1st – 3rd April 2011 , Dolgoch, Mid Wales
Present: Dan (organiser), Claire, Alan, Keyna, Georgie, Belinda, Sarah, Bruce
Location: Hostel, Dolgoch, Mid Wales
Having been to Ty’n Cornel three times, we decided to give nearby Dolgoch a go for a change. This hostel is also run by the Elenydd Wilderness Hostels Trust, and is just as remote, hidden away in the middle of Wales and surrounded by hills, with exciting road passes (especially in the dark) to negotiate to get there.
The warden had got the fire going nicely for our arrival, and we settled down for an evening of drinking and chatting by the fire. This was interrupted at around 11pm when a couple from Swindon walked in to deliver a large table they were returning repaired after it had been damaged when they had stayed there with a school group a few weekends earlier. Just passing by… hmmmm.
A fine morning, so we set off on foot from the hostel, admiring the new born lambs, over the Devil’s Staircase and then cross country onto Drygarn Fach and Drygarn Fawr (641m) for a perfect lunch spot by the large stone cairn, admiring the far reaching views. More tusk hopping followed, across to Drum Nantygorlan, to complete a circuit back to the hostel. Keyna was keen to try out the new solar powered showers at the hostel, but was disappointed to find them cold. But we were all pleased to find that she had let the water run long enough for the piping hot water to come through for the rest of us!
Dan’s menu that evening speaks for itself (all made from scratch – I’m sure Dolgoch kitchen had never seen anything like it before, though the warden was unimpressed):
Dolgoch trip April 2nd Evening menu
Cocktails à l’arrivé
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Timbale de Crabe et Crevettes à l’Avocat Vinaigrette
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Pasta Maison ‘Homme de la Montagne’
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Bourguignon filet de Boeufé
sélection de légumes saisonnières
pommes de terre Dolgoch
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Plateau de Fromages
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Café - Port – Absinthe
service de la Russie
v̻tements de montagne obligatoire Рpas de cravate
On Sunday, Claire, Alan, Keyna, Belinda and Georgie drove around Llyn Brianne and ventured up onto Mynydd Mallaen via a rather steep waterfall. Despite a rain storm which lasted for over an hour, the views were again stunning, particularly against the black clouds, and we did not see another soul on our walk.
Although the hills in mid Wales are not big ones, the remoteness and lack of paths more than make up for their size when it comes to a weekend of adventurous and enjoyable walking – not to mention the fine food!
Claire White
