Three Nuttalls and a Friday Well Spent
I only work part-time, four days a week, with Fridays as my day off. It’s fairly easy, though, to accidentally get sucked into some work on a Friday, so it’s best to have a plan to get out of the house and do something. With the forecast looking like a cracker, I decided to make the most of it and headed north to Llyn Celyn for a walk in the Arenigs, bagging a few new Nuttalls along the way.
It was just over an hour’s drive on fairly quiet roads through the lovely spring scenery of Mid Wales. The sun was shining, the bluebells were out, there was no wind, and Cadair Idris looked spectacular as I drove past. Temperatures were still in single figures when I parked up on the shores of Llyn Celyn, but with a climb straight out of the gate, I set off in just a long-sleeved sun hoodie and thin shorts.
I soon left the road behind and warmed up as I climbed through forest and out onto open hillside. The path was easy to follow, and I made good progress. As I gained height, the peaks of North Wales revealed themselves, with the Arenigs most prominent behind me. It didn’t take long before it felt like I was in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by heather and bilberry-clad slopes.
After rounding a hill, I descended briefly and stopped by a stream to top up my water, ready for a coffee later. It was a lovely little spot, and further down the valley looked like an ideal place to camp. No camping today, though—I was travelling light and taking things easy. This was more about enjoying the sunshine than covering big miles or carrying a heavy pack.
From the stream, it was a steep pull up to the first summit of the day, Carnedd y Filliast (669 m). I passed Llyn Hesgyn on the way, another spot that would make a great camp. The summit, marked by a trig point and a low rock shelter, is the highest point of the day. I paused there for a while to take in the views before heading northeast towards Waun Garnedd-y-Filliast (651 m).
It’s only a short distance between the two, but I found a sheltered spot out of the breeze for a coffee. I carved out a makeshift seat in the heather, fired up the stove, and brewed a cup using my Wacaco Minipresso, which somehow produces the most excellent coffee. Maybe it’s just the fact that I’m drinking it on a mountain? With a few ginger biscuits on the side, I sat back and did very little, listening to skylarks, a distant cuckoo, and watching red kites drifting overhead. No other sounds. Warm sun. Complete stillness.
I couldn’t stay there forever. I headed across to the summit of Waun Garnedd-y-Filliast to log it, as this was Nuttall number two today. I then retraced my steps back to Carnedd y Filliast before continuing west along a fence line. I was now off any defined track, following a faint path across ground that would usually be quite boggy. After a dry spell, it was surprisingly firm underfoot, though still wet enough in places for some squelching.
Near Carnedd Llechwedd Llyfn (644 m), I left the fence and headed to the summit for my third Nuttall of the day. From there, I continued across to Llechwedd-llyfn (640 m), which isn’t a Nuttall but was well worth the short detour. It made a perfect lunch spot, with wide views across the mountains of Eryri National Park.
Yr Wyddfa stood tall above the rest, with the ridge of Crib Goch clearly visible. Tryfan poked out to the east, with the Glyderau rising behind Moel Siabod. Further around were the Moelwynion, then the Arenigs, with the Rhinogs fading into the distance. Blue skies, clear air, temperatures now in the high teens, and just a light breeze. It doesn’t get much better than this. Despite ticking off a few Nuttalls, it all felt more like an easy low-level wander thanks to the conditions.
As I packed up and contoured back towards the fence on a sheep track, a bird of prey lifted from the heather and glided away down the slope. I’m fairly sure it was a hen harrier, with pale grey wings and distinctive black tips. Not something you see every day.
From there, it was a steady descent back to the car, first along the fence, then across rough hillside where I topped up water again, before reaching farmland and eventually a cooler, shaded track through forest. The path led through a few fields and finally dropped me out right by the road, almost exactly where I’d started.
I’d told Anna the walk would take about five hours at an easy pace with plenty of stops. As I stopped my watch, it read exactly 5:00:00.
How’s that for accurate planning? In total, it was 9.7 miles with just over 2,000 feet of elevation gain. Moving time was 3:46:36, so I’d clearly spent a good chunk of the day doing very little, which was entirely the point. Three new Nuttalls too, bringing the total up to 131.
All that was left was an easy drive home and a quiet sit on the patio in the evening sun. Not a bad way to spend a Friday, and a good reminder of why it’s worth protecting my days off.
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