HRP ... and beyond: Snowdon Day 3

Trawsfynidd - nr Beddgelert, 21.0 miles

Woke up about 6am, to find that apparently midges never sleep. It had been raining overnight, but I was able to mop up and pack the tent in the dry.

I set off about 7.30 am and walked up the road beside the big reservoir. The footbridge still clearly visible - Derek the friendly campsite owner told me the footbridge was built when the reservoir was, to appease the villagers. The chapel was dismantled and moved to near the other end of the bridge, from a location subsequently flooded.

It was very cloudy and overcast. After a few minutes it began to rain, and it carried on raining for most of the day, on and off. I put put on my full waterproof gear and ploughed steadily on through woods and along the shore of another reservoir, llyn Tecwyn Uchaf. Soon there were glimpses of the sea in the distance and the path dropped down towards Penrhyndeudraeth ("Penrhyn"). It lies on the estuary of the Afon Dwyryd and is nearly though not quite a seaside town. It is also a bit of a dump, sadly. Or to be a bit more charitable, it has fallen on hard times. Lots of empty shops and a rather seedy appearance. I walked into town, found a pub and walked in, only to be told it was shut until 4pm. I asked about other pubs and were told there are two - both shut, permanently. So I ended up in the "Busy Bees Caffi." It was ok, in a slightly twee way, and the lady behind the counter was dour, but the boef bourgignon and chips was fine.

When I transferred the route from the guidebook onto my digital maps, a couple of weeks beforehand, it all looked a little bland and unexciting (and it has been, really) so I fiddled with the route a little to include some higher ground. Thus I set off from Penrhin heading not on the official route to Beddgelert but to Rhyd, Croesor and then over the moors to the Glaslyn valley, South of Snowdon. After two days of tramping along roads and gravel paths, it was good to get up into the heather and peat bogs and I had a fine time, although it made for a longish day. I reached the National Trust campsite at Hafod-y-llan about 7pm, tired and wet through but happy to have seen some of the proper Snowdonia.

It's a pleasant, scenic site, but no food or drink to be had. and no mobile signal, so could not phone home or check the weather forecast. And the midges are out in force again..

Not many photos taken today, because of the rain.