An horrendous weather forecast, a small turnout (just leader plus 2) and yet a cracking good day! The awful forecast ( 'Torrential rain, thunder, lightning' according to Mountain Weather Information ) meant a nice clear motorway to Conwy, but may also have meant that just two other walkers assembled with me at Rowen village for the start (yes, thanks Ron, you were one of them! And a big welcome to Lorraine, who'd been looking for a Welsh walk). 

It turned out a very enjoyable day. We took the 'lower' route of the two options I had lined up which peaked at the summit of Tal-y-fan (2001 feet), then NNW to the hills just above Llanfairfechan and east, looking out to sea and the Great Orme and always above a thousand feet, to Conwy mountain and back to Rowen with great views of the Conwy valley all the way. 19.98 miles on my GPS and never in the mist, just some patchy drizzle for an hour or two and quite bright, almost hazy sun, along the coast. It's a neglected area for walkers - in the National Park and yet we met perhaps 6 walkers in the day - they were certainly outnumbered by the wild ponies. Burial chambers, stone circles, standing stones, great views of mountain, valley and sea and, in August, mile after mile of brilliant  purple heather moor. It looked just stunning - and I didn't see a flash of lightning till I was parking up at home in Littleborough - then it poured! 

Andrew