Peter Schrammel - Mountains

18. 4. 2022

Peter Schrammel

Weather

cloudy

Interest

***: Short hike to a belvedere above Conwy valley

Route

Maenan Abbey Hotel, 22m - Cadair Ifan Goch, 182m - Maenan Abbey Hotel, 22m

Elevation gain

264m

Distance

5km

Timing

1 1/6h (1/2 + 2/3)

Stamina

Difficulty

0+: one step to the belvedere rock

Danger

2: summit!

Visitor frequency

b: one dog walker, a few cars

Comments

Path returning below the summit is not recommended.

Report

I wanted to take the train to Conwy at 9.19am, but it was announced as cancelled on national rail departure board. So, I decided to take the bus at 11am. I had enough time for a small hike up to a viewpoint rock called Cadair Ifan Goch, 200m above the Conwy valley. I hiked up the very steep narrow tarmac road towards Maenan, along roaring waterfalls in a canyon. From there a broad path led upwards through a light forest. At the intersection with another path, a woman walked a dog down towards Cadair Ifan Goch. The last 10m were a bit rocky. At 9.15am I enjoyed the view over the green valley with pasturages, tree alleys and the winding river Conwy. Suddenly, I heard the whistling of the train that was said to be cancelled. Anyways, it was too late now, and I was glad to have walked up to this nice belvedere. There was still enough time to try to find another way down. On the map, there was a path that goes around the cliff in the north and then ends somewhere in the woods below the cliff. Yet another path goes down to Plas Maenan Hotel; from there it was not clear how to return to Maenan Abbey, and I did not want to walk on the dangerous A road again. Thus, I chose the former path, which was not very much used. The map was right as the path stopped at a block of rock. After that, a faint path continued to traverse the wood until it stopped at a fence. I could not spot any clear footprints. Hence, I had to choose between fighting down 60m elevation through very dense, steep forest to Blueberry Cottage or 30m through light forest back upwards to the original path. I chose the latter and soon hit a path leading back to the road to Maenan, from where I walked down on the tarmac road.