Same weather forecast as the previous days so same result, right? Wrong!
We had the same gloomy start as the previous week, only this time it stayed that way all day. It even drizzled for a short while and the cloud was down on the summits most of the day.
Shame for the Professor as he declined the walk the previous day when the sun was out. Still, a day in the mountains is always a good day.
At least the heather was looking very fine.
We were doing a circuit of the Grwyne Fawr valley starting at the Pont Cadwgan car park. Its always quiet there and this time I found a much better way onto the open fells (rather than my fence-climbing and light trespassing of previous outings). It was more like autumn up top. Time travel it seems is possible as we moved seamlessly from August to November in the space of 24 hours.
Having enjoyed a brisk walk along the ridge of Chwarel y Fan we headed down to the reservoir for first lunch.
Such was my confidence in the weather forecast that we’d even put swimming stuff in to take a dip. No chance on this day!
At least this route gives you the moderately exciting thrill of crossing the dam. View down the valley below.
And back along the water.
We then threaded a succession of sheep tracks up steep ground onto the highest of the Black Mountains ridges and the summit of Pen y Gadair Fawr.
We were in the cloud for a short while on the top before the long ridge walk towards Crug Mawr. The dreary grey day and flat light meant I didn’t take that many photos.
We stopped for second lunch and decided it really wasn’t worth the extra effort to take in Crug Mawr and settled for a return to the car and the comforts of home.
A decent stretch of 13 miles and whilst the weather was a disappointment we enjoyed our day. Looking at these peaceful and somewhat lonely views its only just come back to me that this was Bank Holiday Monday. It is possible to avoid the crowds!
surfnslide 
I love your first image. The heather would have been amazing in full sunshine. A dull day but very peaceful without the bank holiday crowds.
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The heather looked grand on this day. Much more colorful than the photos make it look.
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I love the first image too with the long ridge path through the heather… Looks like more great ridge-walking (my favourite kind).
As to the dam crossing, I like those too. But have you tried the very surreal path which goes more or less most of the way across Llyn Trawsfynydd? It’s only a couple of feet above the water and, by the time you get to the middle of the lake, it seems truly odd!
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The Black Mountains ridges are very wide for the most part but this one is much sleeker (narrow is probably building its part up too much.
Always wanted to walk across that odd bridge at Trawsfynydd!
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Have to agree that the first photo is a cracker – made by the heather. 13 miles and quite a lot of up by the looks of it, I didn’t realise that the Black Mountains were that high. Amazing to have quiet hills on a Bank Holiday Monday.
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Highest point in the BMs is Waun Fach at 811m, just along from we were this day. Most of the ridges run at 600m or thereabouts. Hay Bluff is the busiest spot as it’s close to a very high road with easy parking but nothing like the Lakes. You always see a few people but you’ll always walk for several miles without seeing anyone. On this day we saw a few people having a chilly picnic by the reservoir but just the odd person other than that.
The heather was brilliant this day. The hillsides were covered in broad purple spreads. Not sure why, but I don’t recall seeing it like this before down here
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Can’t believe the change in weather there, as you say its like a different season. I don’t mind the gloomy days sometimes but sometimes you don’t want it and with the day you had before you don’t want it like this. At least we are heading into the changeable heavy showers and sunshine weather now, great clouds and hopefully some colder days
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Very true, I was out on Saturday and it was oppressively humid and muggy. I’m heading to Scotland for a few days later in the week so I will probably get my wind and rain wish!
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