Today's adventure is actually the merger of three small but stunning sections of woodland, encompassing the beautiful Llyn Mair. You could easily split these walks out, combine them as we did or even link them together with potential grander adventures that I will get into shortly. The locations combine together as a section of the larger Coedydd Maentwrog, which naturally has countless paths splintered throughout it, making this not only a great option as a quick stop but also something you could potentially stitch together with other local adventures. So let us take you into the woods, around the lakes, and past many little cascades and beautiful falls that are perfect for the day trippers, the ramblers, the dog walkers and more...
Occupying the majority of the land between Porthmadog and Blaenau Ffestiniog, Coedydd Maentwrog has multiple ways in which to explore its hidden gems - for today's walk, we are heading to a small car park just a short drive from the A487, the major A-road coming from Porthmadog towards Llyn Trawsfynydd. Turn off the main road at the Oakley Arms and head up a short stretch of easy-going B-road, after driving along the shoreline of Llyn Mair, a small gravel car park will reveal itself on the right. It really is quite a limited car park, so be mindful of other users at busy times and try to park to allow maximum use of the space - there is also a small lay-by outside the car park, but this is perhaps best reserved for long-wheel-base vehicles like vans and campers. Public transport directly to the area is a little limited, but busses do stop off next to the Oakley Arms, those connecting through from Porthmadog or Blaenau Ffestiniog and beyond are likely in luck.
Our walk starts from the Coed Llyn Mair car park, eventually, we will circle back and cross the road but for now, head towards the information board and follow the path up the hillside. This is an idyllic climb up a peaceful stretch of woodland, in parts a little rough - the path is largely loose slate, with the occasional stone and rock to navigate so nothing too challenging. There are a couple of nice views as you climb and you'll quickly summit the hill where you will arrive at the picturesque Tan-y-Bwlch station of the Ffestiniog Railway, one of the two lines in the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, if you're lucky one of the services will pass through and you'll be able to snap some beautiful photos, but if not you can make use of the great little café to grab a bite to eat and a coffee. Alternatively, if you have packed your own lunch then a little picnic area sits at the top of the trail, just before the train station. We have yet to explore the Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, but we have explored its little brother to the south, the Talyllyn Railway, and can whole-heartedly recommend a day out on the narrow gauge steam trains - the "Woodland Wanderers" amongst you can buy a ticket that will take you from Porthmadog to this station and back, a great way to experience this walk and the charms of a steam train in a single adventure.
Once ready to continue onwards, return from the train station back into the woods at Tafarntrip Covert and take a left to circle back down an alternative route. This path will take you over a couple of streams, including one little cascade passing under the rail line that carves a nice valley into the hillside. As you walk onwards there are a couple of nice views out on these cascades, before long you'll be back at the car park. This is only a short loop, about half a mile all in, so if you are just looking for a quick spot to stretch your legs then this is perfect, but if you fancy more then head to the gate across the little bridge, carefully cross the road, through the next gate and begin our second leg of the walk around Llyn Mair and beyond...
Pass through the gate and Llyn Mair will immediately greet you - a well-kept lawned section with picnic benches all around is the perfect spot for another little break, ideally with a thermos of tea and some snacks while the sun glints off of the lake's waters. Following the path away from the road and into the woods of Coed Hafod-y-Llyn, you will briefly move away from the edge of the lake before curving around and once again joining the lake's shore. This leg of the walk follows the lake's shoreline closely, past a beautiful little pool with an overflow waterfall down to Llyn Mair and along the winding path. Llyn Mair is a charming little lake, with a couple of small islands and sections of waterlilies, we spent our time here watching the birds fly by and trying to spot frogs in the mud along the lake's edge. Keep ambling onwards and eventually, you will see a house and a gate approaching, on your left will be Llyn Mair's little dam, with a couple of overflow spillways roaring down to the next pools in the chain. From here, you could pass through the gate and follow the road back to the car park, but personally returning along the woodland would be my preference - if you choose to do this, then walking from the car park to the dam and retracing your footsteps is about 1.2 miles, but you can extend this walk a little ways should you choose to do so...
If you've completed the lap of the lake and fancy a little more, then there are a few extentions dotted around the woodlands taking you away from the lake and into dense nature. We followed the route down past where the dam lets out its water into the next pools and followed the streams downhill, eventually circling away from the waters and through some absolutely colossal trees - towering red-barked trees standing out amongst the more regularly seen foliage, it was a beautiful addition and well worth your time. We followed this path down the hill until once again finding a road, If you follow this you will eventually arrive at Plas Tan y Bwlch Gardens, a stunning manor home with great views out over the local area. When ready to return, just retrace your footsteps back up the hill - if you decide to add this onto your walk expect to add about three-quarters of a mile to your walk. Keep following the lake back, or pass through the gate and follow the road if you prefer, until you find your way back to the car park to round out this walk.
This is just a taster of some of the walks in the area, and I am sure those who are dedicated enough and want to spend some time in nature could easily find route after route to adventure down. I love how easy it was just to tack on a little more at each point along the way, this is such a perfect quick stop with so much potential that it will suit just about any walker looking to wander in some natural wonder. This is a great area in Snowdonia with so many brilliant things to see and do, those looking for a bit more of a climb can check out Moel y Gest overlooking Porthmadog, which would be ideal if you are also planning to take the steam train from Porthmadog, alternatively, you could check out the gorge walk at Ffestiniog or take a nice walk up a retired slate mine at Cwmorthin. If you are looking for something a little different, then the gardens at Plas Brondanw would be a perfect addition to your day, or check out the amazing work done at the Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Osprey Project - these are just a few of the great things you can do nearby, so the walk at Coedydd Maentwrog is an ideal base from which to design a brilliant day out!
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