Champagne at Campbell's - perfect after a long day's walk

Each year we host a walking weekend for a few friends and this year began with an atmospheric explore of Tre’r Ceiri. The name means town of the giants and it’s an iron age hill-fort about 450 metres above sea level on the north coast of the Llŷn peninsula. Within the walls of the fort are the ruins of about 150 houses.

From here we continued along the coast before descending through the remains of the Nant Gwrtheyrn quarry which produced setts used for building roads until the 1940s. These days the workers’ village is a Welsh Language Centre.

Champagne at Campbell's

On the Saturday we set off from the house, through the loop, along the old line of the railway and then up the Wrysgan incline near Tanygrisiau. Inclines were used to lower wagons of dressed slate down the mountain to connect with the railway and from there to the sea at Porthmadog. This incline is particularly steep and at the top end it disappears into the mountain, for the final 30 metres or so until you emerge close to the quarrymens’ barracks.

Having explored the old workings and a couple of chambers we made it to the top of Moel yr Hydd. From here we strode out to Moelwyn Mawr, then across the ridge of Craigysgafn and up our local mountain, Moelwyn Bach.

Instead of returning by the steep side we took the gentle stroll towards the coast and enjoyed tea and cake at Tan y Bwlch station before boarding an up train. At Blaenau there was just enough time to nip into the Co-op to buy the Saturday papers and some milk before catching the last down train of the day. 

Taking a breather at Bryn Cader Faner

As the train slowed coming in to Campbell’s Platform, I could see we were in for a surprise. Sue had set up a table with a white tablecloth on which stood a bottle of Champagne in an ice bucket and six flutes. An ideal setting for a pre-dinner drink.

On the third and final day before our friends headed off down south, we did a ramble in the Rhinogs past lots of stone age relics and finishing with a wild swim in Llyn Eiddew Bach.

A great weekend was had by all.