I am considering taking a stroll along the Rhiwbach tramway during my next welsh trip. My intention is to start at Duffws station, head up the Rhiwbach inclines and along the tramway.

From Rhiwbach is it possible do a circular walk via (say) Manod, Craig Ddu and back to Duffws?

Yes Rick but it's a long walk! (But full of history with many holes in the ground to left and right) ;D

You need May / June next year though when then weather is settled - it's pretty exposed up there with little shelter.

Enjoy

Clive

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Hi Rick,

I always used to do it the other way round. Start off going up the three Graig Ddu inclines, then a bit of cross country to above Manod where there is an old footpath (not a public right of way so not marked as such) down to Manod, then head off along the Rhiwbach tramway. It was a full day's walk (allowing time for stopping and admiring the views, artifacts, and taking photos).

The weather can be awful up there though as has already been said.

Thanks chaps. Last time I walked the Rhiwbach tramway was on a new years day twenty odd years ago with a screaming hangover!

I echo the comments about it being a long walk. Maybe consider starting at Manod, and exploring Rhiwbach, Cwt-y-Bugail and walking along to the top of the incline above Maenofferen before returning.

Chris.

I echo the comments about it being a long walk. Maybe consider starting at Manod, and exploring Rhiwbach, Cwt-y-Bugail and walking along to the top of the incline above Maenofferen before returning.

Chris.

To be honest, while you are doing that you might as well carry on down through Maen Offeren. If you return via Mano and Graig Ddu you will have a fair bit of up hill to negotiate between the two. Easiest (and probably shorter) to carry on. Assuming you do it "my way round" from Graig Ddu to Maen Offeren that is!

Job done!

We parked just above the Duffws station car park (not paying four quid to park!) and followed the quarry track up to Maen Offeren where had we a quick mooch. It was rather sad to see how far things had deteriorated.

From MO we cut up Rhiwbach No 3 incline onto the tramway proper. Had a bit of an explore at Cwt y Bugail.

Just before Rhiwbach we left the tramway and headed up towards Manod. On the way we had a look at a small pit working beside the track (Bwlch y Slaters??).

I was surprised to find Manod active, however as it was a Sunday there only seemed to be a few contract fitters on site. We stumbled across a large gated adit next to a pond which I assume was the main underground access.

After some fairly indecisive pratting around on open Moorland in low visibility we found our way to Craig Ddu. We stuck our heads into a level but didn't pursue it too far as the water was over boot height and we were trying to keep dryish. We then followed the long (and somewhat degraded) incline down to a mill level.

From Craig Ddu we cut cross country to Votty and Bowydd where we explored an interesting level, a couple of hundred yards long ending in a slate wall with an uninviting culvert running through it - does this go?

We rejoined the MO road at the foot of the Rhiwbach No.2 Incline and thence back to the car.

In total it took us about six hours, although we weren't rushing. A really fine day out in spite of the (sometimes miserable) weather. With good weather it would be a magnificent walk.