Gwannwyn / Autumn 2020

Eryri | Snowdonia AM BYTH

FOREVER

Hydref • Autumn 2020

Gweithio dros Eryri Working for Snowdonia

Sefydlwyd Cymdeithas Eryri yn 1967 a'i nod yw gwarchod a gwella harddwch a rhinweddau arbennig Eryri ac i hyrwyddo eu mwynhad er budd pawb sy'n byw, yn gweithio neu'n ymweld â'r ardal, yn awr ac yn y dyfodol. ~~~~~ The Snowdonia Society, established in 1967, works to protect and enhance the beauty and special qualities of Snowdonia and to promote their enjoyment in the interests of all who live in, work in or visit the area both now and in the future.

Y��������� ������! ● ���� �����!

Not a member?

Ddim yn aelod?

Cefnogwch ein gwaith o warchod a gwella �rluniau a bioamrywiaeth arbennig Eryri trwy ymaelodi!

Aelodaeth unigol: £24

www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk

Why not help conserve Snowdonia’s magnificent landscape and biodiversity by joining the Society!

Individual membership costs £24

www.snowdonia-society.org.uk

Gwirfoddoli Volunteer

Cylchgronau Magazines

Swyddogion ac Ymddiriedolwyr: Officers and Trustees: Llywydd ● President: Roger Thomas Is-lywyddion ● Vice-presidents: His Honour Huw Morgan Daniel CVO KStJ, David Firth, Sir Simon Jenkins FSA, Dr Morag McGrath Cadeirydd ● Chair: Julian Pitt Is-gadeirydd ● Vice-chair: Vacancy Aelodau'r pwyllgor ● Committee members: David Archer, Sue Beaumont, Dr Jacob Buis, Netti Collister, Bob Lowe, Jane Parry-Evans, Peter Weston

Gostyngiadau Discounts

-20%

Digwyddiadau Events

Staff: Cyfarwyddwr ● Director: John Harold Cyfrifydd ● Accountant: Judith Bellis Swyddog Aelodaeth a Chyfathrebu ● Communications & Membership Officer: Debbie Pritchard Rheolwr Prosiect ● Project Manager: Mary-Kate Jones Swyddogion Cadwraeth ● Conservation Officers: Mary Williams & Daniel Goodwin Swyddog Ymgysylltu ● Engagement Officer: Claire Holmes

Cymdeithas Eryri ● Snowdonia Society Caban, Yr Hen Ysgol, Brynrefail, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 3NR  01286 685498 Delwedd clawr/Cover image:  info@snowdonia-society.org.uk Tormaen llydandroed ● Mossy saxifrage, www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk Cwm Idwal ©Ben Porter www.snowdonia-society.org.uk Cyfieithu/Translation: Haf Meredydd Rhif elusen/Charity no: 1155401

Dyluniad/Design: Debbie Pritchard

Ymwadiad golygydddol Cynhyrchwyd y cylchgrawn gan dîm golygyddol yn cynnwys Jane Parry-Evans, Debbie Pritchard a John Harold. Rydym yn hynod ddiolchgar i'r holl awduron a ffotograffwyr sydd wedi cyfrannu at y rhifyn hwn. Cofiwch mai safbwyntiau personol yr awduron sy'n cael eu mynegi ganddynt, ac nid ydynt o reidrwydd yn adlewyrchu polisi Cymdeithas Eryri.

Editorial disclaimer The magazine is produced by an editorial panel of Jane Parry-Evans, Debbie Pritchard and John Harold. We are very grateful to all the authors and photographers who have contributed to this issue. The views expressed by the authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect Snowdonia Society policy.

Tormaen llydandroed ar yr Wyddfa Mossy saxifrage on Snowdon ©Ben Porter

Daw'r cylchgawn hwn atoch mewn deunydd i'w gompostio gartref

Cynnwys 4

Golygyddol

6

Atal y wasg!

8

Croeso’n ôl i wirfoddolwyr!

10

Yn gryno - y diweddaraf a gwybodaeth leol

14

Dod ar draws blodyn

20

Barn yr aelodau am Eryri 360

22

Eryri heb sbwriel? Mae hyn yn ein dwylo ni

26

Datblygiad â chroeso iddo ar aber y Ddwyryd

28

Nature of Snowdonia - taith

30

Newyddion trist

This magazine comes to you in home compostable wrap

Contents 4

Editorial

7

Stop press!

9

Welcome back volunteers!

12

Shortcuts - updates and local knowledge

16

Encounters with a flower

21

Members' views on Snowdonia 360

24

Litter free Snowdonia? It's in our hands

27

A welcome development for the Dwyryd estuary

29

Nature of Snowdonia - a journey

31

Sad news

Golygyddol

Editorial

John Harold Canol mis Mawrth, a fy niwrnod cyntaf o weithio o’m cartref. Y cyntaf o lawer ac, fel llawer, roeddwn wedi drysu’n lân. Wrth baratoi fy mhaned ar y diwrnod cyntaf rhyfedd yna digwyddais sylwi ar rywbeth gwahanol.

Yn dod i fy nghyfeiriad, roedd ffurf ystwyth – bach a thywyll - ar hyd clawdd yr ardd. Na, roedd yn symud trwy’r clawdd. Yno roedd gwenci yn gwingo ei ffordd rhwng y cerrig. Ymhellach ymlaen, yn ystod y clo mawr, daeth yn ôl efo’i hepil anystywallt, pedwar neu efallai bump ohonyn nhw, pob un bron cymaint â hi. Rhywsut, llwyddodd i gadw trefn ar y casgliad rhyfeddol a bywiog. Yn wyrthiol, crëodd batrwm o’u prysurdeb, gan bicio’n ôl i wahanu a chludo un, gan symud yn ei blaen trwy’r amser.

Daeth i fy achub, y diwrnod hwnnw, fel y gwnaeth i gymaint ohonom.

Byd natur. Llwyddodd i fachu fy sylw rhag byd oedd bellach y tu chwith allan, yn ôl i’r presennol, gan fy atgoffa innau i symud ymlaen hefyd, un cam ar y tro.

Ychydig o ddyddiau yn ddiweddarach cafwyd y penwythnos heulog braf yna, pan yr oedd yn ymddangos fel pe bai pawb yn credu mai Eryri oedd y lle i fod. Yn dilyn y digwyddiadau ar yr Wyddfa a mannau eraill y penwythnos hwnnw defnyddiwyd y dystiolaeth fel arwydd o’r angen am y clo mawr a ddigwyddodd yn syth bin wedyn.

Wrth i mi ysgrifennu hwn ym mis Awst rydym wedi gadael y clo mawr fel yr oedd, er fod y llwybr ymlaen ymhell o fod yn amlwg.

Unwaith eto mae’r Wyddfa wedi bod yn y newyddion wrth i bobl ddychwelyd yn eu miloedd. Mae’n werth ystyried hynny. Mae nifer enfawr o bobl yn ystyried Eryri fel rhyddid, fel man i ddianc. Mae’r mynyddoedd yn gadarn ac mae eu cymysgedd o harddwch ac awyr iach yn donic i’r meddwl, y corff a’r enaid. Mae’n anodd gennym ni sy’n gyfarwydd â’r Wyddfa a’i brysurdeb yn ystod yr haf ddeall dewis y bobl yma, ond rydym i gyd yn gwybod beth sy’n cael ei gynnig gan Eryri, yn enwedig i’r sawl sy’n byw mewn trefi a dinasoedd.

Mae ein staff prysur i gyd yn crwydro’r Wyddfa ac Ogwen, yn arwain gweithgareddau ‘croeso’n ôl’, a lledaenu eu neges yn uniongyrchol i’r ymwelwyr o sut i fod yn ddiogel a throedio’n ysgafn. Rydym hefyd wedi lansio ymgyrch newydd sbon ar sbwriel. Mae eich Cymdeithas yn gwneud ei rhan i helpu i reoli’r nifer enfawr o bobl sy’n dychwelyd i’r Parc a lleihau eu heffeithiau.

Er bod y Parc Cenedlaethol wedi ‘ail agor’, mae ein rhaglen ni o ddigwyddiadau’r gwanwyn a’r haf wedi ei cholli i’r feirws gan olygu bod yr incwm y mae mawr ei angen a’r potensial ar gyfer recriwtio pobl newydd wedi eu colli. Mae wir angen eich cefnogaeth barhaol arnom.

Dewch i’n helpu i barhau i warchod Eryri. Gadewch i ni wybod beth yw eich blaenoriaethau drwy lenwi’r holiadur amgaeëdig – ond cofiwch ddefnyddio’r fersiwn ar-lein os allwch chi. Ac, os allwch chi hefyd, anfonwch gyfraniad i’n helpu i gynllunio ar gyfer y gwaith sylweddol o’n blaenau. Mae ein hangen ni ar Eryri, ac mae eich angen chi ar Gymdeithas Eryri.

John Harold yw Cyfarwyddwr Cymdeithas Eryri

4 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

The middle of March, and my first day of working from home. The first of many and, like many, I was disorientated. Taking my teabreak on that strange first day something caught my eye.

A sinuous shape – small and dark - was working its way towards me, along the garden wall. No, it was moving through the wall. A weasel, weaving, stitched her sleek self between the rocks. Later during lockdown she came back, this time with her unruly confusion of kits, four or was it five, each nearly as big as her. Somehow she kept some semblance of control over the brown, purring jumble of knitting. Miraculously she created a pattern from their chaos, darting back to unpick one, then carry one, always moving forward.

She came to my rescue, that day, as she did for so many of us.

Nature. She peeled my attention away from a world turned inside out, back to the present moment, reminding me to move forward too, one step at a time.

A few days later came that sun-drenched weekend, when it seemed the whole world decided that Snowdonia was the place to get away from it all. Events on Snowdon and elsewhere that weekend were cited as evidence of need for the lockdown that immediately followed.

As I write this in August we are part-way out of that lockdown, though the path ahead is far from clear. Once more Snowdon has been in the news as people return in droves. It’s worth pausing to think about that. Vast numbers of people see Snowdonia as freedom, as an escape. The mountains are reassuring in their solidity and their brew of beauty and fresh air offers a tonic for mind, body and spirit.

Those who know Snowdon itself in its humming summer mode may puzzle over it being the destination of choice, but we all understand what Snowdonia offers, especially to those who live in towns and cities.

