Madog Walks Group

The group is pleased to acknowledge support from a variety of sponsors during 2017-2018. In particular, we received a generous award from Grwp Cynefin's Hafod y Gest Community Fund , which hugely helped us in establishing our flourishing community of members. This provided us with some Canine First Aid training (from Active First Aid ), and with insurance for our members and volunteers when partaking in group activities. The report to Grwp Cynefin is available  here . Our walks leader was also nominated in 2017 for the Ordnance Survey's Get Outside Champions scheme. It's for recognising those with an infectious enthusiasm for the Great British outdoors!  Here in the Madog Dog Walks Group we want to encourage and motivate others (including their dogs!) to be more active in the hills, countryside and coastline here in North Wales.  We weren't successful, but we did get rewarded with a year's subscription to  Ordnance Survey Digital Maps . We've a...

A moderate circular stroll around the Tanygrisiau Reservoir. Plenty opportunities for dogs to paddle. Great little (dog-friendly) cafe beside the station at Tanygrisiau. The reservoir is part of the Ffestiniog Power Station complex. This installation was the first major pumped storage system in the UK. Pumped storage is a way of coping with rapid, short-term changes in the demand for electricity in the National Grid. At times of low demand and excess production elsewhere on the grid, water from the lower Tanygrisiau reservoir is pumped back up to the upper Llyn Stwlan reservoir. At times of sudden demand, water is released from Llyn Stwlan, to generate power as required. For this reason, the levels of both the Tanygrisiau and Llyn Stwlan resevoirs can change significantly day-to-day. The building of the lower reservoir flooded the route of the Ffestiniog Railway which had to build a deviation around the reservoir and power station. Directions:  From A496 to Blaena...

New Year 2018 Newsletter Download  the New Year 2018 newsletter free, so that you can print your own copy! Our 2018 Newsletter gets you up to date with what's been happening in 2017 and what's new for 2018. Photos from our recent walks, and lots of hints and tips for dog-walkers, too!

Shore at Aber Ogwen                                Route : Follows the shore line East of Penrhyn Castle, using the North Wales Coastal Path. Returns further inland along quiet lanes. Suggested Route Total distance 6 miles, almost entirely flat Obstacles : Two road crossings Parking : Car park beside the shore near Spinnies nature reserve, Aber Ogwen Facilities : More information about  Spinnies Nature Reserve  from North Wales Wildlife Trust. Dogs must be on lead in the actual Nature Reserve.

Our 2018 calendar Download the 2018 calendar free, so that you can print your own copy! Our 2018 Calendar has some of our best dog-walk photos from last year's walks... Is your pooch one of our canine celebrities?

Pistyll Gwynn                         This is a circular 3 mile walk through the forestry to the Pistyll Gwyn waterfall. There are spectacular views over moorland between Trawsfynydd and the Rhinogs. The lower circular route has gentle ascents and descents and is fairly clearly waymarked. There is an optional 2 mile extra ascent up to the Roman Steps, somewhat steeper. The walk is mostly on good forestry tracks and paths with a firm stony base. There are no stiles, and the path crosses a small number of wooden footbridges. The (optional) moderately steep ascent up to the Roman Steps can be boggy in places, and is accessed through a single kissing gate. Kissing gate on the Rhinog slopes The lower forestry area is gated off from the surrounding hillsides and moorland, and is this keeps the sheep out. There may be some unfenced sheep on the open hillsides of the upper section. ...

Llanbedrog headland - clifftop path                           This fairly easy 3 mile stroll leads around Mynydd Tir y Cwmwd, the massive granite headland at Llanbedrog, a high point with spectacular views of the Llyn peninsula to the north west, and the Cambrian Coast to the south. At the halfway point of the route is the Iron Man , a sculpture of a human form, which is said to sing in the wind. Bold laments of long ago battles? A proud Celtic warrior fending off invading Roman governors and power-hungry English kings?  Sometimes also called the Tin Man , this figure was installed in 2002 and is the most recent of a series that have held vigil high over the Llanbedrog skyline. It replaced a 1980 metal sculpture by Simon van de Put and which, in turn, replaced an original wooden figurehead from a ship, which had been placed there by Cardiff businessman Solomon Andrews, but had then been...