Duallt station with Miles

It had been about a year since I had last been on a little adventure with Miles. I was hoping that we could use the summer for another one. And Miles could fit me in.

On a sunny day we met at the café in Tanygrisiau and first had a nice cup of coffee or tea. While we were doing that we discussed what we might do next. Miles had an idea: the Ffestiniog railway comes past, and it famously has an altered route. The cafe is between the railway and the reservoir, and originally, the railway went over what is now the reservoir bottom. In order to gain enough height to make it to this higher route, a loop had to be added. This was largely done by volunteers. Near this rather amazing loop by Duallt station there is a viewpoint. Miles had never been, and suggested we visit it. I thought it was a wonderful idea.

We walked in the hot afternoon to the public footpath, which starts on asphalt, but soon we could veer off and walk on a cute little path. I had done some of that before, but by the time we go to the other side of the reservoir I was in unknown territory. It was beautiful! It was also noteworthy that there, you wouldn't be able to tell we were in a drought. Everything was lush and green! I suppose the mythical bad-weather status of Blaenau has its advantages. 

The reservoir 

Near the reservoir. What drought? 

It looks like this viewpoint is not very widely visited. We only bumped into two other walkers on the way there. And after a while we got to Duallt station. This is basically in the middle of the loop. And it is where you come off the through-route to get to the viewpoint.

Reaching the loop (and the station)

Ghost station

View on where the railway crosses itself

The viewpoint is nice, but I thought the station was more atmospheric. It looks like it is waiting for something. There is a little building on the platform, and a bigger one next to the track. There were some sheep having siesta there. That was it! Nothing stirred. Strange place. And the loop is quite something.

After we had seen both, and I had had a sandwich, we kept going for a bit; that allowed us to make the loop a bit bigger and not just walk the same route on the way back. It was still a very silent and beautiful landscape.

Slate plaque marking the viewpoint 

Viewpoint selfie

We could also catch up. Things had been going on with jobs and kids and partners and parents and pets and houses and cars and whatnot. And we do sometimes send each other a voice message update, but talking in person is different.

When we got back to the lake we walked back around the other side of it. And that brought us back to the car. Time to say goodbye again! It had been really good to catch up. Hopefully another adventure next year!