Hi again people and pooches. Joe the Cocker here to tell you about an easy hike that me and my human walked in August. We chose an easy one because my human is trying to regain some fitness after having an iffy knee for a couple of years. It was an out and back walk along a multi-use track called Lon Gwyfrai, which runs between Beddgelert and Rhyd Ddu, in Eryri (Snowdonia).
The track begins at the side of the Bedddgelert Railway Station. The narrow gauge railway is on the Welsh Highland Line, which opened in 1922 and closed in 1936. The line was reopened in 2009. The line uses steam trains and is a highly popular tourist attraction. Lon Gwyfrai roughly follows the route of the railway line through some amazing countryside.
There was a mixture of sections of the walk that I could run off-lead and sections where there was sheep grazing where I had to stay on-lead. I don’t mind as I am used to this. The views of the surrounding hills and valleys were obscured by clouds, and rain looked likely. I don’t mind that either. I’m more interested in sniffing in the bushes anyway. We were soon in Beddgelert Forest, where I could concentrate on searching for squirrels and birds. I found streams to run through and ferns to hunt in. Forests are my favourite playgrounds.
We could hear the train making choo-choo noises in the distance, so we rushed to the point where the path crossed the tracks so that we could see it. Wow! It’s a noisy, smoky, and steamy thing. The passengers waved to me. I don’t do waving, so I just watched as they zoomed by.
As we left the forest, we would have had fantastic views of Yr Wyddfa, but instead, we were treated to fantastic views of low-lying clouds. Hey Ho! We will revisit on a clear weather day. I led the way with the big feller shouting,’Wait!’ when I went too far ahead. He could simply ask me to wait, but he insists in dreaming that he has total control over me. I humoured him and waited. I knew that, along with calling me a good boy, there was also the chance of a treat. I’m not daft. I have got him well sussed!
The valley opened up ahead of us, and the walk was quite flat on mainly loose stones. A lot of the path was fenced off from the sheep grazing areas, so I could still have some freedom. That was until we were at the side of Llyn y Gadair, where we came to a number of gates. The remains of the Llyn y Gadair quarry were on our left as we joined the causeway that avoids the boggy western edge of the lake. We crossed the Afon Gwyfrai and entered the small settlement of Rhyd Ddu. We walked up to the station on the Welsh Highland Railway by the start of the Rhyd Ddu path up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). This would be our turning point to head back to Beddgelert.
Just as we reached the southern tip of the lake, we found a bench overlooking Llyn y Gadair and presumably up Yr Wyddfa on a clear day. I always ask my human if he wants to stop when I find a bench. This is for three reasons. One reason is that he always tells me what a good boy I am. The second reason is that he is old and overweight. The third and most important reason is that when he stops at a bench, he always has something to eat, and that’s when I get my treats. He hasn’t worked that out yet. He just thinks that I am a good boy. He is a pushover and in my metaphorical pocket!
Soon after he has filled his face and let his feet breathe, as he puts it, we headed back along the track. It was really peaceful as we walked with the only sounds being the birds’ twittering and the streams babbling. That was until the idiot ruined the peace by singing ‘The Runaway Train came down the track, and she blew……’. Un-be-leavable!
Ironically, as we neared Beddgelert, the weather changed. The clouds started to clear, and we were gifted the views that we had hoped for. According to the BBC weather forecast, the clouds should have cleared a good three hours earlier. My dad said that he was going to sue them. We enjoyed our little adventure, so we weren’t too disappointed. It had been a good day. Till next time!
Joe the Cocker's Hikes 