A Walk Above Cletwr.

Looking out of the windows this morning while the sky was blue over the sea looking inland just where we were going to be walking the clouds looked very dark indeed. Combined with the forecast showers it did not bode well for our walk. But we were lucky, it didn't rain and by the end of the afternoon the sun was shining again.

Our walk began in Cletwr (Tre'r-ddol). We began by taking a narrow leaf strewn track that went straight up the hill behind the village. Bearing southwards we swung around the side of the wooded hill that rose steeply behind us. 

Then our track wound its way up through the trees until we reached a gently sloping meadow tucked into the hillside. There we stopped to have our lunch and enjoy the view out over the bog to as far as Borth.

We continued our walk up to the top of the hill to a very beautiful spot (lots of photos tomorrow) before making our way through more fields. There wasn't a track to follow so we had to look for the way markers which led us to metal stiles. It was the first time we had come across these galvanised metal stiles and unlike many of the wooden stiles we encounter there was no wobble, the whole structure being very stable and easy to use.

Eventually we came to a ruined mine Bryn Yr Arian (silver hill). There has been lead and silver mining in these hills since Roman times though of course this mine dates back to the 1800s.

Looking eastwards behind the mine were the rolling hilltops of the Cambrian mountains

And all around were many sheep and lambs. Sadly we came across a few dead lambs too. Most of the lambs had ginger markings consisting of a thick stripe around the neck and patches on the legs. One of our group told me they are locally called 'ginger jumpers' for the ginger colour and the fact that they are very good at jumping fences. Some research tells me they are a variety of Welsh mountain sheep known as Welsh Mountain Red. The pheomelanin which causes the colour in the wool fades as the sheep mature. 

Working our way back down the hill we came across another ruined stone building.

This had been built on an outcrop formed by the spoil heap from the mine and again had magnificent views across the bog to the sea.

After a last scramble down the spoil heap we returned to the woods, Coed Tafarn Fawr (Large Tavern Wood) and the relatively easy path which brought us back to the village.