Yr Elen Ridge

The weather forecast for the Saturday after a very busy week looked great! So I decided I should go for a hike. In the mountains. Just one of those things you can just do without overloading your tired brain with organising it. You just go! And I still had the ridge route of yr Elen on my to do list. Yr Elen is a bit of a weird peak as there isn't much of a path going from the valley to the top (going SE). I had only been there once! But it has a beautiful ridge pointing roughly NE, and I wanted to try that as well. It looked like a fine day hike.

I made my sandwiches and filled my flasks and set off. The logical start- and endpoint of that walk is on the other side of the village, pretty much where Martin lives. I like to avoid the dull bit through town as much as I can! So I biked the first bit, and parked my bike at the end of Martin’s street. Then I could set off.

The first bit of that walk I know quite well; I have walked it many times, and run it several times as well. But that's okay. It is still beautiful! And so was the weather.

Just some hundred metres from where my bike was parked

I had coffee near a bunch of Carneddau ponies. They were quite curious! Then I walked on. I also spotted two ladies going in the same direction.

When I came past a spot where I had camped a few Easters ago I admired the place again, and filled up my water bladder. I knew that once I hit the ridge, I wouldn't come across any more water until I would be in the village again. And when I was done, I caught up with the ladies. One of them turned out to be Stella, my distant colleague! It was nice to briefly catch up. But then we went our separate ways.

Hill selfie

Where the valley makes a turn

My old Easter campsite! 

The ridge isn't really a ridge at its base. It is quite rounded! But the higher you get, the more pronounced it becomes. And of course the views get better and better.

The not yet very well-defined ridge

Views on the sharp end of yr Elen

The ridge seen from the top

At the top I encountered a couple who were also impressed with the view. We had a nice chat, and they offered me a biscuit. They also spoke of the race that was going on a bit further east. I hadn't heard of it, but they spoke of a 100 km race that went over one mountain after the other. It sounded like hard work!

A bit later I did encounter that race, at the top of Carnedd Llewelyn. It really did look like hard work! And one poor sod had run off in the wrong direction, and had to turn back. That must be frustrating. My route took me where this guy had accidentally gone. The runners went into Cwm Eigiau.

The race seen from Carnedd Llewelyn 

Beyond the peak I found me a spot to have lunch. It was so quiet! It was a sunny Saturday, but there was hardly anyone there. I went on to Foel Grach and Carnedd Gwenllian. From the ridge you could see a beautiful haze in the valley.

Much flatter views in the other direction 

More swampiness on the ridge

Mist beautifully ascending the slope

The hazy view into the valley 

Only minutes from town I had the second half of my lunch. And spotted Stella and her friend again. And I had phone signal by now, so I asked Martin if he was home and if I could swing by for a drink. And I could! That was nice. I was a little bit self-conscious about my body odour; I had just walked 20 km in rather vertical terrain in the May warmth. But he didn't complain! It was really nice to catch up with a cold drink after a warm walk. And after the drink I could just do the last mile on asphalt really fast on my bike.

It was dinnertime by the time I got home. I was happy with how things are turned out! I think I needed this after a bit of a trying period…