Thursday 16th November 2017. A nordic hike to the summit of Cefn Hir-fynydd 464m/53m, near Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Wrexham, North Wales. 10.1km with 310m of ascent. 2hrs 15mins.

The heavy rain cleared to bright but cold conditions on a chilly north-west wind, and I set off for an afternoon hike to the beautiful Ceiriog Valley, on the eastern flank of the Berwyn Mountains.

After an excellent light lunch in the cosy Hand Hotel in Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, I took the lane east past the church, which rose up the southern escarpment of the valley onto the pastoral plateau above. I followed this to a col called Bwlch-adwy-wynt (the 'Pass of Windy Gap') where I joined the Upper Ceiriog Way. This trail was not in good condition, being more a string of ponds than a track, and my walking shoes were thoroughly muddied and soaked as I made heavy weather west towards the summit. The full force of the wintry north-west wind hit me as I passed above the trees. The late afternoon sun provided soft illumination to the unfolding panorama, with the main Berwyn ridge off to the west bathed in a light autumnal haze.

Where the track reached its highest point I headed south over a gate up sheep pasture to the skyline. The summit was unmarked, and also unclear, so I visited all potential high points just in case. Being on a wide grassy plateau, the view was somewhat restricted, but the overall panorama was a pleasing one.

As I descended back to the track the sun sank behind the Berwyn ridge, and I descended west to the lane at Llidiart-cae-hîr as the last sun-rays back-illuminated the hills to the west. I followed the lane steeply down north-east, and then north along the bottom of a little side-valley, until the lights of the village came into view through the leafless trees.