Our hard-working staff are out on Snowdon and at Ogwen, leading ‘Welcome Back’ activities, getting the messages of how to be safe and tread lightly across to visitors directly. We’ve also launched a fresh new campaign on litter. Your Society is doing its bit to help manage the large numbers of people returning to the Park and to minimise their impacts.

Whilst the National Park is, currently, ‘reopened’, our own programme of spring and summer events has been lost to coronavirus and along with it has gone much-needed income and recruitment potential for the year. We really need your continued support.

Please help us continue to look after Snowdonia. Let us know what your priorities are by filling in the questionnaire enclosed – but do use the online version if possible. And, if you can, please make a donation to help us plan for the considerable work ahead.

Snowdonia needs us, and the Snowdonia Society needs you.

John Harold is the Director of the Snowdonia Society

Cyfaill pan fo angen Mae gwanwyn 2020 wedi bod yn anodd i lawer o bobl mewn pob math o ffyrdd. I Gymdeithas Eryri mae o wedi golygu bod yr holl bethau rydym yn eu gwneud i gynhyrchu incwm neu recriwtio aelodau newydd – pob un o’n digwyddiadau a’n gweithgareddau cyhoeddus – wedi diflannu dros nos heb syniad pryd y bydden nhw’n dychwelyd. Mae staff, ymddiriedolwyr a gwirfoddolwyr wedi bod yn wych ond does dim gwadu bod hwn wedi bod yn gyfnod pryderus dros ben.

Dyna pam ein bod yn dymuno dweud diolch yn fawr iawn i bawb sydd wedi cydnabod y brys ac wedi ymateb yn syth bin efo’u cymorth. Dydyn ni ddim yn gwybod beth fyddem ni wedi ei wneud heb eu hymateb parod.

Ymddiriedolaeth Cod Post y Bobl – a gysylltodd â ni i ddweud y dylem ddefnyddio eu nawdd i’n helpu yn y cyfnod yma, yn hytrach na gorfod gwireddu gwaith project a oedd yn amhosibl o dan yr amgylchiadau.

Cyngor Gweithredu Gwirfoddol Cymru [WCVA] – sydd wedi bod yn gweithio’n ddygn yn gweinyddu Cronfa Gwytnwch y Trydydd Sector - i helpu elusennau oroesi’r cyfnod anodd yma a pharhau â’r hyn y maen nhw’n ei wneud orau. Rydym yn falch iawn o fod wedi sicrhau nawdd benthyg a chymhorthdal o £65,000 sy’n gwneud gwahaniaeth enfawr i’n gallu i ddychwelyd i’r gwaith y mae mawr ei angen ar hyn o bryd.

Ac yn olaf mae ein diolch mwyaf i’n haelodau a’u hymateb gwych i’r apêl yn ein cylchgrawn y gwanwyn gyda chyfanswm rhoddion o dros £3,500. Diolch i chi am eich cefnogaeth – mae’n golygu cymaint i wybod cymaint yw gofal ein haelodau.

A friend in need Spring 2020 has been hard for many people in many different ways. For the Snowdonia Society it meant that all the things we do that generate income or recruit new members - all our public events and activities – vanished overnight with no inkling of when they might return. Staff, trustees and volunteers have been brilliant but there’s no point denying that this has been a stressful time.

That’s why we just want to say an absolutely enormous thank you to all who recognised the urgency and came to the rescue.

We really don’t know what we would have done without their rapid responses.

People’s Postcode Trust – who got in touch to say that we should use their funding to help get through this, rather than still have to deliver on project work that was simply impossible in the circumstances.

Wales Council for Voluntary Action WCVA – who have been hard at work administering the Third Sector Resilience Fund – to help charities get through this difficult time and get back to doing what they do best. We’re very relieved to have secured loan and grant funding totalling £65,000 which makes a huge difference to our ability to get back to doing the work which is so urgently needed now.

And finally our biggest thank you is to our members who responded brilliantly to the appeal in our Spring magazine with donations totalling over £3,500 – thank you for your support – it means so much to know how passionately our members care.

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 5

CYRAEDDIADAU

Ein project Dwylo Diwyd dros Eryri i wirfoddolwyr

ACHIEVEMENTS

Our Helping Hands for Snowdonia volunteer project

9.5K awr / hours

Cyfrannwyd gan ein gwirfoddolwyr rhwng 2017-20 Put in by our volunteers between 2017-20

264 dyddiau gwaith gyda gwirfoddolwyr

workdays with volunteers

82 dyddiau llwybr a chasglu sbwriel footpath and litter picking days

10 sesiynau glanhau’r traeth beach clean-ups

116 dyddiau rheoli cynefin

habitat management days

49 dyddiau clirio rhywogaethau ymledol

invasive species clearance days

66 ‘graddedigion’ hyfforddiant achrededig

accredited training ‘graduates’ Gyda chymorth ein noddwyr: With help from our funders:

Atal y wasg!

Byddwch yn darllen yn rhywle arall yn yr ohebiaeth hon faint sydd wedi ei gyflawni o ran ein gwaith ymarferol hyd at y clo mawr ac yn wir ers hynny. Wrth gwrs, dydy’r gwaith hwn ddim yn dod i ben ac hoffem rannu gyda chi rhai syniadau cyffrous am y camau nesaf.

Rydym yn datblygu rhaglen bwysig a fydd, gobeithio, yn cynyddu ystod ein gwaith yn fawr – rhaglen tair-blynedd i fynd i’r afael â’r heriau allweddol a nodwyd yn ein Cynllun Gweithredu.

Ymysg yr heriau yma mae ymateb i’r argyfyngau hinsawdd a bioamrywiaeth wrth iddyn nhw amlygu eu hunain yn Eryri.

Materion megis adfer mawnogydd, rheoli cynefinoedd, plannu coed lle mae eu hangen a chefnogi’r projectau cadwraeth mawr gyda’n partneriaid. Ochr yn ochr â’r rhain mae’r heriau sy’n codi o bwysau ymwelwyr. Mae’r angen am fodel mwy cynaliadwy o dwristiaeth yn arbennig o amlwg yn y safleoedd ‘pot mêl’ poblogaidd sy’n denu’r cyfran fwyaf o’r ymwelwyr hynny. Yma mae angen i ni helpu pobl i ddewis yn briodol a pharatoi ac, wrth gwrs, mae angen i ni gynnal llwybrau a mynd i’r afael â sbwriel.

Bellach mae dwy her fawr newydd wedi dod yn amlwg.

Yn gyntaf, yr angen i gwblhau ein gwaith yn ddiogel ac yn gyfrifol rŵan bod ein hasesiadau risg yn gorfod ymateb i effeithiau Covid-19.

Yn ail, yr angen i osgoi’r problemau sydd wedi amlygu eu hunain o ran yr adnoddau sydd ar gael i ni ac adnoddau ein partneriaid.

Fel elusennau eraill ac yn wir, Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri, mae rhai o’n prif ffynonellau incwm allweddol wedi crebachu neu ddiflannu. Yn y cyfamser, wrth i orwelion gwyliau’r genedl grebachu o flaen ein llygaid, ac wrth i lawer o bobl ddewis ymweld â Pharciau Cenedlaethol er nad ydyn nhw wedi gwneud hynny o’r blaen, mae’r angen am ein gwaith a’n negeseuon yn fwy nag erioed.

Hyd yma, mae ein hatebion yn ymddangos fel a ganlyn. Rydym yn cyflawni llawer o waith, diolch i’n staff arbennig a’n gwirfoddolwyr.

Ond does gynnon ni mo’r adnoddau i gyflogi casgliad mwy o staff parhaol. Yr hyn sydd gennym yw traddodiad rhagorol o hyfforddiant, cefnogi a mentora gwirfoddolwyr a phobl ifanc ar leoliadau gwaith.

Beth pe baem yn gallu cymryd hynny gam ymhellach a chynnig prentisiaethau/gwaith ar leoliad ac wrth wneud hynny gynyddu ein gallu i fod yn effeithiol? Faint yn fwy o gymorth a fydden ni’n gallu ei roi i’n cyrff bartneriaid pe bai gennym dîm cyfan o bobl ifanc – a fyddai’n derbyn cyflog byw – yn datblygu eu medrau ac yn canolbwyntio eu hegni ar helpu i warchod Eryri ac ateb yr heriau a amlinellir uchod.

Gyda’r hyfforddiant a’r gefnogaeth briodol ar waith, byddai’r prentisiaid yma’n gallu arwain grwpiau o wirfoddolwyr eu hunain wedyn ar orchwylion y mae angen cryn dipyn o rym pobl arnyn nhw – mynd i’r afael â rhywogaethau ymledol, sbwriel a chynnal llwybrau ar raddfa na welwyd o’r blaen.

Wrth ddilyn y trywydd hwn byddai pobl ifanc sydd â chariad tuag at Eryri’n cael eu hannog ac yn derbyn yr hyfforddiant i wneud eu rhan – profiadau ac ysgogiad a fydd o bosibl yn parhau gydol eu hoes.

Mae llawer i’w wneud ond mae hefyd cymaint o botensial. Mae cyfle i godi graddfa ein gwaith a’n heffaith. Rydym yn cynnal trafodaethau gyda noddwyr ariannol potensial am y gwaith hwn. Bydd angen ein haelodau a’n noddwyr ariannol presennol arnom, ond bydd angen i ni hefyd ddod o hyd i gefnogwyr newydd a ffynonellau newydd o ariannu. Os allwch chi helpu neu os oes gennych syniad pwy all helpu, cofiwch gysylltu.

Cysylltwch â John Harold, ein Cyfarwyddwr i drafod hyn ar director@snowdonia-society.org.uk.

Wrth edrych ar y sefyllfa hon yng nghyd-destun gwlad sy’n wynebu dirwasgiad, rydym yn gofyn y cwestiwn ‘Beth allwn ni ei wneud i helpu?’

Ffordd liwgar i godi arian i'r Gymdeithas

Cacynnen y llus ● Bilberry bumblebee Cwm Idwal ©Ben Porter

6 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Mae un o’n hymddiriedolwyr, Julian Pitt, yn creu ffenestri gwydr lliw (er nad ydy o’n lliwio gwydr gyda brwsh gan fod yn well ganddo ddefnyddio technegau cyfuno a chastio mewn odyn). Mae o newydd gwblhau ffenestr ar gyfer neuadd Canolfan Gadwraeth Pensychnant yng ngogledd y Parc Cenedlaethol. Ymysg ei waith blaenorol mae ffenestr sy’n rhan o’r arddangosfa barhaol yng Nghanolfan Genedlaethol Cofio’r Holocost ger Stafford. Os oes gennych ddiddordeb mewn comisiynu ffenestr, fach neu fawr, ar gyfer rhywle sy’n agos at eich calon, yna mae Julian yn cytuno i gyfrannu tâl llafur ei holl waith i Gymdeithas Eryri. Mae’n bosibl codi swm sylweddol i’r Gymdeithas oherwydd mae cynllunio a chreu ffenestri addurniadol yn cymryd cryn amser. Gellir cysylltu ag ef drwy gyfrwng swyddfa’r Gymdeithas os hoffech gael gair am broject potensial.

