Friday 23rd February 2018. An ascent of Moel y Belan 359m/50m, Ffridd Fach 457m/32m and Croes y Forwyn 499.2m/80m, from Llyn Efyrnwy (Lake Vyrnwy), Powys, Mid Wales. 10.4km, with 465m of ascent. 4hrs 15mins.

After picking up AC from the railway station in Flint, we drove south to Lake Vyrnwy, parking in a muddy lay-by off the A4393 near the tower in the reservoir lake called the 'Straining Tower' - presumably because this is where the water is drawn off and first filtered on its journey to Liverpool. The tower is rather fine, and would look not look out of place in some German fairy tale set in the Black Forest.

The weather was dry, but very cold and grey, with an icy wind whipping in from the east. However, the forecast was for good sunshine later, and so it proved to be. We walked south-east along the road, picking up a right-of-way, not marked on the ground, which led us up north-west to the edge of a wood. From there it was a steep ascent through open woodland to the summit of Moel y Belan. There was no view due to the trees and undergrowth, but it was not an unpleasant place to stop.

We descended back to the road, turning north near Pont Cynon onto quiet narrow lanes that took us up to the cluttered farmyard at Ty-llwyd. Beyond the farm, a right-of way took us down through woodland into a very picturesque valley. The sun was now shining, and a little of the warmth of spring was imparted to this lovely hidden place. A stream tumbled over a rocky bed, sparkling with reflected sunlight. The roar of a waterfall could be heard to the north.

We progressed up through this little Welsh paradise, with the roaring water becoming louder. The cause could soon be seen. A well-constructed stone dam blocked the valley, with the stream rushing down a waterslide on its eastern side. The dam did not block our progress, as the path climbed the west flank of the valley to gain the dam's top. A blue pool lay on the other side of the dam, with a good view to the hill that was our next objective. We rested awhile on the soft dry moss on top of the dam to eat, drink and take in the view.

After a bog-trot north by the pool, the upper valley opened up onto a wide expanse of grassy moors. Ffridd Fach was straight ahead of us, and a stiff pull up its nose deposited us on its rocky ridge. After traversing the south top we descended a little before standing on the cairned summit. We were presented with a wide expansive view of lonely moorland. It was a good place to be on this day. We spent some time attempting to name the hazy silhouettes of the higher hills we could see to the north and west.

Dropping down off this fine summit, we followed the higher ground east for a while, before climbing more steeply south to gain the main ridge at the edge of a felled forest. The summit of Craig y Forwyn was still some way off with a few bogs to negotiate, now thawing under the sun's warmth. The summit was reached, unfortunately located on the other side of a new barbed wire fence. AC negotiated this fence with ease, I, with my stiffer older legs, less so. Scratch-free, however, I was soon sitting on a plank of wood on the summit, no doubt set there as a lunch spot by the foresters.

The descent was a excellent too, on a good path at an easy angle, with fine views of the lake below. We were soon in the grounds of the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, and back on the road heading to the car.

It had been an excellent hike, with a little hint of spring evident in the birdsong and first snowdrops.