LAST OF THE SUMMER WIRES

Fiona Cullinan

29 September 2021

Dolgoch Falls

Steps: 10,650

We’re like two ladybirds, my sister and I, crawling slowly but non-linearly up the Nant Dol-goch river valley. Two spots of colourful waterproof shells in a gorge of green gradients. Uphill strains the heart and lungs, downhill the knees. But still it must be done.

There are three criss-crosses of the river to view three sets of waterfalls, in full flow after yesterday’s storm. Kids from Bryncrug Primary School have written about each one.

Pass the cave

dangling over a cauldron –

a blue basin rock clinging to the cliff.

Dangling iron

hanging over a precipice

oak and steel

over water.

The thing that makes today’s walk extra exciting is the deadline. We have 100 minutes from the moment the Talyllyn steam train (see video link) drops us off to when it chugs back down the track to Towyn. It's only mile to the upper falls and back but it's a 90-minute round-trip. It’s tight. The ladybirds are slow. 

I leave my sister near the middle falls at a picnic table and scuttle to the top, sweating and panting and near-fell-running back down. It’s less about the waterfall and more about the ‘can I still get to the top?’.

I can, we did; but I’m not sure who had the better time.

Wish you were here.

Fiona

One-minute video: Full steam ahead... from Dolgoch Falls