Stop press!

You’ll read elsewhere in this mailing about how much has been achieved in our practical work right up to the lockdown and indeed since then. This work of course never ends and we want to share with you some exciting thoughts on the next steps.

We are putting together a major programme which we hope will substantially increase the reach of our work - a three-year programme to tackle the key challenges identified in our Action Plan.

Those challenges include responses to the climate and biodiversity emergencies as they play out in Snowdonia.

Restoring peatlands, managing habitats, planting trees where they make sense and supporting the big conservation projects with our partners. Alongside these are the challenges that stem from visitor pressure. The need for a more sustainable model of tourism is particularly evident in the much-loved, and sometimes over-loved, honeypot sites that attract a disproportionate share of those visitors. Here we need to help people make the right choices and come prepared, and of course we need to maintain footpaths and tackle litter.

Now those challenges have been joined by two big new ones.

Firstly, the need to carry out our work safely and responsibly now that our risk assessments all have to address the consequences of Covid-19.

Secondly, the need to avoid the craters that have opened in the ground in front of us in terms of our available resources and our partners’ resources. Like other charities and indeed the National Park Authority some of our key income sources have dwindled or disappeared. Meanwhile as the nation’s holiday horizons shrink before our eyes, and many people choose to visit National Parks who may never have done so before, the need for our work and our messages is greater than ever.

So far our answers looks like this. We get a lot of work done, thanks to our fabulous staff and volunteers. But we just don’t have the resources to employ a much bigger permanent staff complement. What we do have is an outstanding track record of training, supporting and mentoring volunteers and young people on work placements.

What if we could take that a step further and offer apprenticeships/ internships and in doing so increase our effective capacity? How much more help we could give to our partner organisations if we had an entire team of young people – being paid a living wage – building their skills and focusing their energy on helping to look after Snowdonia and meet the challenges outlined above.

With the right training and support in place, these apprentices could themselves lead groups of volunteers on tasks that need a lot of person-power – tackling invasive species, litter and footpath maintenance on a scale not seen before.

Along the way a whole cohort of young people who care about Snowdonia will be encouraged and enabled to do their bit – experiences and motivation that will perhaps last a lifetime.

There is much to do but also so much potential. There’s a chance to scale up our work and our impact. We are in discussion with potential funders about this work. We need our existing members and funders, but we will also need to find new supporters, new sources of funding. If you can help or have an idea who can, please get in touch.

Contact John Harold, our Director: director@snowdonia-society.org.uk to discuss.

Looking at this situation in the context of a country facing recession, we’re asking the question ‘What can we do to help?’

A colourful way to raise funds for the Society One of our trustees, Julian Pitt, makes 'stained' glass windows (except that he doesn't stain glass with a brush, preferring instead to use kiln fusing & casting techniques). He's just completed a window for the hall of Pensychnant Conservation Centre in the north of the National Park. Previous work includes a window that's part of the permanent exhibition at the National Holocaust Memorial Centre near Stafford. If you're interested in commissioning a window, large or small for somewhere special to you, then Julian agrees to donate his entire labour charge to the Snowdonia Society. A lot of money could be raised for the Society because designing and making decorative windows is very time consuming. He can be contacted via the Society office if you would like to chat about a potential project.

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 7

Croeso’n ôl i wirfoddolwyr!

Casglu sbwriel ar lwybr Llanberis ● Litter clearing, Llanberis path

Yng nghanol Mawrth 2020, gadawodd staff Cymdeithas Eryri ein swyddfa heb wybod pryd y byddem yn gallu dychwelyd. Daeth yr holl waith ymarferol gyda gwirfoddolwyr i ben a chaewyd llawer o Eryri.

ar gyfer dechrau recriwtio gwirfoddolwyr. Fel bob amser, daeth gwirfoddolwyr Eryri i’r adwy ac o fewn wythnos roedd 100 o bobl wedi arwyddo ac yn falch o gael mynd allan unwaith eto i’r mynyddoedd i wneud gwahaniaeth.

Bu’n rhaid wrth gryn amser i addasu i weithio o adref ond cyn bo hir roeddem wedi cynefino â gweithio drwy gyfrwng galwadau fideo a chymryd rhan mewn cyfarfodydd rhithiol gyda’n Hymddiriedolwyr.

Ymhen rhai wythnosau ac wrth i’r clo mawr ddechrau llacio mewn mannau eraill, gwelsom luniau o fannau hyfryd a agorwyd eto, a dychryn o weld y sbwriel a’r diffyg cadw pellter cymdeithasol, yn ogystal â’r pwysau ychwanegol a roddwyd ar wasanaethau lleol, gwylwyr y glannau a thimau achub mynydd.

Wrth i ni ysgrifennu hwn, mae ein staff yn trefnu ac yn arwain y gwirfoddolwyr yma, sy’n chwarae rhan hanfodol mewn gwarchod y cyhoedd a’r Parc Cenedlaethol. Maen nhw’n sicrhau bod negeseuon allweddol am ddiogelwch ac ymddygiad cyfrifol yn cael eu cyfleu ar safleoedd prysur. Diolch yn fawr i bawb sydd wedi helpu i ddatblygu a gwireddu’r cynllun hwn; rydych chi wir yn arwyr Eryri!

Sut fyddai Eryri yn dygymod â’r lluoedd o bobl a welwyd mewn mannau eraill? A fyddai problemau parcio ceir, taflu sbwriel, a heidio yn gwaethygu neu’n cael eu lliniaru gan y cyfyngiadau mewn gwahanol rannau o’r DU? Roedd yn amlwg bod angen i negeseuon allweddol gyrraedd y bobl iawn. Ond sut? Cysylltodd Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri â Chymdeithas Eryri a’r Bartneriaeth Awyr Agored i gynorthwyo gyda mynd i’r afael â hyn. Y cynllun oedd datblygu rhaglen waith newydd lle byddai gwirfoddolwyr ‘Croeso’n ôl’ yn trosglwyddo negeseuon pwysig i ymwelwyr wrth iddyn nhw ddychwelyd i Eryri.

Wedi tair wythnos hynod o brysur yn cynnwys llu o gyfarfodydd ar-lein ac e-byst, gan weithio o dan bwysau ar gyfer ail agor Eryri yn gynnar ym mis Gorffennaf, sefydlwyd y mesurau diogelwch

8 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Gwaith ar lwybr Llanberis mis Awst 2020 ● Footpath work Llanberis path August 2020

Welcome back volunteers!

In mid-March 2020, Snowdonia Society staff left our office not knowing when we would be able to return. All practical work with volunteers stopped and much of Snowdonia became closed.

Gwaith ar lwybr Capel Curig ● Footpath work Capel Curig

Adapting to home working took some time but soon we became accustomed to working via video calls and participating in virtual meetings with our Trustees. Fast forward over some strange weeks and as lockdown began lifting elsewhere, we saw images of beauty spots reopened, shocked by the litter and the lack of social distancing; as well as the additional pressures put on local services, coastguard and mountain rescue teams.

How would Snowdonia cope with the volumes of people seen elsewhere? Would problems of car parking, littering, and crowding be compounded or reduced by the different restrictions in different parts of the UK? It was clear that key messages needed to reach the right people.

But how? Snowdonia Society and the Outdoor Partnership were approached by Snowdonia National Park Authority to help address this question. The plan was to develop a new programme of work in which ‘Welcome Back’ volunteers would convey important messages to visitors returning to Snowdonia.

After an extremely busy three weeks involving countless online meetings and emails, working under pressure towards an early July reopening for Snowdonia, we had the safety measures in place to begin recruiting volunteers. As always, the volunteers of Snowdonia rose to the occasion and within a week over 100 people had signed up, pleased to be heading back out into the hills and mountains to make a difference.

They are ensuring that key messages of safety and responsible behaviour are communicated at busy sites. Our thanks go out to everyone who helped develop and deliver this scheme, you truly are Snowdonia’s heroes!

Casglu sbwriel, Gorffennaf 2020● Litter clearing, July 2020

At the time of writing, our staff are out organising and leading these volunteers, who are playing an essential role in looking after both the public and the National Park.

Gwaith ar lwybr Llanberis mis Awst ● Footpath work Llanberis path August

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 9

Yn Gryno - y diweddaraf a gwybodaeth leol Rhodd Eryri Rydym yn ddiolchgar am gefnogaeth Rhodd Eryri, y cynllun ‘ymwelwyr yn rhoi’, sef cyfrwng i fusnesau lleol a’u cwsmeriaid roi rhywbeth yn ôl i’r ardal. Pan gymerwyd cyfrifoldeb am y cynllun peilot gan Gyngor Gwynedd, roeddem yn gobeithio y byddai’n ffynnu a chynhyrchu llawer o gefnogaeth i brojectau lleol. Yn drist iawn, mae wedi diflannu’n llwyr – gresyn o ystyried yr holl waith a wnaed i’w ddatblygu. Fodd bynnag, bydd Rhodd Eryri yn dod i ben ar nodyn bositif a gyda chofrodd positif; defnyddir y cyfraniad olaf i’r Gymdeithas o £1,250 i ddarparu hyfforddiant ymarferol mewn medrau cadwraeth i bobl ifanc Eryri.

HSBC Anaml y gwelwch chi gyfeiriad at fanciau yn y tudalennau yma.

Fodd bynnag, roeddem yn teimlo y dylem adael i chi wybod bod yr Ombwdsman Ariannol unwaith eto wedi penderfynu ar ein hochr ni yn ein brwydr tymor hir gyda HSBC ynglŷn â’u methiannau mewn perthynas â’n cyfleusterau taliadau. Mae Judith a Debbie (a Frances o’u blaenau) wedi gwneud gwaith ardderchog o ran ceisio sicrhau bod ein banc yn cywiro eu camgymeriadau. Mae hyn wedi bod yn digwydd ers 2016. Dydy’r gorchymyn iawndal o £750 ddim yn agos at dâl am amser y staff a chostau’r pryder, ond o leiaf mae’n fuddugoliaeth symbolaidd. Llawer o ddiolch i’r sawl ohonoch sydd wedi gorfod ail-gyflwyno mandadau debyd uniongyrchol pan na hawliwyd eich tanysgrifiadau – rydym yn wir werthfawrogi eich amynedd a’ch cefnogaeth.

