WEST BY MID WEST (WALES)

 As the early November Welsh lockdown lifted I took off to favourite haunts in mid and west Wales, initially to check on the condition of various bothies starting with one in the Tywi Forest where as is so often the case a group who had ignored the lockdown also left a significant amount of rubbish - more than could have been walked in. However a good burn and a tidy up saw things back in good order. I reported the issues to the two MOs and the fact that a barrier to access from the top track had been destroyed.

 

 I then spent a couple of days at a favourite point above Tregaron, walked Cors Carron riverside path in search of the elusive otter and enjoyed a circuit on the bike out along the Claerwen Reservoir returning via the old lead mines of Cwmystwyth. A ride in to Aberystwyth included fish and chips on the sea front and a chance to check out the opportunity to use the quayside for an overnight or two - £6.50/24 hours which seems very reasonable.

 

The following day I explored the Cwmystwyth workings and the lakes high above that would have supplied much of the power - leats increased the supply of water and old raised dams increased the storage. On the way down through some of the oldest workings I peered in to a seemingly bottomless chasm with ancient rotting stemples and a stream dropping in to the darkness - not for the faint hearted.

I headed to Aber for a couple of nights there giving me a chance to restock fridge and cupboards before  returning to the seafront which was very quiet after dark.

 A bus down to Aberaeron gave me a long but satisfying walk back up the coast arriving back in the town well after dark - the skeleton of a dead seal was fascinating and a slate clad church of interest.

I took one night on the excellent Pantmawr CS at Llanilar for a fill of water and a night on hook up and will certainly return there one day. 

Overnighting on Aberareron sea front is also permitted allowing me to walk south to Newquay, another cracking route this time done as an out and back and also made the start for an inland route on an old railway line to the Llanerchaeron Estate. 

South of Newquay the Park4night app indicated overnight parking in the church car park at Penbryn and again I walked north towards Ynys Lochtyn via Llangrannog along the stunning coast path.

 

 

Down at Cardigan I stayed in the quayside carpark near the floating Indian restaurant - sadly closed for the time being and walked out to St Dogmaels where the Cliff Hotel was open but quiet. I decided to treat myself to lunch and enjoyed two delicious courses but no alcohol. Carrying on round past Cardigan Island I walked high above the old coastal slate quarries before reaching Mwnt and returning via inland paths for another quiet night in Cardigan. The following day I nipped in to the Post Office to get a passport photo with a digital code for my online passport application - a necessary response to the forthcoming Brexit process - it is well worth checking if your existing passport will still be valid in 2021 should we be able to travel.

With some rough weather forecast and in need of water and a night on power I moved to another CS at the foot of the Preselis in Maenclochog for a couple of nights and on a cold but bright day walked up to the top ridge, turned west and dropped down to Rosebush via the old slate quarries and past the Tafarn Sinc. This excellent pub where I had spent many nights in a previous life is now community owned but of course shut for the duration.

 

Moving on I found a quiet spot above the Llyn Brianne on a magical night and nipped in to the bothy where yet more rubbish had been left - this was clearly attributable to an off road contingent judging by the sheer volume of bottles, cans and other rubbish but at least NRW have installed a substantial barrier on the top track but unfortunately the off roaders are coming in from the confluence crossing a flattened fence and destroying the wetland en route.

Moving on to the Brechfa Forest a quiet car park allowed me to sit out more bad weather for 48 hours but the imminent threat of another Welsh lockdown forced me to consider a practical response. Heading in to England was a consideration but as I felt it could also close down leaving me stuck I decided to head to Sennybridge to collect mail, spent two nights above Brecon making myself useful and giving the bike a good clean and then a week before Christmas arrived at Llangurig for what may well be a stay of a couple of months. I arrived with fridge and cupboards full and settled in with good phone, internet and television connectivity, hook up and one other occupant, very grateful that the owner was able to take me in as a 'person of no fixed abode'.

Thus I have enjoyed a lot of reading, caught up on unseen TV programmes, cycled down to Rhayader and back via Elan and Cwmystwyth and walked up to the local bothy a couple of times to check on unauthorised use. 

A week ago a substantial snowfall transformed the scenery and since then temperatures have hovered around zero - at this time of year without much solar gain and being unable to drive far the leisure battery would not last long but with hook up I have as much sophistication as a domestic property and will sit quietly until I am called for a jab and our freedoms return.

An exposed water pipe was insulated today with tape wrap but I think I will source a fire resistant fibreglass sleeve to prevent freezing and be resistant to exhaust heat as the pipe passes close to the heat deflector.

I also need to remove the rubber cab mat and carpet as snow accumulation on the screen allowed water ingress once more which I think is the scuttle drainage getting overwhelmed - I suspect that during the windscreen rust prevention descaling debris from paint, mastic and rust probably got in there so I need to remove the seats and trim, remove the floor mat and carpets to get the latter dry and will then leave it uncovered until I can get a pressure washer in to clear out the drainage ports. Then I will probably replace the original matting with a more modern sound proofing and insulating flooring before replacing the carpets. This will be much easier in warmer drier weather so it may be a while and that will also be an opportunity to fit a new roof side window - the old unit has a crack and leaks so will be replaced by a fixed perspex panel kindly cut to size by Crad.

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