LIFETIME of WALKS by DEREK HARWOOD

I parked in Porthmadog car park and we walked to the Ffestiniog railway station to catch the 10:15 narrow gauge train to Blaenau Ffestiniog. The train, pulled by steam engine 'Merddin Emrys', departed on time and arrived at the terminus on time. The train was full and the station was packed with passengers for the return journey. We decided to stay seated in the open 'cattle truck' for the journey to Dduallt station just after 'The Spiral'. As we had asked the guard to stop the train at Dduallt, the train duly stopped for us to alight. The train departed the station leaving just us four in the midst of the flora and fauna, with no human for miles, or so it seemed. We had our pre-packed refreshments while waiting for engine 'Earl of Merioneth' to pass the station and travel round 'The Spiral'. When the clicking of the wheels on rails had slowly faded into the distance we climbed over the stile on the west of the station to the unspoilt countryside. Walking south we continued under the bridge of the spiral to an embankment with a faint path leading upwards. We followed the path for several hundred metres before we realised we should have followed the broader track far below, close to the railway line. Without an obvious place to descend we walked back, almost to the railway bridle before finding the intended route. We soon reached the line where we crossed by two stiles. On a previous holiday, see Walk ??, we crossed the track on a walk in the opposite direction. We decided to re-enact a photo from the previous walk, of all of us stood on the lined, acting foolishly. Onwards through the woods of bluebells (where an eagle passed us), down stoney paths to a wooden bridge over a stream. The stream emerges from below the railway, through an enormous bridge, capable of passing a thousand times the volume of normal water flow. We continued further along the track to Dduallt Manor, passing on the lane in front of the Manor to a track on the right alongside the Manor's outbuilding, decorated with all kinds of memorabilia of bygone day's. As we left the nature reserve the footpath officially entered a wood, but after some debate we proceeded down a path close to the railway track and alongside the wood. The two paths soon joined again on a track well below the railway line, which emerged on a lane by Lyn Mair. Laz and I sat on a wall while waiting for Den and Ken to catch up. As we waited I investigated which station we should walk to, but when Ken and Den arrived, Den soon put me right saying he had been to the station lots of times before and I was wrong. I gave in immediately and walked past Lyn Mair with Den to Tan-y-Bwlch station. Den was correct. When we reached the station after a stiff climb, I showed Den my map and explained my logic, the OS 1 in 50,000 map suggested the stations were reversed. As we enjoyed a beer at the station a special came up from Porthmadog, hauled by stream engine 'Prince', the oldest working narrow gauge steam engine in the world, as a filming group filmed from the platform bridge. After a natter with one of the film crew, it emerged that they were filming for an ITV programme with Griff Rhys Jones, to be broadcast the following year. Our train came approximately on time (15:40) to take us to Porthmadog. Yet another great day's walking with the boyz, with magic weather conditions. Entered Nature Reserve, Coedydd Maentwrog Laz and I both scaled the stile on the east of the station to visit the viewpoint alongside the railway, while waiting for the 'up' train. At the station was a derelict house called Rhoslyn Cottage, originally the Station Master's house. Close inspection showed that the house facade had been painted to look occupied, but the painted windows could be seen easily close-up.

Location Map: - www.streetmap.co.uk
Porthmadog car park

Hazards: None.