40 pages/20 walks

During the Easter 2017 period the British Prime Minister came to Dolgellau and, using this guidebook, enjoyed walks 6 and 11. She also decided, during this walking holiday, to hold an early general election...... Of course we are pleased she chooses to use Kittiwake guides, but we pass no comment on the decision made!

An earlier 17th century visitor to Dolgellau, Thomas Fuller, described the town as having 'Walls three miles high'. He was, of course, referring to Dolgellau's location at the foot of the eastern peak of Cadair Idris, Mynydd Moel. Three miles high? No, merely 2831ft (863m), but, nevertheless, high enough to shield the town from the prevailing south-westerly winds and precipitous enough to provide a majestic setting for this small market town, whose narrow, winding streets uniquely contain over 200 listed buildings. With its back to Cadair Idris and built of stone and slate, Dolgellau faces the river Wnion, from whose main crossing, Y Bont Fawr, the town and its mountainous backdrop can be seen to perfection.

Just to the east of the bridge, the town's second river, the Aran converges with the Wnion, having fallen, in leaps and bounds, from high on Cadair's ridge to the valley below. The Aran was vital to Dolgellau's industrial development, as it was this fast-flowing river which serviced the town's woollen mills and tanneries. Dolgellau's industrial life is, of course, in the past but its streets, buildings, rivers and setting have today made it a centre for tourism. This book aims to cater for the needs of the town's many visitors who wish to explore the town and its locality on foot.

The twenty walks are designed for those who arrive by car or bus with the intention of spending a few hours on a walk, rather than a whole day. Most of the walks are between 1½ and 4 miles in length (the longest is 5½ miles) and they each introduce the visitor to interesting features of the town and its surrounding countryside. The walks enable the visitor to explore places they would otherwise be unlikely to find during a short visit: minor paths which unexpectedly lead to wonderful viewpoints; an old mill tucked away beside a footbridge over the river Aran barely ten minutes from the town-centre; an ancient well in woods just above the Tywyn road out of Dolgellau; an historic settlement located below the cliffs of Mynydd Moel.

Getting to Dolgellau is straightforward, whether by car or by bus. For car-drivers, directions to Dolgellau from nearby towns are provided, as are details of parking places convenient for the walks. For those travelling by public transport, bus routes and route-numbers are listed. The two main starting points for the walks are the Marian Mawr car-park and Eldon Square bus-stop in Dolgellau town centre. A walking route between the car-park and the bus-stop is outlined. A third starting point, in the Cadair Idris foothills above Plas y Brithdir farm, is a short drive from Dolgellau town-centre. The four walks starting there are linked to walks from the Eldon Square bus stop, so that they can also be accessed by those without a car. The walks in this book vary in length and level of difficulty but can all be undertaken by a reasonably fit person. Some of the walks are specially suitable for children.

Wonderful new routes in a very popular area.