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Day 14
The morning was dry and cloudy with the freshness both of spring and of a land drying out after rain. As soon as I had crossed the Dyfi, whose brown waters were swirling high under the arches of the bridge, I saw a sign informing me that I was entering the Snowdonia National Park, another significant landmark. As I climbed onto the hills I stopped amongst gorse bushes to photograph Machynlleth and the flooded fields of the Dyfi valley with the Pumlumon massif now visible beyond, although too far away to distinguish individual summits.
I entered the forest and by a combination of inaccurate map, intermittent waymarks and instinct found a way through it onto the long south-east shoulder of Tarren y Gesail, one of those climbs where one grassy bump is surmounted only to find another beyond. Splendid views were opening up however. The dark green ocean of trees lapping around this hill accentuated the openness of the airy summit ridge although unfortunately the very top was in the clouds.
The forest floods right onto the crest of the ridge between the two mountains. I tried to follow in reverse the route described in the Nuttalls' book but the trees which they describe as 'knee high' had grown to head high and were linking their prickly branches across the path making it well nigh impassable. I had to escape to the forest edge and, although I have vowed not to turn this into a guidebook, I will offer this useful advice to anybody trying to proceed from one Tarren to the other. It is better to keep to the ridge and go over all the bumps.
From the south top of Tarrenhendre I photographed the beautiful Dyfi estuary. This was one occasion when I longed for the zoom lens of my larger camera which I had left at home.
The mist had cleared completely from the Tarrens now but it still hung over Cadair Idris although its western tops, my next objective, were clearly visible. I estimated that it would require at least two hours of climbing from Abergynolwyn before I could get above agricultural territory. Then the map suggested that I might have a problem finding water. Perhaps I was just making excuses because the truth was that, although I had proposed camping tonight, I had found the Tarrens hard work and had no wish for another long climb today.
Anyway the first problem was to get off this hill. The book route comes up the north- west ridge, gained by a steep shaley gully which would probably be unpleasant to go down. Along the north-east ridge led a line of posts which were clearly intended as waymarks since they bore no sign of any fence having been attached although they were close enough together for one. Now I deplore waymarks on mountains but, with the vast forest below, it seemed prudent to follow these in the hope that they would lead me through the trees which would be quite impenetrable without a path. As expected the posts led down onto the forest road which swung in a tedious loop round the side of the hill. The last part of the descent was quite delightful however as I left the road to follow an old railway and to cross the Nant Gwernol just above its eponymous station. The cascades on this stream are most attractive and were probably at their best after the heavy rain of the previous day.
I stopped at the Riverside Cafe where I was shown to a tiny but delightful room which was just about the size of a double bed. Into it had been squeezed a single bed, washbasin, two chests of drawers, coffee making equipment etc. One wall of the room was a large window through which the evening sun shone in, making me feel a little guilty that I was not still walking.
The rendezvous which I had planned with the motorcaravan at the Milltir Cerrig pass was introducing a certain tension into the walk. Once I had left Abergynolwyn there would be no means of contact. There had to be a contingency plan should I fail to get there on schedule which was simply that Rowland would return 24 hours later. Obviously this would be worrying for him so I must do my best to get there on time. The major problem which we had forseen was access problems on the Arans. I wrote in my introduction to the walk that the Arans would cast a shadow over the walk until they were completed. This had not really been true. I had given little thought to the problem until walking down the tedious forest road this afternoon.
I soon forgot the guilt as the sun went down and I enjoyed another good meal at the Railway Inn and another comfortable night's sleep.
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