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There are various deep, steep sided gorges within the Aberystwyth area. This page describes some of them.
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Pont-Rhyd-Y-Groes GorgeThis is one of the best gorges in the
area, and the one I always take gorge-virgins into first.
It is formed by the River Ystwyth which flows in a
generally south-west direction through Pont-rhyd-y-groes.
(See OS Map 'Explorer 213'). The gorge can be entered
easily by scrambling down a simple slope, or as I usually
do, by descending hand over hand on a rope in a slightly
steeper section of the gorge. Once in the gorge, start
heading downstream and the walls of the gorge soon close
in on you. The water level in this gorge can change quite
dramatically, sometimes the gorge can involve quite a lot
of walking through calf deep water, at other times you
get swept along by the waters at quite a rate. |
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Parsons Bridge GorgeThis is a nice gorge formed by the River
Rheidol. You can enter it by parking on the road at
Ystumtuen on the western side of the gorge. You will then
have a bit of a walk into and out of the gorge.
Alternatively, you could leave a car in Devils Bridge on
the east side of the gorge, and then drive to Ysbyty
Cynfyn and walk into the gorge at Parsons Bridge from
there. (See OS Map 'Explorer 213') You can descend into
the gorge just upstream from Parsons Bridge and then head
downstream. This top part of the gorge is quite
impressive, with high, steep sided walls, and a few
places that you can climb up to and jump into the deep
pools. After this, the gorge tends to flatten out for a
while and involves some walking through ankle deep water
over slippery rocks. After a while, the gorge again
improves, steepening up with the river flowing over
several waterfalls. Take care negotiating these. Then
comes the sting in the tail, a huge 40 ft waterfall,
which seems impossible to pass. In actual fact, you can
climb up through the woods on the right-hand side of the
gorge and lower yourself onto a little triangular ledge.
Here you can prepare yourself for the big jump into the pool
below. The river here is part of the series of
reservoirs that power the Rheidol power-station. It is
therefore dam-controlled and the water-level should
remain fairly constant. However, entering the gorge from
this direction means that it is impossible (without the
aid of a rope) to check the underlying pool for depth or
obstructions. In the next couple of weeks I'm going to
try entering the gorge downstream from this waterfall and
then work my way up to the jump. Hopefully I'll be able
to find an interesting route, allowing us to do this big
jump after checking the suitability of the pool
below. |
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Devils Bridge FallsIt's possible with a lot of help from ropes and abseiling equipment to negotiate the Devils Bridge Falls. I've completed this gorge once with Harvey, so the details below are a little vague. Basically you can enter the gorge formed by the River Mynach a few hundred yards upstream from the bridges at Devils Bridge (See OS Map 'Explorer 213'). Then work your way downstream in the river until you start approaching the falls and the bridges of Devils Bridge. Abseil points will need to be set up in order to negotiate the pools. The first one you come across can be jumped into, but after this ropes will be needed to descend the waterfalls and gain access to the pools below. Most of these 'pools' are no more than rocky ledges upon which the waterfalls crash before continuing their downward journey. Most of the abseil points can be anchored around rhododendron bushes, but at one point we used an upright from the railings surrounding the walk around the falls. Another section had to be negotiated by scrambling around and under a huge slipped block to one side of the falls, rather than in the river itself. We eventually descended the whole ladder of falls, passed under the footpath bridge and then continued down the falls until we emerged into the River Rheidol. From here we were able to head downstream and exit the gorge and return to Devils Bridge. All in all, this was quite an undertaking and not possible without abseiling. If you are considering attempting this gorge, then first pay to enter the footpath that circles the falls so that you know what you are letting yourselves in for. |
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Dolgoch FallsDolgoch Falls are situated on the B4405 inland from Tywyn (See OS Map 'Outdoor Leisure 23'). Although not a gorge walk, the pools at the top of this valley can be fun to swim in, and the walk around the falls is pleasant. It's also a nice place to have a BBQ and spend a night under the stars. |
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