A common man marvels at uncommon things. A wise man marvels at the commonplace. CONFUCIUS

Tuesday 3 June 2008

Bridge Over The River Mawddach



Early on Monday morning 14 April I parked the car near the Penmaenpool toll bridge which spans the River Mawddach between Barmouth and Dolgellau. The weather was gradually improving as the week progressed but it was still very cold. I'd planned a walk over the smaller hills overlooking Penmaenpool and the Mawddach estuary, with a return route along the old Dolgellau-Barmouth railway track, now a walkers' and cyclists' path. I meandered upwards and downwards (though it felt mainly upwards, curse my aching legs) across these brown and green hills, passing working farmsteads, fields full of sheep and lambs, ruined stone barns. I encountered few birds on this part of the walk except the occasional buzzard. Later however, from the Morfa Mawddach dismantled railway track I spotted pairs of shelduck and Canada geese on the estuary, chiffchaffs in the birch trees and wrens scuffling like mice through the undergrowth. Deep in the Abergwnant Woods I heard a woodpecker drumming. And 5 aggressive male mallards chased one poor female over the marsh and across the trees in fast, frenzied flight. Yes, love was definitely in the air. I regained the car park and drove back to my solitary tent.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You lucky person you, I wandered those hills , valleys and rivers in the early 1940's, learned to Fly Fish and also to love the beautiful country side and the friendly people.
At nearly 78 yrs of age and thousand mile away,in Tasmania I still , in my dreams visit there often.
I doubt that I will ever be fotunate enough to visit there, nut I still have the memories and many phoyos from wonderful friends who still live there.
Again I say you lucky person,
Mike Bowyer