METHS

MULANJE EXPATRIATES THREEPEAKS SOCIETY

HOME | NEWS | MEETS | REPORTS | MEMBERSHIP | CONTACT

ANNUAL REUNION. Snowdonia, Wales. 4-8 July 2001

This was the 'on again, off again' meet with the farmers, MAFF and National Park authorities locked in battle over access in the wake of the foot-and-mouth epidemic. Finally, only a week before the meet, our ever-helpful park ranger gave the all-clear on all the routes planned for inclusion in the meet.

The Brigands Inn, Mallwyd was the venue and members began to pitch up from all parts. A notable achievement was DM³’s cross-country trek by public transport from Stansted — a feat on a par with Everest without gloves.

Wednesday 4th Martin (1), Petzolds (2), Scotts (2), Leslies (2), Harrisons (4), Masons (2), Mossfords (3), Roschniks (2), Bannister (1), Halliday (1) all arrived with various others dropping in during the course of the meet. We filled the Brigands to overflowing so the Roschniks and Jonathan occupied the Red Lion while Midnight Jack resided in solitary spendour at the Dolbrodmeath.

Thursday 5th dawned fine (no, really). The objective for the day — the Aran Ridge. Of the 20 members and camp followers present, 15 rose to the challenge. Substantial breakfasts were dispatched with commendable speed but the private bus failed to turn up at the appointed time. Half an hour later, 15 irate people piled into five cars and within a mile, met the bus. Back to the Brigands, park the cars and into the bus which wheezed asthmatically up to the roadhead at Cywarch. Lord of the Big Ruo waxed lyrical about the view from here — just like Big Ruo seen from Lujeri, he claimed. Out of the bus, with the driver left in little doubt about his popularity, and across a footbridge. The route an old peatcutters' track rising for some two miles at an easy gradient — just the thing for our increasingly geriatric membership. Reaching the Drysgol ridge at a saddle, our party bore left, paused for breath and a snack, then on over Drysgol (2,397ft) and Drws Bach (2,500ft), past the cairn commemorating the death by lightning strike of an RAF Mountain Rescue team member. Turning northwards and the bouldery approach to Aran Fawddwy (2,970ft) faced us. The young-at-heart raced for the summit. The young were more sensible and escorted the rearguard to reach the summit in a respectable time of a little over two-and-a-half hours. Lunch partaken of, the party started the long descent via Aran Benllyn (2,901ft), passing Creiglyn Dydfi, source of the River Dovey, far below the precipices to the right. Leader assures the group that views are stunning on a clear day, alas not a glimpse of Snowdon, Tryfan, the Glyders today. (It's not raining, what more do they want?). The long descent eventually revealed Bala Lake through the haze and the village of Llanwchllyn. Maddened by thirst, a splinter group broke away and sprinted for the village in search of a pub while the leader led from the rear. Alas, no welcome of an alcoholic kind awaits us in these vales so it's back to the Bala Lake Railway station and the rendezvous with our bus for the journey back to the Brigands and its welcoming bar.

Friday 6th Cader Idris was the target for the day. Numbers were down to 14 with Stephen/Bernadette taking a day off but Sadie joining the group. We’d had enough of unreliable Welsh minibuses so it was into the cars and down to Mynfford for the start of the Mynfford path. The plan for the day — up to Pen y Gadair by the popular Mynfford path, then northeast along the broad ridge to Mynydd Moel and Gau Graig before dropping down an obscure route onto an old track from Dolgellau, then back along the road to Mynfford. Well, that was the plan. All went well on the ascent, firstly through woods by the cascading river, reminiscent of some of the paths to the plateau on Mulanje. Then out of the woods and up to Llyn Cau, nestling beneath the precipices of Craig y Cau. No one opted for the Stone Chute — the direct route to Craig y Cau via apparently vertical scree — so it was the standard route around the crater and over Craig y Cau (2,500ft). Ian and Sadie decided to call it a day on this section and returned to base. Then there were 12 ... down to the saddle at the top of the Stone Chute and on up the final ascent to Pen y Gadair (2,927ft). The refuge on the summit was rejected as unsuitable for lunch so the party dined alfresco, a move which was much appreciated by the local sheep which showed a total disregard for foot-and-mouth restrictions. Their desire for closeness may have owed more to gluttony than lust but Meths members were not waiting to find out and set off along the cloud-cloaked ridge to Mynydd Moel (2,804ft). Progress beyond this point was brought to a halt however by foot-and-mouth warnings. The pros and cons of carrying on, relying on assurance by park rangers, risking confrontation with hostile farmers were debated and discretion won the day. So it was about turn and back to Pen y Gadair, with a short diversion to search for a little-used route down to join the Mynfford path below Llyn Cau. No trace of this could be found so steps were retraced, back over the summit. At the top of the Stone Shute, four hardy members led by West Face, opted for this sudden death route while the remainder carried on round the crater rim, managing to lose themselves briefly along the Craig Cwm Amarch shoulder before rejoining the Stone Shooters at Llyn Cau. From there it was a quick run back down to the cars. This was the only day of the meet on which waterproofs were used and then for no more than a few minutes. Low cloud prevented distant views, but there were sufficient breaks in cloud to give some glimpses of the ruggedness of Cader itself.

