A night Out On Abergwesyn Common

[Headshed]

Nice trip for you both , was that first one your son has done , use to do a lot with my boys but youngest is 26 this year ,still recall how exciting they found it though before they got into all the game systems in their teenage years ,pity more youngsters were not involved in the outdoor life .

No, his first 'proper wild camp' was last May, when we went to Llyn Caseg Fraith and we have had a few 'semi wild camps to Rough Close'. He has said that this trip was his best yet and I have to agree, I've done many wild camps in the past both in the army and with friends, but there was something really special about this one.

 

[Headshed]

I know that area very well, I have had some great trips there over the years it’s a lovely area with some beautiful waterfalls on the streams, the Gwesyn valley is a nice walk to Drygarn Fawr and those beehives cairns are great. You mention some marshes and rough walking and guess you are referring to and tried to avoid Bryn Rhudd bog by descending west of it, I know what you mean, south of Drygarn between the head of the Gwesyn to Carnau the whole area is a bog, the first time I ever went there I was standing at the cairn at Carnau and could see the cairns of Drygarn so decided to walk in a direct line to them crossing the heads of the Gewyn and Melyn streams which was a big mistake, it is indeed very rough and is better to contour round. Thanks for sharing its brought back many memories, the Abergwesyn to Tregaron road along the River Irfon valley via the ‘Devils Staircase’ is fantastic and Llyn Brianne reservoir down the road is just stunning and my favourite one in Wales. Nice to see your young lad enjoying himself too. ATB.

You are spot on, I was trying to box round the marked marshes only to realise the whole watershed south of Drygarn Fawr is one area of bog and the occasional rock. What looked like passable terrain was in reality a series of streamlets and riverlets interspersed with bog, rock and tussocks all hidden by the dried grass. It made for entertaining and in my sons case educational walking, I adopted the ghost walk method of testing every footfall before committing my weight to it. All in all a fantastic space that I shall return to, albeit a touch more cautiously!