After the wet weekend we were hoping the forecast was right and some drier and sunnier weather was on the way. It was!
Time for the annual Carn Fadryn expedition.
As always it took an age to rustle everyone together and be ready.
However on a day as good as this hardly a chore. The beach was looking good but it could wait till later
This is the mighty Carn Fadryn from the campsite.
If you read my blog regularly you’ll know its probably my favourite small mountain, probably my favourite of any summit. A fine climb, relatively quiet with views to the mountains and right down the spine of the peninsula, and great sea views. Pretty much all boxes ticked. A view here south over to Hells Mouth.
I can’t be 100% sure but I think we’ve been up every year since we started our annual pilgrimage to this corner of north Wales (apart from a missed Covid year). It wouldn’t be Towyn trip if we didn’t climb it at some point.
Approaching the summit behind the DBs.
Its a cracking little summit as well. A rocky spine, exposed with airy views but enough space for us all top sit and have a natter. Views west along the peninsula towards Bardsey Island.
East towards the Rivals and Snowdonia.
UF and EWO bringing up the rear.
Always make time for a cuppa and some cake on a sunny summit.
Summit Pano looking east.
Sadly it was time to head down. There was lunch and a beach waiting for us.
Carn Fadryn’s baby brother, Garn Bach. Well worth a bit of extra effort to climb.
And the older sibling.
The little one has views almost as good as the big one.
A fine walk, small and perfectly formed.
You may wonder why I took this photo. Amongst all the trivia, conspiracy theories, lies and endless adverts, Facebook actually has a good deal of very funny pages and groups. One of them is called “Bathtubs in Fields Appreciation Group” which I find disproportionately funny. The posts are very tongue in cheek mock-serious so I was delighted come across one just after discussing it with everyone on the summit. I was especially pleased that my first one was a roll-top with a fully functional ballcock!
Back to the serious business of beach fun. A prefect clear sunny afternoon for a game of boules. Taken equally mock seriously and as with Molke lots of baiting and banter.
The waves were also pretty good and we did a bit of quality body boarding.
TBF in action.
Mountains and beach fun – perfect combo.
surfnslide 
What’s the parking like for those? I’ve been looking at them for years but wasn’t sure about access and where to start.
Have you got a photo of the bathtub in the field just over the bridge in Rosthwaite for the Watendlath track?
And, if you keep saying ‘The Rivals’, you’ll probably get a visit one night from an irate Welshman at your campsite! It’s just the Anglicised corruption of what the English think they’re hearing when they’re told the name!
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If you look on the map in the blog and where the green line for the walk starts (next to the cross that shows where the chapel now converted to a house is) there is decent parking area for around a dozen cars – I’ve never seen it more than half full. The path starts from there and is easy and obvious all the way to the top. For Garn Bach there is a small stile and a thin overgrown path to the open grassy col, then you head up to an obvious corner in the field where there is a large boulder embedded in the wall that gives access.
I always refer to the main summit as Yr Eifl but everyone uses “The Rivals” as a convenient name for the collection of summits as they don’t really have a group name. I asked the Welsh lady who runs the campsite and she said locals use that term as well
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Thanks for those directions – I’ll have another look at your map.
I’m surprised the locals call them ‘The Rivals’! I always found the Welsh to be very anti-anglicisation of their names.
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Never disappoints! An ascent of Birthday Hill and then an afternoon on the beach – doesn’t get better than that!
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Easily the highlight day of the trip for me – perfect combination and we were all together having a laugh – great memories
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See this walk on your blog each year and it always delivers the views to the sea, no wonder you keep heading back. Love the bath facebook page, just had a look at that!!
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If I was really forced to make a decision I think this is my favourite hill anywhere. Love those views especially a clear day. Its also very visible from most of the West Wales Mountains which is nice.
The bathtubs site really makes me chuckle – some very funny people out there and I love any kind of irreverent humour
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Definitely a perfect combo!
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A great way to spend a sunny day!
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