Hyrwyddo byd natur Weithiau mae’n teimlo fel pe bai yr Wyddfa wedi dod yn rhyw fath o fynydd aberthol. Drwy lygad cul y cyfryngau (a’u pwyslais ar barcio! sbwriel! torfeydd!), fe’i gwelir fel lle budr ac anrhefnus. Yn y cyfamser fe all y cyfryngau cymdeithasol a hunluniau chwyddo’r naratif ‘fi yn erbyn y mynydd mawr’ yn anghymesur â’r gwirionedd.

Mae elfen o wirionedd yn y ddau farn, wrth gwrs. Defnyddir llawer o’n hadnoddau o ran staff a gwirfoddolwyr ar ymateb i’r heriau o ganlyniad i gannoedd o filoedd o ymwelwyr bob blwyddyn. Ond byddai’n bechod dod i’r canlyniad nad ydy’r Wyddfa yn ddim byd ond rhywle sy’n peri trafferth.

Yn anfodlon teimlo’n drist am yr Wyddfa, penderfynwyd gwneud rhywbeth amdano! Cyn bo hir byddwn yn datgelu ein taflen newydd 'Yr Wyddfa - y Mynydd Byw'. Gobeithiwn bod ei bwrpas yn amlwg, sef ysbrydoli ymwelwyr i edrych o’r newydd a gweld yr Wyddfa mewn ffordd wahanol, a’i werthfawrogi a’i barchu oherwydd ei fod yn fynydd hynod arbennig. Yn benodol mae’r daflen, a’r adnoddau ar-lein sy’n mynd gyda hi, yn tynnu sylw at y bywyd gwyllt rhyfeddol sy’n byw ar lethrau’r Wyddfa.

Rydym yn ddiolchgar iawn i Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri a’u cronfa CAE a dalodd am ran o’r gwaith hwn, ac i’r llu o bartneriaid a’r cefnogwyr gwybodus a ddarparodd fewnbwn.

Golwg o’r newydd ar gludiant Yn ddiweddar rydym wedi adrodd ar ein gwaith fel rhan o Bartneriaeth Eryri i fynd i’r afael â heriau cludiant a pharcio

10 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

sydd yn raddol wedi dod yn fwy amlwg mewn mannau ‘pot mêl’ – yn fwyaf amlwg yr Wyddfa ei hun ac Ogwen. Mae’r rhan fwyaf o’r dewisiadau’n cynnwys cynyddu graddfa neu ailgynllunio darpariaeth cludiant cyhoeddus. O ganlyniad i bellhau cymdeithasol mae’r dewisiadau yma’n ymddangos yn fwy anodd ar hyn o bryd, ond ni ddylai hyn ein rhwystro rhag bwrw golwg o’r newydd ar y broblem. Felly roeddem yn falch o glywed gan Ed Straw, sy’n byw ger rhywle allweddol o ran cludiant. Dyma sydd gan Ed i’w ddweud: “Rydw i’n byw yn Nant Peris sydd, mae’n debyg, ymysg y mannau gorau i fod yn ystod cyfnod o glo mawr. Efallai mai’r newid mwyaf yn ein dulliau o fyw yn ystod y cyfnod hwn oedd diffyg sŵn cerbydau. Mae’r tawelwch, heblaw synau hyfryd byd natur, wedi bod yn wych, ynghyd â’r cyfle i grwydro ar hyd y cwm heb orfod gwylio’r ceir neu eu hosgoi. Mae’r Parc yn brofiad gwahanol iawn heb geir, efallai yn llawer mwy felly nag yr oedd neb wedi ei ddisgwyl.

Mae hyn wedi peri i rai ohonom feddwl: rŵan bod ymwelwyr yn cael dod unwaith eto, a fyddai modd rhoi prawf ar ddiwrnod di-geir bob mis o amgylch yr Wyddfa? Ac efallai Ogwen hefyd? Unwaith y bydd ymwelwyr yn profi yr hyn yr ydym wedi bod mor ffodus â’i brofi dros y tri mis diwethaf, a fydden nhw’n gwerthfawrogi cymaint yn well mewn cymaint o wahanol ffyrdd yw’r ardal heb sŵn, symudiadau, peryglon a natur ymwthiol ceir? Mae’n wahaniaeth enfawr. Mewn amser, efallai y byddai ymwelwyr yn gofyn am fwy o ddyddiau di-geir, oherwydd byddai hyn yn gwella cymaint ar eu hamser yma.

Byddai angen cryn waith i drefnu hyn yn nhermau parcio, cynllunio parcio a chludo, bysiau ymatebol, tacsis integredig ac wedi eu rheoleiddio, dirwyon parcio i annog pobl i beidio parcio mewn ambell le, trenau ac yn y blaen. Byddai’n rhaid cydweithio gyda busnesau lleol a’u cysuro. Mae dinasoedd o amgylch y byd yn cymryd y cyfle hwn i gynyddu mannau di-geir, felly pam nid ni?”

Cynllunio – y Diweddaraf: Llanbedr – gwyliwch y gofod Mae’r golygfeydd arfordirol trawiadol a’r ucheldir garw uwchben Llanbedr yn un o ryfeddodau llai adnabyddus y Parc Cenedlaethol.

Ond, mae’r ardal hon o dan fygythiad gan gasgliad o ddatblygiadau rhyngberthynol a chynigion ‘awyr ofod’.

Er gwaethaf cynrychioliadau manwl a phryderon y Gymdeithas, rhoddwyd caniatâd cynllunio am ffordd osgoi newydd filltir o hyd yn gynharach y flwyddyn hon. Er wedi ei gynllunio’n ofalus i leihau niwed, byddai’n peri difrod na ellir mo’i adfer i’r tirlun, treftadaeth ddiwylliannol a bywyd gwyllt i’r gorllewin o bentref Llanbedr.

Mae adeiladu’r ffordd hon ai peidio yn fater arall.

Yn dilyn y prisiad economaidd mwyaf diweddar a ariannwyd gan Lywodraeth Cymru daethpwyd i’r canlyniad y byddai’n golygu ‘gwerth isel am arian’. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn dweud na fydd yn ariannu cynlluniau trafnidiaeth os nad ydyn nhw’n cyfateb i ofynion prisiad technegol o’r enw ‘WelTAG’. Hyd yma, does dim WelTAG diweddar wedi ei gwblhau ar gyfer ffordd Llanbedr. O ystyried rhagolygon economaidd y DU, sy’n dirywio,

byddwn yn pwysleisio i Lywodraeth Cymru mai dim ond y gwerth mwyaf am arian a chynlluniau trafnidiaeth sy’n wir gynaliadwy ddylai gael eu cymeradwyo. Meddyliwch am reilffyrdd, bysiau a beicio. Ychydig o’r blychau yma sy’n edrych tua’r dyfodol y mae ffordd osgoi Llanbedr yn eu ticio.

Digwyddiadau: daw eto haul ar fryn* Sgramblo ar y Carneddau gyda Rob Collister ● Carneddau scramble with Rob Collister

Mae’r datblygiad hwn yn cael ei hyrwyddo yn bennaf oherwydd byddai’n sicrhau gwell mynediad i loriau i Faes Awyr Llanbedr yn hytrach na darparu rhywfaint o welliannau amgylcheddol ym mhentref Llanbedr. Mae’r safle’n rhan o’r hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi ei labelu yn ‘Parth Menter Eryri’ (PME).

Mae Cynllun Datblygu Lleol Eryri, yn briodol iawn, yn gofyn am gynhyrchu meistr gynllun ar gyfer datblygu safle PME Llanbedr, i ddarparu’r wybodaeth sydd ei angen ar Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol i sicrhau bod rhinweddau arbennig yr ardal yn cael eu gwarchod. Does dim sôn bod y meistr gynllun hwn yn dod i’r golwg eto. Er gwaethaf hyn, cyhoeddodd datblygwyr PME gynigion – y mae’n rhaid eu cymeradwyo gan yr Awdurdod Hedfan Sifil – yn nodi sut byddai cannoedd o filltiroedd sgwâr o ofod awyr o amgylch y maes awyr yn cael eu ddefnyddio.

Rydym yn gwybod eisoes bod gofod awyr gwahanedig oddi ar y lan dros Fae Ceredigion ar gael i brofi dronau a cherbydau awyr ‘arbrofol’ eraill a ddatblygir yn y PME. Dydy’r Gymdeithas ddim yn gwrthwynebu hyn. Fodd bynnag, cyhoeddwyd yn ddiweddar bod yr RAF yn dymuno defnyddio’r maes awyr unwaith eto, yn gysylltiedig â chadarnhau ei hyfforddiant peilotiaid ym Maes Awyr y Fali ar Ynys Môn. Mae hedfan er mwyn hyfforddiant peilotiaid yr RAF yn digwydd ledled gogledd Cymru felly mae effeithiau’r sŵn i rhyw raddau wedi eu gwasgaru. Rydym yn parchu anghenion hyfforddiant yr RAF. Yr hyn sy’n bryderus yw cynnig ar wahân a hollol fasnachol i ddefnyddio ardal o ofod awyr i mewn i’r tir, i’r dwyrain o Lanbedr, ar gyfer ‘ardal estynedig ar gyfer cynnal profion gweithredu ar ucheldir/fynydd’ o dronau prototeip a cherbydau awyr ‘arbrofol’ eraill – boed y rheiny ar gyfer defnydd sifil neu filitaraidd.

Mae’r ardal sydd o dan sylw wrth wraidd mynyddoedd y Rhinogydd. Dyma ardal o’r ucheldir sy’n adnabyddus am fod yn anghysbell a gwyllt yn ogystal â’i thawelwch ymhell o sŵn a phrysurdeb yr arfordir a’r cymoedd i mewn i’r tir.

Rydym wedi ei wneud yn amlwg y bydd Cymdeithas Eryri yn gwrthwynebu’n chwyrn unrhyw ecsbloetio masnachol swnllyd o’r gofod awyr sy’n amgylchynu’r man arbennig hwn, y peth agosaf sydd gennym at ‘dir gwyllt’ yng Nghymru.

