Скачать или смотреть Moel Famau at Dusk - WelshBloke Walking

Moel Famau at Dusk - WelshBloke Walking.
Filmed on one day between Storms :)
"Ar Hyd y Nos". Traditional Welsh Carol, performed in Welsh by Havard University Choir. Creative Commons recording.

Prynhawn da - good afternoon everybody. Chroeso n'ol i Welsh bloke walking - welcome back to Welsh bloke walking well what's been happening with the weather? I mean for weeks now we've had nothing but wind hail rain snow storms floods! There's a yellow flood warning for tomorrow and then suddenly in the middle of it all Sunshine! what's going on? Weather wasn't like this when I was a lad. Something strange is happening. Anyway enough complaining, I thought I'd take advantage of the weather and take us for a walk today.

you know I've taken you up many of the hills in Bryniau Clwyd in the Clwydian range, but I've never taken you up the biggest hill of them all the Mother Hill so to speak well today I'm going to put that right 'cos I'm going to take you up Moel Famau - in Welsh literally “Mother's Hill” .. this way [Music]

There are two main car parks for ascending Moel Famau, one at Bwlch Penbaras and another here at Coed Moel Famau, nestled in the woods as the name suggests.

The walk begins on a wide gravel path that gradually becomes narrower and steeper as we progress. Although the sign suggests the easier route offers better views, the scenery remains largely the same all the way to the Summit. This steeper path however provides a bit more variety while still rewarding you with the same stunning View at the top.
As we venture deeper into the woods, notice the frost still lingering on the ground shielded from the Sun by the dense canopy above. As we make our way along the trail you'll notice some fallen trees recent casualties of the stormy weather.
Up ahead, however, lies a much older fallen tree.
Now here's an interesting piece of wood
What's so interesting about a rotten old piece of wood? I hear you ask. Well come closer and have a look.
Hundreds of coins hammered into the wood. This is an example of a wish tree or Money Tree a tradition sometimes found along hiking paths. The custom dates back to ancient beliefs where offerings to the spirits of nature were thought to bring luck, Prosperity, or even healing. I should imagine in about 20 years, when all this is rotted away, if you come here with a metal detector you should get a goodly horde of coins.

If you know a little bit of Welsh you might be saying to yourself hang on why is this called Moel Famau? surely the Welsh for Hill is Bryn? well yes, it is but this is a special type of Hill you see the word “Moel”, in Welsh, means bald.. and if they come across a hill that is not covered with trees then it's a “bald hill” and hence, Moel Famau.

When we approach the summit of Moel Famau, you'll notice a fascinating structure at the top. This is the remains of the “Jubilee Tower”, an Egyptian-style Monument originally built in 1810 to commemorate the golden jubilee of King George III. The tower once featured a grand design with a plinth a base and a towering Obelisk. However, the Obelisk was never fully completed and was ultimately brought down by two nights of violent storm in 1862, leaving only the base remaining

At this point the path steepens quite dramatically, however, the reward is worth it as we can now see beyond the trees to the stunning views. The higher we climb the more breathtaking the scenery becomes. Up ahead, the fence and gate signal that we're almost at the summit.
And here it is, the remains of the Jubilee Tower

The base of the structure features four sides that appear quite similar at first glance, but if we walk around the side to this point you'll discover a small doorway in the side. Through here a set of steps will lead you to the turret. For those new to this spot there's plenty of information about the tower on two engraved metal plaques flanking the stairway and although difficult to read in this light, each wall of the base also features a plaque describing the landmarks visible in the distance.

For example, if you look North on a clear day with binoculars you can just make out the Isle of man. Closer to home, you can spot Blackpool, Liverpool, and the Wirral. To the West, the distant peaks of Cadair Idris, Yr Wyddfa, Tryfan and the Carnneddau come into view. A glance towards my hometown of Dinbych reveals the lingering impact of recent flooding with the North Wales Coast stretching out in the distance. As the daylight is now fading rapidly I rush to catch a closer glimpse of the mountains and very soon, as the daylight continues to recede, lights begin to twinkle in Liverpool and the Wirral creating a magical atmosphere.

I decide to take a stroll around the Summit to capture the enchanting moments of sunset. Within 15 minutes, Darkness has descended, transforming the scene into something truly magical.

Dyna ni. Diolch am wylio – Thank you for watching. And Tan y tro nesa - until next time,
Hwyl fawr I chi.