14th April 2018 - The Elan Valley walk with overnight bothy stay - Part 1

Another mini overnight adventure for you this week and next. Through some friends we discovered the existence of Bothys. These are decrepit or derelict buildings which have been rendered habitable by the Mountain Bothys Association. They are usually free to stay in and have no electric, heating or running water. They also have no booking system and operate on a first come first serve basis, more on which later. More information can be found here: Mountain Bothys Association. This week’s post will focus on the walk to the Bothy and next week will be about the Bothy and the route back, which was much shorter. The Bothy we were aiming for was Lluest Cwmbatch overlooking the beautiful Cronfa Ddwr Craig Goch reservoir. As you probably guessed from the lack of vowels, it’s in Wales. The Elan Valley to be precise.

Raring and ready to go.

We parked up in the village of Rhayader in a layby. It’s free and easy to find but can be busy as it is right at the start of the Number 8 cycle route to Aberystwyth. We locked the car and waved goodbye to it for 24 hours. The weather had promised to be cold and miserable however we noticed it was quite mild as soon as we got out of the car. The way was easy going along the cycle path but the view made clear how hilly and arduous this would be. Although we weren’t camping per se, there was no bedding and no food or water replens, so we were carrying absolutely everything we might need. Rhayader was the only civilisation for miles around and we were going to be at least two hours from it at most points.

The rickety bridge. Chuck refused to cross it.

The first hour or so was along tracks and small roads. This ended as we got to the Wye River. A river we know well but had not crossed this far up stream. There was a fantastic rickety suspension bridge across that wobbled like crazy. Chuck flatly refused to cross it and went through the river. This was probably good as it was starting to get really warm now. Something we hadn’t planned on.

Our first glimpse of the reservoirs.

The next stage was up onto the moor land. This was a very steep climb but offered some cracking views back across where we had walked. Up on top of the moor were some cows who looked heavily pregnant. We thought one of them might actually be about to give birth. She was definitely in some discomfort. We waited around for a little while but nothing really happened so we continued.

The small church next to the dam.

We dropped down through a small farm into a valley. Then it was back up onto the moorland. Sadly, for Chuck there were sheep everywhere, so he was on the lead a lot here. The was however lots of streams for him to cool down in. Despite being quite close to the reservoir we couldn’t really see much as we were behind a forest. As the forest gives way to the farmland you do get an impressive view across the most southerly of the four connected reservoirs. We crossed the river at its southern tip. The only way here was along the road.

Not sure if this is a natural gap or cleaved out for the path.

The road proved to be quite busy so we headed upwards again into the woods. This afforded a good view over where we had walked on the other side of the reservoir. A sharp path out of the woods brought us out to Garreg Ddu Dam, a very impressive structure and a crossing point for the reservoir. We still had a long way to go but we decided to take the slightly more scenic western route around Garreg Ddu Reservoir. The path runs along the waters edge for the most part and this allowed Chuck to cool off as it really was sweltering by now. The path does get slightly confusing at one point and doesn’t really match the map. Top tip, head north west when you see the information board and you’ll pick up the footpath markers.

An island in the reservoir.

The next place of interest is the Pen Y Garreg Dam. Despite the map not showing one there is a footpath straight up the hill here, which saves you having to go half a mile back down the road. Then it’s back on nice even flat cycle path all the way to the final dam. Be aware, there are sheep hiding in the trees. We only just managed to stop Chuck chasing them as they caught us by surprise. The Craig Goch Dam is the final one on the journey and is the most impressive. There are lots of cars parked here. I think people come here for picnics as the views are gorgeous.

Craig Goch. The most impressive of all the dams.

Entering our final reservoir valley, I was hoping to see the bothy. Sadly, it was still quite tucked away. But what made up for it was the view. It was one of the most spectacular vistas I have ever seen. The stillness of the water made it feel like you were inside a painting. Nothing moved. No trees to sway. No grass to move. Total tranquillity. There are no footpaths leading to the bothy but there were some obvious tracks. They cross some craggy re-entrant streams and our tired legs struggled to climb the rocks with the weight of our packs.

The stunning tranquility and beauty of Lluest Cwmbatch.

We were now within spitting distance of the bothy but it was tucked deep in a re-entrant and we didn’t see it until we were right on top of it. There were three people sitting on the hill above the bothy who waved to us as we went down. Would we have some company for the night? At this point we didn’t really care. We had walked nearly 18 miles and had been constantly walking for 8 hours. All three of us were ready to eat something and then just get our heads down. But would this actually happen? Find out next week.

Much excitement at finally arriving.