LAYING A GHOST
Lake Vyrnwy
We had a guest at our B&B recently who was a Rambler following his way through the walks in a book he had. He hadn’t completed them all and had come to stay with us in order to finish them. This started me thinking it was time I laid my ghost!
Eight years ago I tried my first long distance ride from home to Lake Vyrnwy, a distance of 25 miles. I didn’t own a trailer and Jewel (my Welsh Cob) and I were bored with the local rides. Read the Who we are page to Equine Ramblers UK.
So I found a B&B on the internet in the Vyrnwy area that would B&B both me and Sharnina (PB Arab) and set a date to go. I planned to have an hour-long lunch stop past Rhosygwaliau, nr Bala, and have dinner in the lakes visitor centre. The B&B is 3.5 miles further on and did not do dinner!
I must explain that I had an acquaintance Tina and I had met on the Pennine Bridleway ride was keen to visit with a friend and their horses. As it turned out they ended up accompanying me on the Vyrnwy ride due to unavoidable cancellations!
Having arrived on the Sunday with Pushy and Trevor (both 16 hands plus), Sandra and Christine enjoyed a ten-mile local ride on the Monday, with Sharnina and me, round the Drovers road nearby. We had a lovely dinner in the local pub with my hubby, Tina and her partner, Tim, that evening.
Next day we set off early along the lane from Llangwm in the direction of Bala. The weather was reasonable, but dark clouds were looming ahead of us. We followed the lane that goes to the farms Aeddren at grid ref SH 938 441 and passing the deserted cottage Rhyd yr Ewig on the old track to the summit of the hill. Even from this point the views, looking back, are stunning and far reaching. The gate onto the moorland had to be lifted off its hinge for us to pass through. (I had got permission from the landowner to do so and made sure I’d replaced it as I found it!) Once through we traversed a dry boggy section to a gate the other side. Here we could see across towards Bala- amazing! The rain still held off! Following the faint track we dropped down on the bridlepath behind Greigwen an old farmhouse that has long been empty. I was glad to see it had had some TLC with new UPVC double glazed windows. It’s in a surprising position. There are only about three or four properties in a secluded solitary place but ‘so near and so far’! When you approach from above you are unsuspecting!
We did some minor adjustments to our tack and let the horses have a nibble of grass. Setting of down the drive to join the tarmac lane we came across a rare sight – a bridle path sign – gold dust! The second surprise was the house at the bottom of the lane. I remembered this had been in a state of renovation the year before when I’d passed it! Nothing seemed to have been done since then. Shame! The lane is gated onto the B4501 and you wouldn’t have any idea of it’s existence.
A short section of the B 4501 (Cerrig y Drudion to Frongoch) took us to the lane that passes Rhiwlas and on down to the bridge at Bala. The Bala road is usually quite busy and winds its way along, sometimes dangerously blind to oncoming traffic so we quickened our pace to leave it as soon as we could. Once on the lane we slackened to a walk. There are few properties down this lane, but the most impressive is the old stable block and grooms houses with the clock tower to the Rhiwlas estate. Evidence of a bygone age! When we reached the A494 and crossed it we decided to give the horses a break and opportunity for a drink by the river. 
First nature called for ourselves! We’d noticed that the blackberries were ripe and, being mid-August, very early. There were some juicy ones by the river.
Onwards! We followed the B4391 past the top end of Llyn Tegid to the junction to Rhosgwaliau. The roads were quite busy. Sharnina, Trefor and Pushy behaved impeccably! We travelled through the village and on for a couple of miles to the picnic area near the river. We took the tack off our horses and allowed them to graze while we ate our lunches. It had started raining so I put on my wet weather gear. Trefor and Pushy were grazing with only their halters on and they decided to take a walk along the river! Sandra and Chris followed in hot pursuit but to no avail! They took off at a in an active walking pace eventually joining the lane in the direction of Lake Vyrnwy at a canter! The ladies got a lift in a Landrover and caught up with them at least a mile further down grazing on the verge! Old smartie pants, me, had Sharnina on a rope and waited with the tack, letting her graze!! What’s the saying about the grass being greener?
We tacked up again and got on our way. This road, although narrow with passing places, is surprisingly busy. We passed through Cwm Hirnant and climbed the long ascent of the Cwm. Chris didn’t appreciate the steep drop on the right and chose to stay well to the left. When you look back down it’s stunning! Having got to the top there’s a long descent to the Lake. You think you’re nearly there but it’s much further than you imagine! Then when you reach the lake it’s a fairly long distance (approximately 2.5 miles from one end to the other going left from the junction you come to) especially when you and the horses are getting tired! I was looking out for the pump tower, a fantastic structure, which I have a picture of taken on a previous visit years ago. The Victorians built this masonry dam between 1881 and 1888. It was the first large dam to be built in Britain. The water supply was needed for Liverpool and still supplies it today. The water was carried by an aqueduct to the city.
When we reached the dam we still had 3.5 miles to go to where I had accommodation with grazing for the horses. The last miles always seem the longest and this really dragged. I was fairly sure of the way but not absolutely sure where it was. We phoned Chris and Sandra’s B&B to let her know we were near and to ask the way. (Mobile reception in this area is sketchy. ‘Orange’ seems to work best.) The light was not to good, but we weren’t far off, arriving about 7.45 pm. We let the horses into the field having removed their tack and my host showed me my room. Sandra and Chris had to get to their B&B, and I was going too so I could have my dinner with them. Emily, my host, kindly ordered a taxi to take us there.
