Pen y Brynfforchog, Nuttall No 350

Walk summary

Chance meeting in car park on A470 with guys from GJ Surveys

Third of three walks (which happens to be my 350 English/Welsh Nuttall) on the transition day of the trip from Marilyns to Nuttalls moving from Welshpool to Dolgellau. With a late start and the time fast approaching 4pm on the drive from Moel Cerrig y Duon I must admit the thought had crossed my mind not to bother with this last walk of the day, especially when I had to turn on the wipers to clear a few spots of rain.
Determined to not give myself the opportunity to beat myself up later for not walking, I pulled in to the car park on the A470 and turned off the engine still in two minds. Looking to my left I saw two guys coming off the hill with unusually shaped backpacks, one carrying a red sort of umbrella case. Trek Poles? Some sort of tripod? I think I know who they are. GJ Surveys! Asking the question raised all sorts of suspicious looks but after confirmation and mutual introductions I was in my element. More like minded people.
After handshakes, selfie, and confirmation no hills in the area had moved I set off up the steep initial ascent along the fence towards the 509m spot height and before I knew it I was at the top.
Easy navigation from here just following the fence to Pen Ochr y Bwlch [Camlan] spotting a step style in the col giving me the germ of the idea of a circular walk. From the stickleback ridge (small whaleback) of Pen Ochr y Bwlch [Camlan], again it was easy navigation following the fence to Pen y Brynfforchog summit.

Thought my ears were feeling cold,
just east of Pen y Brynfforchog summit

It had been a cool week and solid thick icicles being secreted from the peat hags near the summit confirmed why my ears were feeling a little tender. 
From here it was just a couple of minutes to the fence corner and up to the summit. Return could have been a reverse of the ascent route but my aversion to up and downers persuaded me to follow the fence NNE, turning sharp left near the fence junction 300m away. Easy walking down over grassy terrain made me realise there was a little more descent followed by reascent to the afore mentioned stile but nothing too onerous and for me the best option. If it had been poor visibility it would have been different and I would have returned the way I came.
Plan for the next day was Cadair Idris ridge, Cyfrwy - Gau Graig but with four consecutive walking days, turned out I was too tired so the plus side is I have had time to write this page in the hostel. Cadair Idris will still be there tomorrow.

Peaks visited
Nuttalls (189W - 443E&W)
Pen y Brynfforchog [Pen y Brynnfforchog]  (97W - 350E &W)
Hewitts (138W - 317E&W)
Pen y Brynfforchog [Pen y Brynnfforchog]  (68W - 247E &W)
Marilyns (175E - 1556E,W&S)
NONE
Deweys (181E - 422EW&S)
Pen Ochr y Bwlch [Camlan] (39W - 91E &W)
HuMPs (444E - 2975EW&S)

NONE
Historic County Tops (49E - 93E,W&S)
NONE

W: Wales. 

E,W&S:England,Wales & Scotland

Other walks on this trip
2016
February
23^rd Welshpool Marilyns Day01
24^th Welshpool Marilyns Day02
25^th Moel y Golfa & Rhialgwm
26^th Pen y Brynfforchog, Nuttall No 350
28^th Foel Cae'rberllan & Craig Goch [Mynydd Cwmcelli]
29^th Rhayader Marilyns
March
01^st Carn Gafallt & Gwastedyn Hill

Walk Statistics
Walk Date -26 February 2016
Walkers - Steve Smith
Accommodation - Byncws HyB Bunkhouse, Dolgellau
Start Point- Car park on A470 SW of Pen y Brynfforchog  (SH 80231 17021)
Finish Point - Car park on A470 SW of Pen y Brynfforchog  (SH 80231 17021)
Total Duration - 1hrs 31mins 
Overall Average pace - 1.95mph
Total Distance Walked - 2.95 miles
Total Height Ascended - 367.64 metres

Route

GPX can be downloaded from www.shareyouradventure.com

More Photographs

Looking south to Cribin Fawr, Craig Portas and ridge to Maesglase, a walk for later this week

Click on photograph to view slide-show