Byddai datblygiad o’r fath yn peri difrod sylweddol i fwynhad y cyhoedd o rinweddau arbennig Eryri ac felly ni fyddai’n cydymffurfio gyda phwrpasau statudol y Parc Cenedlaethol.

Dyma alwad i bob aelod o Gymdeithas Eryri – os gwelwch yn dda, byddwch yn barod i’n cefnogi yn y gwaith hwn, pe bai angen ymgyrch.

Bwrw trem yn ôl, ac ymlaen, ar ddigwyddiadau Cymdeithas Eryri 2019-2020 Y llynedd mynychwyd digwyddiadau Cymdeithas Eryri gan fwy o bobl nag erioed o’r blaen. O sgwrs boblogaidd ein Cyfarwyddwr ar Ail-feddwl Dad-ddofi ym Mhlas-y-Brenin ym mis Tachwedd i’n penwythnos Mentro a Dathlu tri-diwrnod blynyddol ym mis Medi, denwyd bobl o bell ac agos at ein rhaglen brysur o ddyddiau i wirfoddolwyr, teithiau, gweithdai a sgyrsiau, er mwyn helpu i gefnogi’r Parc Cenedlaethol.

Ni all 2020 fod yn fwy gwahanol; o ganlyniad i’r coronafeirws a’r cyfyngiadau dilynol gohiriwyd ein holl ddigwyddiadau, a chyfyngwyd ein gwaith i weithgareddau ar-lein. Ymlaen i heddiw ac rydym yn paratoi i ail-gychwyn ystod o weithgareddau awyr agored yn fuan – yn dilyn ymlaen o’n gwaith ar y cynllun i wirfoddolwyr, ‘Croeso’n ôl’ i Eryri, wrth gydweithio gydag Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol a’r Bartneriaeth Awyr Agored.

Gyda chanllawiau diogelwch priodol mewn grym bydd rhai gweithgareddau awyr agored yn bosibl ac, wrth gwrs, rydym hefyd yn gallu cynnal digwyddiadau ar-lein, fel sgwrs boblogaidd ein Cyfarwyddwr, ‘Pwysau ar y Mynydd’, yn ôl ym mis Mai, a ffrydiwyd fel rhan o raglen ar-lein y Gymdeithas Ddaearyddol Frenhinol, ac a ddenodd dros 200 o fynychwyr.

Rydym yn gweithio’n ddygn i wneud i bethau ddigwydd, mewn modd diogel, ac mae angen eich cefnogaeth ar Gymdeithas Eryri yn fwy nag erioed er mwyn goroesi’r cyfnod anodd hwn. Felly cadwch mewn cysylltiad, cadwch lygad ar ein gwefan a sianeli cyfryngau cymdeithasol, a sicrhewch eich bod wedi tanysgrifio i’n e-fwletinau. Rydym yn edrych ymlaen at weld rhai ohonoch eto yn fuan – efallai ar y bryniau ac mewn heulwen! *‘Daw eto haul ar fryn’: gwelwyd y geiriau adnabyddus yma o gerdd gan J.T. Job o Fethesda ochr yn ochr â llu o luniau o’r enfys yn ystod y clo mawr yn nyffryn Ogwen y gwanwyn hwn.

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 11

Shortcuts - updates and local knowledge Pont Scethin, uwchben Dyffryn Ardudwy, haf 1974 ● Pont Scethin, above Dyffryn Ardudwy, in summer of 1974

Rhodd Eryri We are grateful for support from Rhodd Eryri, the pilot ‘visitor giving’ scheme, through which local businesses and their customers were able to give something back to the area. When the pilot scheme was taken over by Gwynedd Council we hoped it would flourish and generate lots of support for local projects. Sadly, it has vanished without trace – a pity given all the work that went into developing it. However, Rhodd Eryri will end on a positive note and with a positive legacy; the final contribution to the Society of £1,250 will be used to provide conservation skills practical training for young people in Snowdonia.

HSBC You won’t often read a piece about a bank in these pages. However, we felt we should let you know that the Financial Ombudsman has again found in our favour in our long-running battle with HSBC over their failures in relation to our payments facilities. Judith and Debbie (and Frances before them) have done a sterling (!) job in trying to get our bank to rectify its mistakes. This has been going on since 2016. The compensation order of £750 in no way covers the staff time and stress costs, but it is a symbolic victory at least. Many thanks to those of you who had to resubmit direct debit mandates when your subscriptions weren’t taken – we really appreciate your patience and support.

Championing Nature Sometimes it feels like Snowdon has become something of a sacrificial mountain. Through the filtered lens of the media (think parking! litter! crowds!) it is made to look a dirty and chaotic place.

Meanwhile social media and selfies can magnify a ‘me vs the big mountain’ narrative right out of proportion. Both have an element of truth in them, of course. We expend a lot of staff and volunteer resources responding to the challenges that stem from hundreds of thousands of visitors per year. But it would be a shame to end up thinking of Snowdon as just a giant obstacle course on steroids.

Unhappy with feeling sad about Snowdon, we decided to do something about it! We will shortly be revealing our new 'Snowdon - the Living Mountain' leaflet. We hope its purpose is clear – to inspire visitors to look again and see Snowdon differently, and to appreciate and respect it for the extraordinarily special mountain that it is. Specifically the leaflet, and the online resources to accompany it, draw attention to the remarkable wildlife for which Snowdon is home.

We are very grateful to Snowdonia National Park Authority whose CAE fund financed part of this work, and to the many knowledgeable partners and supporters who provided input.

Fresh thinking on transport We’ve reported recently on our work as part of the Snowdon Partnership to get to grips with the transport and parking challenges which have become progressively more acute in a few ‘honeypot’ areas – most obviously Snowdon itself and Ogwen. Most of the options involve scaling up or redesign of public transport provision.

Social distancing means that those options look more difficult

12 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

right now, but this shouldn’t stop us applying fresh thinking to the problem. So we were pleased to hear from Ed Straw, who lives near a key traffic hotspot. Here’s what Ed has to say: “I live in Nant Peris, which is probably amongst the best places to be during a lockdown. Perhaps the most notable change in our ways of living during this time has been the absence of noise from vehicles. The silence, other than the wonderful sounds of nature, has been outstanding, along with the opportunity to just wander along the valley without having to watch out for or be distracted by cars. The Park is a very different experience without cars, far more so than perhaps anyone expected.

This has got a few of us to thinking; now visitors are free to come again, could a car free day a month be trialled around Snowdon?

And perhaps Ogwen too? Once visitors experience what we have been so fortunate to have for the past three months, would they appreciate just how much better in so many ways the area is without the noise, distraction, dangers and intrusion of cars?

It really is a chalk and cheese difference. In time, visitors might demand more car free days, such would be the enhancement of their time here.

The logistics of this would take some organising, in terms of parking, park and ride schemes, responsive buses, integrated and regulated taxis, deterrent parking fines, trains and so on. Engagement with and reassurance of local businesses would be essential. Cities around the world are taking this opportunity to increase car free areas, so why not us?”

Planning Update: Llanbedr – watch this space The breathtaking coastal scenery and rugged uplands rising above Llanbedr are one of the less well-known glories of the National Park. But this area is under threat from a complex set of interrelated development and 'air space' proposals.

Despite the Society's detailed representations and concerns, a mile-long new bypass road was granted planning permission earlier this year. Though well designed to try to minimise harm, it would cause irreparable damage to the landscape, cultural heritage and wildlife west of Llanbedr village.

Whether this road will actually be built is another matter.

The most recent economic appraisal by consultants funded by Welsh Government concluded that it would be 'low value for money'. Welsh Government says it will only fund transport schemes that tick the boxes in a technical appraisal dubbed 'WelTAG'. An updated WelTAG for the Llanbedr road is yet to be done. Given the UK's deteriorating economic prospects, we will be impressing on Welsh Government that only the best value for money and genuinely sustainable transport schemes should get the green light. Think railways, buses and cycling. The Llanbedr bypass ticks few of these forward-looking boxes.

Events: daw eto haul ar fryn* Penwythnos MaD weekend 2019

This development is being promoted not because it would provide some environmental improvements in Llanbedr village itself, but primarily because it would give improved access for lorries to Llanbedr Airfield. This site is part of what Welsh Government has rather grandly labelled the 'Snowdonia Enterprise Zone' (SEZ).

The Eryri Local Development Plan rightly requires that a masterplan is produced for development of the SEZ site at Llanbedr, to provide the information the National Park Authority needs to ensure that the area’s special qualities are conserved. There is no sign of this masterplan emerging yet. Despite this, the SEZ developers recently published proposals - that must be ratified by the Civil Aviation Authority - for how hundreds of square miles of airspace around the airfield will be used.

We already knew that offshore segregated airspace over Cardigan Bay would be available for testing of drones and other 'experimental' aircraft being developed at the SEZ. The Society isn’t objecting to this. However, it has recently been announced that the RAF wants to use the airfield again, linked to consolidation of its pilot training at Valley Airfield on Anglesey. RAF pilot training flights are spread over North Wales and so the noise impacts are to some extent dispersed. We respect the RAF's training needs.

What is worrying is a separate and purely commercial proposal to use an area of inland airspace, just east of Llanbedr, for 'an extended area for upland/mountain operational testing’ of prototype drones and other 'experimental' aircraft - whether for civilian or military use.

The area in question is the heart of the Rhinogydd mountains. This is an upland expanse renowned for its wild remoteness and increasingly rare tranquillity above the noise and bustle of the coastlands and inland valleys.

We have made it clear that the Snowdonia Society will vigorously oppose noisy commercial exploitation of the airspace that envelops this special place, the nearest that we have in Wales to wilderness. Such development would cause significant harm to public enjoyment of Snowdonia’s special qualities and therefore be incompatible with the National Park’s statutory purposes.

Looking back, and forward, at Snowdonia Society events 20192020 Last year saw a record number of attendees on Snowdonia Society events. From our Director’s packed talk on Rethinking Rewilding at Plas-y-Brenin in November to our annual three-day Make a Difference volunteer weekend in September, a busy programme of volunteer days, walks, workshops and talks attracted people from near and far to help support the National Park.

2020 could not be more different: the arrival of coronavirus and subsequent restrictions put all our events on hold, and our outreach limited to online activity. Fast forward to today and we’re preparing to resume a range of outdoor activities shortly – following from our work on the successful Snowdonia ‘Welcome Back’ volunteer scheme working with the National Park Authority and the Outdoor Partnership.

