CWM PENNANT.
Time 4-5 hours. Maximum height 530 metres. A low level walk for a day when the clag is down. The 2 km walk back up the road to Rhyd Ddu is tedious andthere is no pavement so if possible it is a good idea to leave a car at the North end of the forest. Starting from the car park at Rhyd Ddu the footpath is immediately opposite and goes across to a point on the B4418 (where it is possible to park by the roadside). Follow the well marked footpath but turn left after thesecond stile and pickup another path which is followed into the forest. Do not deviate until you reach a T-junction then turn right and in a few yards there is a sign on the left pointing to Dolbenmaen. Take this turning and go over the col into Cwm Pennant. The old railway track is easily picked up by going to the right of the reservoir. This is followed for about 3 km until reaching the stream coming out of Cwm Llefrith. Turn left just before the stream. There are several streams crossing the track and to pick the right one carry on until the farmhouse of Cwrt Isaf is almost abeam. A friendly stile soon appears if you are on the right track. The path up Cwm Llefrith becomes indistinct near the top but Bwlch Meillionen can be safely reached by following the line of the stream and generally sticking to the lowest part of the dip. Take the stile over the crossing wall and follow another wall down towards the forest. Halfway down the wall deviate rightwards away from the wall to find the stile into the forest. Turn left at the first good track and walk easily back to the north part of the forest and back up the road. It is also possible to do this circular walk by parking at the north end of the forest and navigating the tracks through to the Dolbenmaen sign. Take the top track, fork right after 700 metres, take the first left and then turn left again onto the path/track when you are well into the cwm.