Walk/hike/run with Matt X from Machynlleth to Dyffryn Castell (near Ponterwyd) as a recce of the remaining part of Dragon's Back 2017 Day 3.
Moving time 4:02:28 according to Strava
Total time: 4:35:29 (Diff 33:01)
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Machynlleth to Moor. There are some small improvements that can be made here to what I did. Go 50-100m further along the road and follow a path parallel to the footpath then cut off one of the zig zags. View the route with Google Maps background and you'll see it.
- Alternative route. Instead of climbing to
273m and back down to Bryn Coch Bach/Mawr, why not go further east on the ORPA to Rhiwlwyfen. This will increase distance but reduce the ascent. Should recce this.
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Foel Cerrigbrithion. 1. I missed the turning from the gravel track onto the bridleway and had to double back - don't do this again. 2. After crossing through the fencline, I need to hug the fenceline to find the stile. 3. Could also take more direct line after crossing the stile?
- Alterbative route. Worth checking out the potential route through the Mynydd Bychan wood? From
Bwlch Hyddgen to
Hyddgen (farm buildings). Or skirt wood perimeter parallel to Nant Goch Fach.
- Just after Hyddgen. Shane's GPX shows a direct line from the farm buildings heading SW along a bridleway but neither Matt nor I could find it. So we headed east along the track and then along an indistinct quad track/animal trod and around the east side of the knoll. Does Shane's track exist?
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Footbridge across Afon Hengwm. Shane's GPX crosses a ford about 200m west (d/s) of the FB. This woould get the feet really wet so it would be worth a finding a line from the byway to the FB.
- Nant y Llyn valley. The public footpath must have been closer to the stream than the path we took which headed too far west and we had to double back. Therefore need to stay closer and cross at elevation 440m approx. (after the tributary) to the good track on the west side.
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Ascent of Pumlumon Fach. There is a distinct narrow path off the gravel track all the way to the top. Just need to make sure the right one is taken. It's at the point where the track takes a left turn and about 50m before the capped borehole.
- Pumlumon Fawr descent. Cross the stile just after the trig and follow the fence and then the track all the way down to the woodland and around its eastern edge. There is also another fenceline on the ground that isn't on the map. This is east of the footpath before arriving north of Dyll Faen woodland. They are visible on the Google map link.
- Descent after Dyll Faen woodland. Need to cross fence adjacent to woodland and run behind the fence to a stile out of woodland. Indistinct path in bog adjacent to woodland. Stay immediately to RHS of watercourse. Then follow path all the way. Footpath marker post at
SN777828 which is a little north of the route on the map. Is there a potential path/trod as per the map i.e closer to the gully?