Glasfryn Marathon

 

Waymarked in purple the Glasfryn Marathon is ideally suited for the experienced carriage driver and horse. With three challenging sections the route offers the opportunity to travel the forestry roads with their especially installed carriage gates. In addition the route offers the rider the chance to enjoy the picturesque surroundings whatever the time of year. Upon leaving the parking area you proceed along the road leading past the caravan park on the right. The road meanders climbing slowly to the open view of the Warren and Yr Allt Boeth woods on your right, passing through some mature Norway Spruce. The small pockets of broadleaves in Warren wood make for a very colourful autumn display. Proceed along the waymarked route to Hendre Dyfnant throught the carriage gateway and following the contours the route takes you along Moel Achles and the views over the Vyrnwy valley open begin to appear. During the late spring and the summer months the verges and track will be lush with grass and woodland flowers. Proceed and as the road bears left the views will merge of the Cwm Cownwy valley begin to ermerge before your eyes. Travelling through mature Sitka Spruce stands and following the route to the right around Ffridd Dyfnant the farmland opens out. Following the border you will see the young trees growing on the right, the Glasfryn route once again opens up to view the Warren and Yr allt Boeth areas and gives way to the higher hills beyond. Whereby during the winter months on a sunny day a colourful display of orange tones linger showing the larches and darker tones of the mature conifers mixed with a generous amount of grassland. The route then merges with other rainbow trails and continues on it’s return journey and passes through what was previously Lliwdiarth parkland before becoming a planted forest. There is small evidence of a railway line in the trees along here which was used to haul from the small quarry on the estate.

How to get there:

Glasfryn Marathon can be started from Hendre Park in Dyfnant Wood which is part of Dyfnant. Llangadfan and Llanfyllin is the nearest town or village.

The Hendre Car Park for the carriage drivers is located on the B4395. Access is gained from the A458 (Mallwyd to Welshpool) at Llangadfan or off the A490 (Llanfyllin to Welshpool) at Llanfyllin taking the B4393 and then left on to the B4395 signposted to Lliwdiarth and Pontllogel. The turning is by Hendre cottages.

OS Grid Reference: SJ029148

You can also access this trail through Penyffordd.

Habitats: Dyfnant is a typical upland working forest in which timber is being regularly harvested and is broken up by a network of roads, rides and you will probably see timber stacking places. This helps to create a biologically rich woodland edge conditions for plants and animals. Disturbance of the soil by timber felling brings in a range of plants which colonise the bare earth such as willowherb and foxgloves.