Description
This is a Slow Ways route connecting Bala and Corwen.
Know of a better route? Share it here.
This is a Slow Ways route connecting Bala and Corwen.
Know of a better route? Share it here.
Status
This route has been reviewed by 3 people.
There are no issues flagged.
Photos for Balcor one
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Information
Route status - Live
Reviews - 3
Average rating -
Is this route good enough? - Yes (3)
There are currently no problems reported with this route.
Downloads - 7
Surveys
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Geography information system (GIS) data
Total length
Maximum elevation
Minimum elevation
Start and end points
Bala
Grid Ref
SH9252835903
Lat / Lon
52.90979° / -3.59955°
Easting / Northing
292,528E / 335,903N
What3Words
cloth.troubled.lamppost
Corwen
Grid Ref
SJ0791643477
Lat / Lon
52.98071° / -3.37296°
Easting / Northing
307,916E / 343,477N
What3Words
remaking.crisper.should
Balcor One's land is
Bala | |
---|---|
Grid Ref | SH9252835903 |
Lat / Lon | 52.90979° / -3.59955° |
Easting / Northing | 292,528E / 335,903N |
What3Words | cloth.troubled.lamppost |
Corwen | |
---|---|
Grid Ref | SJ0791643477 |
Lat / Lon | 52.98071° / -3.37296° |
Easting / Northing | 307,916E / 343,477N |
What3Words | remaking.crisper.should |
Arable | 3.1% |
Moors | 1.2% |
Natural grass | 24.0% |
Pasture | 54.7% |
Urban | 10.0% |
Woods | 7.1% |
Data: Corine Land Cover (CLC) 2018
reviews
Jenny Sanderson
21 Jul 2024 (edited 14 Aug 2024)My full review was lost because the website logged me out when I hit submit. I will re-write it if I get a chance! :-(
I have made some minor adjustments to the gpx file to improve accuracy and submitted as 7510_Balcor _Bala _Corwen _Accurate.gpx
I walked the route in reverse, Corwen to Bala, in mid July. Conditions were good, though undergrowth and nettles were overgrown in places. I got through with the help of a stick and putting on my waterproof trousers and coat. With recent rain having been minimal the only section difficult to pass due to water/mud was at the farmland area immediately before climbing up onto the high ground from the Corwen end.
If the route were used more frequently and an accurate .GPX established; if the overgrown nettle areas were clear; and if the two or three gates that were roped shut were made usable; then I would consider giving this route 5 stars.
Hiking Historian
14 May 2024A wild and wonderful route through the Welsh fields and farms. Given the terrain and use of stiles and gates, it's foot-only, and one for those not afraid of sharing it with various livestock or not having any form of civilisation for miles!
From the shops, cafes and pubs of Bala, we follow the A494 out of town, before crossing our first field, which can be a bit muddy! Briefly through Llanfor, we press on along a track, which heads into fields of sheep and cows. There's a few stiles and even removable electric wire to negotiate as we wend our way through the hills. The views back to Llyn Tegid are stunning, and ahead to the hills carved by the Afon Dyfrdwy, or river Dee.
Heading downhill through fields and along tracks, we briefly join the unpaved main road before escaping once more into fields. At Bryn Banon, the footpath, and route, heads through a gate onto a steep wooded section, but it's a bit hairy, so I recommend continuing past the houses, as it joins the track we're taking next.
The footpath is an old track running alongside woods to the north, and the fields are shared by sheep and llamas, and odd sight in rural Wales! Past the farm, another track. A brief unpaved road, then another track, before heading into more fields with some very aggressive sheep!
The section around Bryn Derw can be hard to negotiate: walk up the bank heading towards the rusty barn, which should bring you to a gate into the farmyard, with the next path just ahead. After a couple of fields, the path to Ty n'y Fron also can be confusing: a morass of gorse and lots of worn animal tracks. Essentially, work your way past the farm downhill to the south, before heading downhill through a very churned up horse field.
From here, it's all unpaved road, but it's a dead end, so there should be very minimal traffic. This road becomes a track, becomes a greenway, as the road becomes a bridlepath heading into the hills.
This was my favourite section, but I can imagine it's grim in wet weather! Once onto access land, the path becomes almost one with the landscape, as we march across the upland peat bog of Mynydd Mynllod.
Once across the bog, we join farmtracks past Coed Gaerwen. We head through many more fields, before finally hitting a track heading downhill. The route map suggests a straight route down the side of the valley, but it's anything but: the track is quite erratic, and, in places, stream-like holloway, muddy in places. But once we're past Tyn-y-wern, we're onto an unpaved road. Crossing the Pont Dyfrdwy, we enter Cynwyd, where there's a chance of a break.
Through the village, we back onto a footpath through fields of sheep, before hitting the old railway, now a well-used (read: muddy) path. Wooded and running along the river, we pass a historic church (sadly closed) and eventually arrive in Corwen, with its shops, museum and bus exchange.
It's a great route, but can be taxing.
Also, anyone wanting to avoid Cynwyd can join the railway walk directly after crossing Pont Dyfrdwy; there's a gate and stairs that take you right out onto it.
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Share your thoughts
Tim Ryan
07 May 2023A fine route, well signed for the most part.
A bit of an obstacle blocking the right of way at Brynderw farm but just stay to the south of the farm buildings.
The moorland crossing at Mynnyd Mynyllod was a bit bleak, in the rainy and misty conditions, but stay on the tracks in a direct line with no turn offs and it leads you the correct way.
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