We had a very nice three-course meal for £20.00. The pudding ‘slipped down’ as my Grandma used to say! (She liked sweet things!) When I got back to my B&B I fell into bed for a good nights sleep – no ghostly encounters!
Good Morning to a dull day and lots of sparrows out in the yard. The horses were OK when I checked on them. Trevor was fending Sharnina off Pushy that turns the tables on her. She usually does it at home! Sandra and Chris arrived at 9am. Sharnina was already tied in the yard. (I’d had Trefor’s help in cornering her because she wasn’t wanting to be caught this morning!) If I had been on my own I would have started much earlier, but never mind! We left an hour later. I’d looked at the OS map and decided that my original solo route wouldn’t do. We could cut a ‘corner’ by going through the forest by-passing Llanwddyn. Shortly after regaining the B4396 Pushy lost a shoe. Disaster! There was no choice but to continue as mobile reception was zilch! In Hirnant there was an old red phone box and I tried ‘phoning a friend’ who I thought might know someone with a horse box that could rescue Pushy and Chris. I left a message in hope! We came across a newly modernised farm house further on and Chris knocked on the door to see if she could use the phone for a farrier. Farriers are a scarce commodity in these parts! The Gentleman was very helpful and allowed us the use of the land-line. She also had a very unstable mobile connection and I think she managed to phone my friend again and left a message.
We gave up and continued on. I was looking for a shortcut I’d seen on the map. A bridlepath at Cwmwr Isaf that should take us across to a place called Pentre near Llangynog. We found it marked with a sign and followed the track past some nice cottages. It seemed to fade out in a field much further up but we could see what looked like a five foot horse gate without the handle and a steep climb up a field beyond that was shown on the OS map. We arrived at the top gate with a choice to turn left or right. We chose right which in hindsight was wrong. The map didn’t help much. Somehow we came down a track that was only a half mile from where we left the road! The lady in the house nearby advised us to go along the lane behind her house. It would save us going as far as Pen y Bont Fawr. To avoid going on the main road to Llangynog we could turn right at the end and enter the bridlepath that goes across the river, taking the minor lane into Llangynog instead. We found the bridlepath and went down it only to discover it was impassable due to a large piece of tree blocking it, so we had to turn back!
We were going along the main road and I suddenly realised my friend 
Tina had passed in her car! We were so lucky that she’d found us since we could have been going along the bridlepath had it been OK! We caught up with her a little further on where she’d parked and she took a look at Pushy’s foot. She’s a barefoot trimmer and had some hoofboots she thought might fit. Having trimmed the frog she successfully tried one on. Tina went ahead to Llangynog and organised a field we could rest them in. It was four o’clock and we needed to eat as well. What a wonderful friend!! We made our way to the Pub in the village. I couldn’t believe it – the other back shoe of Pushy’s came off on the way! (Thank goodness mine is barefooted). Tina was walking towards us with her dogs when we got to the village and showed us which field to put them in. We un-tacked and went to the pub for sustenance.
It was eventually decided that Sandra and I would have to continue and that we’d leave Chris with Pushy in Llangynog. Sandra on Trevor and me on Sharnina left ‘town’ to find the road
/track along the valley floor that would lead us to the crossing on the Berwyns at the top of the B4391. It’s amazing when you climb and look back down where you came from! There are some wonderful views of the valley floor and beyond. Once we’d crossed there was another brilliant view over towards Bala. The sun was declining towards bed and giving a different light and once you get a bit higher a panorama appears! The track we joined ended up a bit too stony for Sharnina so I walked a fair section here. The flies were a nuisance! We came upon a solid wooden gate that looked out of place on the moor. It wasn’t locked so we passed through. We were all quite tired and the descent seemed never ending! We passed some young pheasants and eventually came to Blaen y Cwm after crossing the stream. Most streams we’d come across on both days were either dry or very low. This was no exception. There was another gate, similar to the one on the moor, on leaving the farm. These weren’t there when I rode it before! I thin
k it is an open access road and 4X4’s can drive it too. I remember on a previous occasion being passed by a number of them in that direction from Llandrillo. I presume during certain times of the year they close it because of the pheasants.
Never ending was the road beyond Blaen y Cwm to Llandrillo and I was getting concerned about the amount of daylight we had left! Sharnina came from Cadwst Bach in Llandrillo that we would pass. We decided to call in and see if we could leave the horses there for the night. The mobile signal was still useless! Luckily Vivienne had a field available which we were very grateful for. She also took us into the village for a telephone – theirs was out of order. Lady luck was with us again when I found that another friend was still up. She’s a post lady and usually goes to bed early. We telephoned a taxi from hers. Jane was almost two sheets to the wind, so incapable of driving, although I wasn’t expecting her to! It was now dark. The taxi arrived and we set off for home. Just in case, I rang Tina at home to find out where Chris was. My wonderful friend had brought Chris home with her, so we picked her up on the way back. (They’d shifted Pushy to another field with plenty of grass and water to keep er happy.)
Next day the taxi picked us up from the field at home and we returned for Trevor and Sharnina. Sandra and I rode back while Chris oiled her tack, watched a few horse videos and waited for us to return. I thought we’d be back in a couple of hours, but even with a nights rest both the horses were still tired. Sharnina was getting foot sore and I walked a fair bit again. It took us four hours to get back instead of two. That afternoon I went with Chris in my 
Landrover and trailer attached to fetch Pushy.
This area offers so much, is relatively unexplored by long distance riders and you can travel far. The scenery is a surprise especially when it comes into view as you rise up a hill. Thirty miles is too far in one day but I’m glad I’ve achieved it and laid that Ghost!