Early 2025 walk around Marchlyn Mawr

I had seen that the weather forecast for January 2 was beautiful. And I figured I was going to be healthy enough to do something with that forecast. But why do it alone? I announced my intentions on whatsApp, and Sue and Dean liked the idea. Martin was in the South. And I suggested we do the Marchlyn loop; it is, in my view, a route that combines unusual spectacle with a rather low threshold. It is only some 5 miles, but it has one of the best viewpoints in Eryri. But because you spend the greatest part of the walk above 700 m (highest point: 923 m), you need good weather for it, otherwise you don't get these views. And you are quite exposed in places. So this might be one of those days when it can be done! And I knew Sue and Dean had never done it. They needed to know about this gem!

They agreed, and came to pick me up. I had my cake with me. They weren't even familiar with where you park for this trip. They were learning useful things! And we started, as you do, on the asphalt road to the reservoir. But by the junction where I often peel off to head for the surge pond, we left the road, and the walk really started.

Start of the walk. Pic by Dean

Ascending Elidir Fach. Pic by Dean

It doesn't start spectacular, but you gradually walk to lovely views. And we got more spectacular hoarfrost when we got higher. And the sun came out! The forecast had been that it would be out all the time, but it wasn't playing ball.

Pretty hoarfrost. Pic by Dean

The top of Elidir Fach was already beautiful, but it's nothing compared to the views you get from Elidir Fawr. It's a bit of a slog to walk up, and there were  light slipperiness issues, but we made it. Time for some pictures! And from there there was one stretch Dean wasn't very keen on, for reasons of fear of heights, but he negotiated that successfully. And by then we had walked for a fair while, so somewhere beyond the peak, but still with the good views, we sat down for some cake (and other foodstuffs). I even managed to give some to a random passer-by. There was enough! 

Selfie on the ridge of Elidir Fawr

When you get past the Bwlch y Brecan the landscape becomes a lot less spectacular, but still beautiful. We also came past some really charming dogs. And we saw that Anglesey was experiencing some rather unpleasant-looking weather. And it was coming our way! We were glad that we were coming towards the end of our walk.

The amazing view

Not long before we’d make the descent 

We came down the path back to the asphalt road, and basically as soon as we hit it, we were battered by hail. The atmosphere changed completely! From blue skies and sun on the ridge, we were now in a grey cloud with the hail stinging our faces. Luckily it didn't last too long. And we were safely on an asphalt road anyway. We were wondering about the people we had passed who were going up while we were coming down! They might not be so comfortable now.

Snowy selfie

Hail GIF by Dean

Before we were back at the car, the hail had moved on. We were back under blue skies. And then we saw two figures appear. It was our friend Sophie, from work, with her partner, who wanted to do the same thing as what we had done. We hoped the ridge would be out of the clouds again by the time they would get there!

I'm glad I could introduce them to this walk! And it was nice get such a nice hike in before the Christmas holidays were over. In North Wales in winter, it is really nice if you can take advantage of a period of good weather. They don't come around excessively often. And there are so many amazing views to be enjoyed when they occasionally do!