are planning to take a similar approach; it would be great if they did. Having a central place at national level, where you can survey what is there, would be even better again. If the information finally gets onto OS maps, that would be icing on the proverbial cake.
