March has been a kinda strange month for me. I am was still recovering for the operation I had at the end of February, so any trips out had to be planned carefully. I did manage however to get out twice in Velma. The First location was to explore the area around LLyn Mair. Llyn Mair (Welsh for 'Mary's lake') is an artificial lake in North Wales. It lies in the area of Tan-y-Bwlch, a little above Plas Tan-y-Bwlch, and is in the catchment area of the River Dwyryd. It was created by William Edward Oakeley (of Plas Tan-y-bwlch) as a 21st birthday present to his daughter Mair and as a water supply. The lake is set alongside the B4410 road, a minor road linking the village of Rhyd. The position of the lake bordered with ancient oak woods and its tranquil appearance makes this a popular picnic site for visitors and it also provides a starting point for a number of local country walks. There is some limited parking available just off the road. The narrow gauge Ffestiniog Railway runs through the woods above the lake and Tan-y-Bwlch railway station can be reached on foot from the lake. The lake also has a notable echo because of the shape of the surrounding hills. Below some of the shots I have taken in that area. As can be seen I do like reflections. x
My second trip was to explore the area around Arenig Fawr (English: Great High Ground) is a mountain located in Snowdonia, North Wales. The mountain, which is the largest in the area, lies close to Llyn Celyn reservoir alongside the A4212 between Trawsfynydd and Bala. I parked in a layby just off the A4212 and my aim was to find Llyn Arenig Fawr a reservoir that lies at the foot of the mountain. Despite extensive exploration I ended up missing the footpath each time I passed it and was not able to find the lake on that particular visit. I did however manage to get some lovely images from that area and swore to go back in order to find that lake and maybe even climb Arenig Fawr itself. Below some of the images taken at that visit.