With appropriate safeguards in place some outdoor activities will be possible, and of course we’re also able to host events online, as evidenced by our Director’s popular ‘Mountain Pressure’ talk back in May, which was streamed as part of the Royal Geographical Society’s online programme, attracting over 200 attendees.

We’re working hard to get things moving, safely, and the Snowdonia Society needs your support more than ever to get through this difficult time. So stay tuned, keep an eye on our website and social media channels, make sure you’ve subscribed to our ebulletins and be assured that we look forward to seeing some of you again soon – perhaps on the hill and in sunshine! *‘The sun will shine on the hill again’: these well-known words from a poem by J.T. Job of Bethesda were seen alongside countless hand-drawn rainbows at the height of lockdown in the Ogwen valley this spring.

Calling all Snowdonia Society members - please stand ready to support us in this work, should a campaign be necessary.

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 13

Dod ar draws blodyn Rob Collister

Tormaen porffor ●Purple saxifrage

Y llynedd, ar ddechrau mis Ebrill, mewn byd gwahanol iawn i’r un yr ydym yn byw ynddo erbyn hyn, mi es i fyny i fy hoff gwm ar yr Wyddfa. Roedd yn agos at ddiwedd cyfnod hir a sych; roedd coesau’r rhedyn yn crensian o dan draed, y mwsoglau’n frown ac yn sych, ac roeddwn yn gallu crwydro efo traed sych mewn mannau lle fel arfer byddai’n rhaid gwisgo welingtons i’w croesi.

Wrth glawdd y mynydd roedd dwy afr hirgorn yn aros i fy hebrwng i’r cwm cyn diflannu o’r golwg. Es i fyny’r glaswellt a’r sgrî, gan anelu am waelod rhes o glogwyni sy’n dringo’n serth i fyny ochr y mynydd yr holl ffordd i’r grib ymhell uwch fy mhen. Yn llaith, efo llystyfiant ac heb fawr o atyniad o ran dringo, roedden nhw’n edrych fel pe baen nhw’n cynnal planhigion difyr. Yn ddaearegol, mae’n debyg eu bod wedi eu creu o dwff sylfaenol, lludw a gwympodd i’r ddaear yn dilyn ffrwydrad yn yr oes Ordoficaidd.

Yn wir, sylwais bron yn syth bin ar sbloets o liw, a’r adeg hon o’r flwyddyn dim ond peth alla’i hwn fod – blodau’r tormaen porffor (Saxifraga oppositifolia). Mae hwn yn blodeuo’n gynnar bob amser (cefais hyd iddo unwaith yn Nhwll Du ar 8 Chwefror) ond roedd yn wych ei weld gan nad o’n i wedi bod yn chwilio amdano, a’r profiad mor gyffrous â chlywed gog cynta’r flwyddyn.

Mae’r llyfr newydd ardderchog gan Jim Langley a Paul Gannon (The Alps, A Natural Companion; Oxford Alpine Club 2019) yn fy hysbysu bod y tormaen porffor Saxifraga oppositifolia yn dal y record am y planhigyn blodeuol uchaf yn yr Alpau ac wedi ei gofnodi ar 4450m ar y Dom yn y Swistir. Mae hefyd yn tyfu ymhellach i’r gogledd nag unrhyw flodyn arall felly mae’n wir arctig alpaidd ac yn agos at ffin deheuol ei ddosbarthiad yn Eryri. Wrth i’r hinsawdd gynhesu bydd yn prinhau fwyfwy yma.

Pe bawn yn gorfod enwi fy hoff blanhigyn arctig alpaidd mae’n debyg mai hwn fyddwn i’n ei ddewis. Gyda’i liw llachar a’i allu i ffynnu yn y mannau mwyaf anial mae ganddo gystadleuaeth, wrth

gwrs; mae brenin yr Alpau Eritrichium nanum yn dod i’r meddwl, neu’r gludlys mwsoglog Silene acaulis, o bosib. Ond, i mi, mae gan y tormaen porffor fwy o gysylltiadau personol gyda mynyddoedd o amgylch y byd nag unrhyw blanhigyn arall.

Ar un achlysur roedd pump ohonom yn dod i lawr Mynydd Deborah yn Alasga. Ar adeg pan oedd bron i 500 o bobl ar fynydd Denali (Mt McKinley), ni oedd yr unig ddringwyr yn rhan ddwyreiniol gyfan mynyddoedd Alasga. Roeddem wedi bod ar y mynydd am bron i bythefnos, gan gysgu mewn ogofeydd eira i ddechrau ac yna mewn bifwac mewn mannau dychrynllyd ar ben crib gyda gordo eira enfawr. Y fi oedd yn dod i lawr olaf, gan ddringo’n araf ac yn ofalus o dan bwysau rhaff 300 troedfedd yn ogystal â phob dim arall. Roeddem o fewn ychydig o droedfeddi i rewlif ar graig go amheus ac roeddwn wedi blino ac yn eithaf digalon pan sylwais, yn sydyn, ar fymryn o liw porffor wrth flaen fy esgid.

Yn hollol annisgwyl, cododd fy ysbryd yn syth. Roedd fel cael fy nghroesawu’n ôl i fyd y byw. I mi, roedd yn eiliad emosiynol iawn er nad oedd yr un o’r lleill wedi sylwi ar y blodau a doedden nhw ddim yn mynegi llawer o ddiddordeb pan soniais amdanyn nhw.

Tormaen porffor - Alpau Ffrainc ● Purple saxifrage - Ecrins, French Alps

14 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Ar achlysur arall roedd dai ohonom mewn man gwyllt yn Kyrgyzstan. Roedd dau ohonom wedi croesi crib uchel i mewn i gwm nad oedd modd mynd iddo fel arall er mwyn rhoi cynnig ar ddringo copa 6000 metr nad oedd wedi ei ddringo o’r blaen mewn cornel anghysbell o fynyddoedd Tien Shan. Doedd gynnon ni ddim ffôn lloeren nag offer i’n lleoli mewn argyfwng bryd hynny, ac roeddem ymhell o unrhyw gymorth pe bai rhywbeth yn mynd o chwith.

Roedd dod o hyd i fymryn o liw porffor mewn marian wrth i ni gychwyn am y copa ei hun yn teimlo fel neges o anogaeth ac fel pe bai’r blodyn yn dymuno lwc dda i ni. Yn y

Prynais fynydd pen draw wnaethon ni ddim cyrraedd y copa, a dod yn ôl mewn storm yn uchel ar y mynydd oedd ein hanes ond, o ystyried i ni fod yn hynod o ffodus wrth i ordo eira chwalu, rydw i wedi teimlo bob amser bod y blodau wedi dod â lwc i ni.

Dyna wedyn y man gwersylla ar 5600m ar lethrau isaf Makalu yn Nepal, carped o gerrig wedi ei addurno â rhosedi porffor, wedi i ni glirio’r sbwriel a adawyd gan griw trecio diweddar. Yn wir, mae’n ymddangos mod i wedi dod o hyd i’r planhigyn hyfryd hwn ym mhob man lle mae’r creigiau’n cynnwys rhywfaint o galch ac y mae’n bosib eu disgrifio fel gwaelodol gyfoethog, hynny ydy – ar lefel y môr yn Alpau’r Lyngen, Norwy; toreth ohonyn nhw ar siâl moel o amgylch cwt Dix, y Swistir; ar furiau carreg galch heulog y Tenailles de Mont Brison yn Ecrins, Ffrainc; yn nes adre, ar darren basalt y Quirang ar An t-Eilean Sgitheanach (Skye) a llawer lleoliad yn y Cuillin.

Yma yng Nghymru mae’n eithaf cyffredin mewn llawer man ar yr Wyddfa ac Idwal lle mae’r ddaeareg yn iawn.

Cefais hyd iddo unwaith ar Foel Siabod, wedi ei mi gael fy ysbrydoli gan Evan Roberts, chwarelwr o Gapel Curig.

Wedi ei hel o’i gartref gan ei wraig un diwrnod pan nad oedd yn gweithio, daeth Evan ar draws y blodyn ar hap yn y cwm uwchben Llyn y Foel. Roedd wedi gwirioni cymaint gan y profiad, aeth ymlaen i fod yn brif awdurdod ar blanhigion arctig alpaidd gogledd Cymru, gyda doethuriaeth mygedol gan Brifysgol Bangor yn dyst i hynny. Yn rhyfedd, fodd bynnag, dydw i erioed wedi llwyddo i ddod o hyd i’r planhigyn eto er mi fynd yno i chwilio sawl gwaith. Dim ond unwaith y cefais gyfarfod Evan, wedi iddo golli ei olwg, ac roedd yn fodlon iawn disgrifio sut i ddod o hyd i’r casgliad o dderig sy’n ffynnu mewn man mwyaf annhebygol yn y Carneddau.

Y tro hwn, ar yr Wyddfa, roedd y tormaen porffor yn tyfu’n drwch, nid yn unig ar y graig ond yn y glaswellt wrth ei throed hefyd. Mewn ambell i fan roedd y blodau’n welw ac yn llwydaidd; mewn mannau eraill, yn arlliw dwfn llachar anghyffredin, gyda’r gwahaniaeth mae’n debyg yn gysylltiedig â chynnwys mwynol y pridd. Wrth ben-linio i archwilio’r blodau yn fwy manwl, sylwais ar ronynnau o galch a oedd wedi eu gwthio allan o bennau’r dail bychain. Ar galchfaen mae’r ddeilen gyfan yn cael ei gorchuddio â chalch, addasiad y credir iddo ddarparu gwarchodaeth ychwanegol yn erbyn y gwynt a’r glaw.

Am ychydig o eiliadau roeddwn wedi llwyr ymgolli ac roedd gen i syniad o ystyr Jim Perrin pan ysgrifennodd am, “‘those acts of attention that are the profoundest prayer”. O barhau i ddringo, symudais o’r wyneb ogleddol cysgodol, wedi ei naddu gan rew, i laswelltir heulog, yn ddiolchgar ac yn fodlon, ac yn falch o adael y copa i eraill.

