Considered
one of the finest mountains of the principality, Cader Idris is one of the “Welsh
3 Peaks” and its location in the south of Snowdonia National Park thankfully
limits its popularity.
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| Craig Cwm Amarch |
Starting from Minfford we soon passed the café and followed the pitched path up through the woods, quickly gaining height. As we left the arboreal, we turned towards more open terrain and the amphitheatre of Cwm Cau. The classic view of Cader now reveals itself, with the pyramid of Craig Cwm Amarch taking centre stage. Many will look upon this and think it is the summit but the true highpoint lies just beyond the top of what you can see of the more rounded mass to the right which, despite its stature, doesn’t have as much merit as a view.
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| Penygadair - Cader Idris |
Ascending the ridge, the path passes just below the ex-Nuttall of Craig Lwyd – a top for only the keenest baggers – and continues unerringly to the summit of Craig Cwm Amarch. It’s an obvious summit with expansive views, especially down into the cwm. The same can’t be said for another subsidiary summit – Mynydd Pencoed – yet another ex-Nuttall, but the tramp out to it isn’t unpleasant and provides a contrast to complement the rocky way up to the top of Cader.
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| Cwm Cau |
At the top, two walkers had firmly claimed their seat at the base of the trig point, on the phone to friends boasting of their mountaineering achievement. It was just about impossible to take any photo that would include the trig point without including the couple; such hogging of summits is something that I regard as contrary to considerate hill etiquette.
Following
my diversion to Mynydd Pencoed I caught up with my companions at the summit
shelter. It was roomier than I thought
it would be although it was missing a door at the entrance. One hardy soul had taken up temporary
residence and stayed through the previous night but despite the legend there
were no apparent signs of madness or poeticism.
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| Summit shelter |
The mile along the ridge to Mynydd Moel is a promenade as attractive as any other that I’ve walked. It is from this summit that most decide to head downhill on a beeline back to Minfford but continuing along the ridge to its terminus at Gau Graig affords a solitudinous stroll, with the intervening Mynydd Gwerngraig completing a hat-trick of ex-Nuttall summits. From the final top it is easy to decide to follow the fenceline that is marked on the map because it appears to lead to Bwlch Llyn Bach; but beware – it drops straight over a crag. Such are the perils of using out-of-date Ordnance Survey maps that don’t show the footpath!
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| Cader Idris from the Mynydd Moel ridge |
After the trudge back to the car we wandered back to the café to refuel with cake.