Back at the Brigands, the party was joined by Sue Miller, celebrating the end of term. Then there were 21.

Rumour has it that an AGM took place that evening. Yours truly however succumbed to a dose of Glyndywr’s Revenge and failed to make it to the meeting so someone else will have to report on that.

Saturday 7th Rupert and Sally took their leave in the morning. Are you counting? Now there are 19. But hold on, now the party has been joined by yet more of the Harrison clan — sister Rosemary and husband Andrew. So we’re back to 21. Saturday's outing was more of a Pensioners' Package Tour than a Meths meet. Cars, buses, trains and shanks’ combined in a minor miracle of timing that had the entire group participating at some stage or another.

Five people in four cars set off for Pennal on the Dovey estuary, parked the cars there and boarded a bus for Towyn. Two more people joined the bus en route at Aberdovey. The remaining 14 people in five more cars drove direct to Towyn from the Brigands. The synchronised arrival at Towyn surprised the leader as much as the rest of the party. The whole group of 21 people boarded the Talyllyn Railway's crack express 'The Quarryman' for Nant Gwernol. Four people liked the train so much that they stayed on it for the return trip back down to Towyn. Seventeen set off to walk across the Tarren Hills and back down to Pennal and the cars. Complaints that we were headed the wrong way were brushed aside by our leader as he headed north to start the trek south. Skirting the vast Bryn Eglwys quarry workings and the confusing paths for non-walkers laid out in ever-decreasing circles by the Forestry Commission, the route led through some fine Welsh bog. Stifling increasing cries for a lunch stop, the leader promised a streamside picnic spot not far ahead at Pont Llaeron. Allegedly a Roman bridge, but more likely 18th-century quarry construction, the bridge made a fine lunch venue. The flies thought so too. The sound of rushing water had its usual effect and our leader was heard to complain that every time he tried to slope off for a piss, the whole damn party got up to follow him. Onward again, striking up on a broad firebreak for the skyline and the saddle of the Tarren ridge. With poor visibility, keen types were easily dissuaded from striking west or east along the ridge to pull in the summits and the whole party set off down the south slope of the ridge towards the Dovey Estuary. Once again, they had to take the leader’s word for it that the views were fantastic on a clear day. The group stayed together remarkably well despite the presence of several non-walker types whose footwear had been unequal to the boggy conditions near the start. Down past a farm where sheep-shearing was in full swing, through Pennal to the car park where 17 people were squeezed into four cars. And so back to the Brigands, collecting more cars en route, to find yet another Meths member, Legs with partner Rachel, making a total of 25 people who had turned up at some point or other during the meet. Of these, 17 took part on the first day, 14 started on the second day of whom 12 completed the course and 21 set out on the third day, of whom four turned round at Nant Gwernol and returned to Towyn by train while 17 completed the whole course. Dave, Lord of the Big Ruo

Maps: OS Landranger series 1:50,000 No.124. OS Outdoor Leisure series 1:25,000 No.23.

National Park website: www.snowdonia-wales.net or www.eryri-npa.co.uk