Arweinydd mynydd wedi ymddeol yw Rob Collister, ac mae hefyd yn gyn-ymddiriedolwr Cymdeithas Eryri

I bought a

MOUNTAI N THOMAS F I RBANK

New, illustrated edition of the classic account of life on a Welsh hill-farm

Mae hi’n wythdeg o flynyddoedd ers i Thomas Firbank ysgrifennu ‘I Bought A Mountain,’ ei adroddiad clasurol o fywyd ar fferm fynydd Gymreig. Wedi ei ysgrifennu ychydig cyn yr Ail Ryfel Byd, gwerthwyd copïau lu o’r llyfr yn rhyngwladol, dros hanner miliwn ledled y byd, ac mae wedi parhau i rhoi pleser i genedlaethau o ddarllenwyr. I nodi pen-blwydd cyhoeddi’r llyfr, bydd Gwasg Gwydir yn cyhoeddi fersiwn gyda lluniau yn ddiweddarach eleni.

Y fferm dan sylw oedd Dyffryn Mymbyr, 2,400 erw o dirwedd garw’r ucheldir ar ochr ddeheuol y Glyderau yn Eryri. Prynodd y fferm bron ar fympwy yn 1931; roedd yn un-ar-hugain oed. Dyma ddrama a ddatblygodd mewn cilfach o gymoedd serth a thywydd garw, wrth iddo ef a’i wraig newydd Esmé frwydro i sicrhau bod y fferm ddefaid yn gynhyrchiol er nad oedd ganddo ef na’i wraig fawr o wybodaeth ymarferol. Mae’r llyfr yn drawiadol, a’r adroddiad yn un onest; mor gyffrous â llawn bywyd ag unrhyw nofel gan John Buchan. Cyfrannodd y llyfr ‘I Bought a Mountain’ yn enfawr i fywyd mynyddig, ffermio mynydd a chadwraeth yng Nghymru a sefydlodd hefyd faes newydd o lyfrau ‘bywyd da’.

Yn ogystal â gyrfa filitaraidd ddisglair (gwobrwywyd Thomas â dau MC yn ystod y rhyfel ac ymddeolodd o’r fyddin yn rhenc Lefftenant Cyrnol), aeth ymlaen i ysgrifennu llawer o lyfrau eraill ar amrywiaeth o themâu. ‘Bu fy mywyd yn gyfres o fywydau o’r newydd,’ meddai unwaith, ‘ffermwr defaid, milwr, gwerthwr masnachol.’ Parhaodd Esmé i amaethu tir fferm Dyffryn, gan ddatblygu’r hyn yr oedd hi a Thomas wedi ei gychwyn yno. Aeth ymlaen i sefydlu Cymdeithas Eryri yn 1967 ac yn 2005 gadawyd y tŷ a’r tir i’r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol.

Mae ‘I Bought A Mountain’ ar gael ar www.gwydirpress.com

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 15

Encounters with a flower Rob Collister Last year, at the beginning of April, in a very different world to the one we now inhabit, I made my way up to a favourite cwm on Snowdon. It was near the end of a long dry spell: long-dead bracken stalks crackled underfoot, mosses were brown and desiccated, and I was able to amble dry-shod where normally angels would fear to tread without wellies. At the mountain wall two shaggy long-horned feral goats were waiting to usher me into the cwm before drifting away out of sight. I headed up grass and scree aiming for the bottom end of a band of crags that slants steeply up the hillside all the way to the ridge crest far above.

Damp, vegetated and unattractive from a climbing point of view, they looked as though they might be home to some interesting plants. Geologically, they are probably formed of a basic tuff, ashfall from an eruption in Ordovician times.

Sure enough, almost immediately my eye was caught by a bright splash of colour which at this time of year could only be one thing – a clump of purple saxifrage Saxifraga oppositifolia. This always flowers early (I found it once in the Devil’s Kitchen, Twll Du, on February 8th) but it was still a delightful surprise since I had not been consciously looking for it, producing the same sort of excitement as hearing the first cuckoo of the year.

The excellent new book by Jim Langley and Paul Gannon (The Alps, A Natural Companion; Oxford Alpine Club 2019) tells me that the purple saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) holds the record for the highest flowering plant in the Alps, being recorded at 4450m on the Dom in Switzerland. It also grows further north than any other flower so it is truly an arctic-alpine and nearing the southern limit of its range in Snowdonia. As the climate warms it will become increasingly uncommon here.

If I had to name a favourite alpine plant it would probably be this one. In the startling boldness of its colour and its ability to thrive in the most inhospitable places it has rivals, of course; king of the alps Eritrichium nanum springs to mind, or moss campion Silene acaulis, perhaps. But, for me, purple saxifrage has more personal associations with mountains around the world than any other plant.

There was the occasion in Alaska when five of us were descending Mount Deborah. At a time when nearly 500 people

Tormaen porffor ar lefel y môr ym mis Mai, Alpau Lyngen, Norwy ● Purple saxifrage at sea-level in May, Lyngen Alps, Norway

were thronging Denali (Mt McKinley), we were the only climbers in the entire eastern sector of the Alaska range. We had been on the mountain the best part of a fortnight, initially sleeping in snow caves and latterly bivouacking in some alarming places on the crest of a hugely corniced ridge. I was coming down last, climbing slowly and carefully under the weight of a 300ft rope on top of everything else. We were only a few feet from the glacier on some rather suspect rock and I was feeling tired and a bit sorry for myself when, suddenly, I noticed a little dab of purple by the toe of my boot. Totally unexpected, my spirits lifted instantly. It was like being welcomed back into the land of the living. For me, it was quite an emotional moment though none of the others had noticed the flowers and no one seemed interested when I mentioned them.

Another occasion was in the wilds of Kyrgyzstan. Two of us had crossed a high ridge into an otherwise inaccessible valley to attempt an unclimbed 6000 metre peak in a remote corner of the Tien Shan mountains. Lacking today’s obligatory props of satellite phone or emergency beacon, we were far from any possible help should things go wrong. Finding the solitary dash of purple in a sea of moraine as we set off on the final push felt like a message of encouragement, as if we were being wished good luck. In the event we did not reach the summit, retreating in a storm from high on the mountain but, given an extremely close call with a collapsing cornice, I have always felt the flowers were indeed a good omen.

Then there was the campsite at 5600m on the lower slopes of Makalu, in Nepal, a stony carpet adorned with purple rosettes, once we had cleared away the trash left behind by a recent trekking party. In fact, I seem to have found this lovely plant everywhere; everywhere that the rocks contain some calcium and can be described as base-rich, that is – at sea-level in the Lyngen Alps, Norway; in profusion on bare shale around the Dix hut, Switzerland; on the sun-drenched limestone walls of the Tenailles de Mont Brison in the Ecrins, France; nearer home, on the basalt escarpment of the Quiraing on Skye and countless places in the Cuillin.

Lefel y môr ym mis Mai, Alpau Lyngen, Norwy At sea-level in May, Lyngen Alps, Norway

16 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Here in Wales it is not uncommon in many parts of Snowdon and Idwal where the geology is right. I found it once on Moel

I bought a mountain I bought a

MOUNTAI N THOMAS F I RBANK

New, illustrated edition of the classic account of life on a Welsh hill-farm

John Cousins yn dringo yn Tien Shan ● John Cousins climbing in the Tien Shan

Siabod, inspired to look there by the story of Evan Roberts, a quarryman from Capel Curig. Shooed out of the house by his wife on a day off, he came upon it purely by chance in the cwm above Llyn y Foel. He was so enthralled by the sight that he went on to become the leading authority on the arctic-alpine plants of north Wales, with an honorary doctorate from Bangor University to prove it. Curiously, though, I have never been able to find it there again despite several searches.

I met Evan just the once, after he had gone blind, when he was happy to describe how to find the colony of mountain avens that flourishes in a most unlikely spot in the Carneddau.

This time, on Snowdon, purple saxifrage was growing in profusion, not just on the crag but in the grass at its foot also. In some places the blooms were pale and etiolated; in others, an unusually deep vibrant shade, the difference presumably linked to the mineral content of the soil. Kneeling to examine the flowers more closely, I noticed specks of calcium that had been extruded from the tips of tiny leaves. On limestone the whole leaf becomes encrusted with calcium, an adaptation believed to provide extra protection against wind and sun. For a few seconds my absorption was complete and I had an inkling of what Jim Perrin meant when he wrote of, ‘those acts of attention that are the profoundest prayer’. Continuing upward, I emerged from the shaded, ice-carved north face onto sunlit grassland, grateful and glad at heart, happy to leave the summit to others.

It is eighty years since Thomas Firbank wrote ‘I Bought A Mountain,’ his classic account of life on a Welsh hill-farm. Written on the eve of the Second World War, it became an international bestseller, selling over half-a-million copies worldwide, and has continued to delight generations of readers. To mark the book’s anniversary, the Gwydir Press will be publishing a new illustrated edition this year.

The farm in question was Dyffryn Mymbyr, 2,400 acres of rugged upland terrain on the south side of the Glyderau in Snowdonia. He bought the farm almost on impulse in 1931; he was twenty-one years old. This was a drama brewed in a cauldron of steep-sided valleys and fierce weather, as he and his new wife, Esmé, battled to make the sheep farm productive with scant practical knowledge between them. It is a gripping read, honestly told; as exciting and as fast-paced as any John Buchan novel. ‘I Bought A Mountain’ was a landmark book which made an immense contribution to Welsh mountain life, hill farming and conservation and founded a new genre of ‘good life’ books.

As well as a glittering military career (Thomas was awarded two MCs during the war and retired from the army in the rank of Lt. Colonel), he went on to write many more books on a variety of themes. ‘My life has been a series of reincarnations,’ he once said, ‘sheep farmer, soldier, salesman.’ As for Dyffryn, Esmé continued to work the land, building on what she and Thomas had started there. She went on to found the Snowdonia Society in 1967 and in 2005 the house and its land were bequeathed to the National Trust.

‘I Bought A Mountain’ is available from www.gwydirpress.com

Rob Collister is a retired mountain guide and former trustee of the Snowdonia Society

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 17

Detholiad o’r delweddau buddugol ar gyfer calendr 2021 A selection of the winning images for the 2021 calendar

18 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Cyfrannwch Calendr 2021 Enillwyr ein cystadleuaeth ffotograffiaeth Bydd yr arian a gesglir yn mynd tuag at ein gwaith parhaol yn Eryri

2021 Calendar

ar-lein yn www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk gyda siec, yn daladwy i 'Cymdeithas Eryri'

Donate

on-line at www.snowdonia-society.org.uk by cheque, payable to 'Snowdonia Society'

Winners of our photography competition Money raised will go towards our continued work in Snowdonia

Ar werth ar-lein: For sale online: www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/shop

gadewch Gymynrodd i eryri Mae rhoddion o ewyllysiau yn rhan hanfodol o'n hincwm, ac mae cymynrodd mawr neu bychan yn gwneud gwahaniaeth go iawn i'r hyn allwn ei gyflawni. Os byddwch yn ysgrifennu eich ewyllys, wedi i chi gofio eich teulu a'ch ffrindiau, ystyriwch adael cymynrodd i Gymdeithas Eryri os gwelwch yn dda.

Leave a Legacy to snowdonia Gifts in wills form a crucial part of our income, and legacies large or small make a real difference to what we can achieve. If you are writing your will, once you have remembered family and friends, please consider leaving a bequest to the Snowdonia Society.

 www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/cy/gadael-cymynrodd www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/leave-legacy  Cymdeithas Eryri ● Snowdonia Society, Caban, Yr Hen Ysgol, Brynrefail, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 3NR  01286 685498  info@snowdonia-society.org.uk Elusen gofrestredig rhif • Registered charity no: 1155401

Protecting 19 Protecting and and celebrating celebrating Snowdonia Snowdonia for for over over 50 50 years years || 19

Barn yr aelodau am Eryri 360 Rydym yn newid ein ffyrdd. Dydy’r pethau rydym yn eu disgwyl gennym ni ein hunain a phobl eraill ddim yn ddigyfnewid. Mae’r amgylchiadau presennol yn gwneud i bob un ohonom ail-feddwl ynglŷn â gwyliau.

Cyhoeddwyd erthygl yng nghylchgrawn y Gwanwyn gan Jonathan Williams-Ellis, ac ynddi amlinellodd ei obeithion am lwybr ymwelwyr ‘Eryri 360’ o amgylch gogledd orllewin Cymru. Wrth gyflwyno’r darn gofynnwyd am eich barn. Mynegodd rhai darllenwyr gydymdeimlad gyda busnesau sy’n seiliedig ar dwristiaeth ac sy’n wynebu adegau anodd, ond roedd pob un yn bryderus mai canolbwynt y fenter yw hyrwyddo cludiant modur yn yr ardal.

Mae tudalennau ein cylchgrawn yn lle da i drafod cwestiynau fel hyn.

Fel y nododd un aelod, does dim llawer o amser ers I’r Gymdeithas wrthwynebu agweddau o ail-agor Rheilffordd Ucheldir Cymru.

Heddiw byddai llawer o bobl yn gweld potensial i’r rheilffordd fel rhan o isadeiledd ymwelwyr mwy cynaliadwy.

Er mwyn osgoi unrhyw amheuaeth, dydy Cymdeithas Eryri ddim yn cefnogi menter Eryri 360. Fodd bynnag, rydym yn credu ei fod yn werth trafod eu project efo nhw ac mae’n amlwg bod aelodau’n falch ein bod wedi dod â’r mater i’w sylw. Rydym wedi cynnwys dyfyniadau o amryw o’r e-bostiau a dderbyniwyd, er mwyn rhoi blas o’r materion a godwyd: Gan Tony Pearson: Roeddwn braidd yn bryderus wrth ddarllen am fenter Eryri 360. Fe all y cysyniad hwn, yn seiliedig ar Arfordir y Gogledd 500 yn yr Alban, gael effaith negyddol ar Eryri. Fel y mae’r erthygl gan Jonathan WilliamsEllis yn ei grybwyll, arweiniodd yr AG 500 at gynnydd o 70% yn y nifer o ymwelwyr yn ei blwyddyn gyntaf. A fyddem ni eisiau cynnydd tebyg yn y nifer o ymwelwyr yn ardal Eryri?

Gan Peter Foulkes, Machynlleth: Twristiaeth araf, nid cyflym. Rydw i wedi treulio amser (araf) yn Sutherland, gan fwynhau’r tirlun anhygoel a’r bywyd gwyllt hyfryd, ond roeddwn yn bryderus am y nifer o gampar-faniau, a oedd wedi prynu nwyddau yn rhatach cyn hyd yn oed cyrraedd Ucheldir yr Alban, mae’n debyg. Gwelais un fan o’r fath yn treulio’r noson ym maes parcio Bae Sandwood, gan ddefnyddio’r toiledau a’r cyflenwad dŵr am ddim yn hytrach na defnyddio’r maes gwersylla ychydig o filltiroedd i lawr y ffordd. Heb sôn am y rhes o geir cyflym crand gyda’u bwriad o deithio’r 500 cyn gynted â phosib.

Gan Paul Nickson, Llanberis: Rydym yn gwybod am dagfeydd ar ffyrdd Eryri yn enwedig yn yr haf.

Mae’r cylchgrawn yn cyfeirio yn rhywle arall at Gynllun yr Wyddfa[1] a’r gwir angen i fynd i’r afael â’r parcio a phroblemau trafnidiaeth eraill sy’n effeithio ar y Parc. Alla’i ddim ond dychmygu cymaint yn waeth fydd hyn nid yn unig yn y Parc ond mewn mannau eraill yn y cynllun ‘360’ megis Ynys Môn a Phenrhyn Llŷn.

Gobeithio y bydd y Gymdeithas yn ymbellhau o’r project hwn a gweithredu yn ei ffordd drylwyr arferol i gynlluniau dychrynllyd megis cynlluniau ynni dŵr yn Ffos Noddun.

20 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Gan Graham Wood, Eglwysbach: Doeddwn i ddim yn gwybod dim am y fenter hon nes y derbyniais rifyn y gwanwyn o’r cylchgrawn. Credaf y bydd gan lawer o bobl ddiddordeb, yn cynnwys grwpiau cymunedol yn y dyffrynnoedd yr effeithir o bosib arnyn nhw.

Mae’r blaned mewn argyfwng hinsawdd, gydag allyriadau o’r defnydd o danwydd ffosil yn brif ffactor gyfrannol. Ac eto dyma fenter a gynlluniwyd yn benodol i ddod â nifer cynyddol o gerbydau modur i mewn i Eryri. Os yw’r profiad yn yr Alban yn rhyw fath o arweiniad, yna bydd llawer o’r rhain yn gampar-faniau mawr a yrrir gan ddisel.

Mae’r ffaith fod y fenter yn cael ei noddi gan Lotus – cynhyrchwr ceir sbort perfformiad uchel – yn arwydd bryderus arall o’r defnydd a ragwelir.

Mae fy mhrofiad o Arfordir y Gogledd 500, fel beiciwr ac wrth sgwrsio efo bobl leol yn Ucheldir ac Ynysoedd yr Alban, yn awgrymu drwg deimlad enfawr tuag at yr aflonyddwch, sbwriel, tagfeydd, graddau damweiniau uwch ac yn y blaen o ganlyniad i drafnidiaeth gynyddol. Un gŵyn gyffredin yw bod cwmnïau llogi campar-faniau ac archfarchnadoedd yn Inverness yn gwneud yn dda, tra bod rhesi hirion o faniau yn gyrru ar hyd y llwybr yn peri tagfeydd ond yn disgwyl cael parcio am ddim dros nos, gadael sbwriel a gwagio eu toiledau cemegol er nad ydyn nhw’n defnyddio fawr ddim ar fusnesau lleol.

Er nad ydy’r ffyrdd a ddewisir ar gyfer llwybr Eryri 360 yn rhai trac sengl, mae’r potensial ar gyfer problemau tebyg yn amlwg. Er enghraifft, y ffordd B drwy Dal-y-cafn, Dolgarrog a Threfriw. Er nad yw’n drac sengl, mae’n gul ac yn droellog a does dim posibl gweld ymhell arni. Os ydych chi wedi beicio ar ei hyd byddwch yn gwybod cyn lleied o le sydd i gerbydau fynd heibio hyd yn oed efo traffig ar lefelau presennol. Mae’r darnau o wydrau aden ceir toredig yn adrodd cyfrolau. Fel llwybr beicio y peth gorau allwn ni ei ddweud am y ffordd B yma yw mai dyma’r dewis ‘mwyaf peryglus’ yn Nyffryn Conwy.

Mae angen dod o hyd i gydbwysedd rhwng yr angen am ddyfodol sy’n economaidd hyfyw ar gyfer cymunedau gwledig a pheryglon masnachu cynyddol.

Ond mae’n bosib bod dewis arall yn bodoli. Yn ystod y clo mawr rydym wedi bod yn beicio bob dydd. Mae beicio heb gar nag injan i’w clywed wedi rhoi golwg hyfryd ar yr hyn fyddai’n bosib yn yr ardal, gyda dim i’w clywed ond caneuon adar a sŵn y gwynt yn y coed, ac awyr iach i’w anadlu heb orfod blasu mwg ceir sy’n pasio heibio. Ystyriwch sut mae hyn yn cymharu gyda’r golygfeydd o barcio gwallgof yn Ogwen a Phen-y-pas yn yr wythnosau cyn ac ar ôl y clo mawr.

Fe all Eryri ddod yn hyrwyddwr ar gyfer twristiaeth ‘araf’ neu ‘werdd’.

Dychmygwch yr ardal gyda buddsoddiad sylweddol mewn rhwydwaith o lwybrau beicio di-draffig, gyda thrafnidiaeth gyhoeddus mwy aml a gyda phrisiau rhesymol yn cysylltu’r amrywiol atyniadau a mannau cychwyn/gorffen teithiau. Fe all Eryri oleuo’r ffordd ar gyfer mwynhad o awyr agored distaw, heb lygredd na cherbydau.

Dydw i ddim yn arbenigwr, ond mae’n siŵr bod ffyrdd i fod â mwy o gyswllt â’r teimlad presennol nag annog mwy o bobl i yrru i mewn i’r ardal, gyda ‘gyrru cerbyd’ fel y prif weithgaredd.

[1] Mae Partneriaeth yr Wyddfa ar hyn o bryd yn gweithio ar opsiynau tymor hir i sicrhau bod teithio a chludiant yn llawer mwy cynaliadwy yn ardaloedd y Parc Cenedlaethol sy’n boblogaidd gydag ymwelwyr – ar hyn o bryd mae ein Cyfarwyddwr yn Gadeirydd Partneriaeth yr Wyddfa.

Members’ views on Snowdonia 360 We are changing our ways. The things we expect of ourselves and of other people aren’t set in stone. Current circumstances are making all of us rethink what holidays look like.

We published an article in the Spring magazine by Jonathan Williams-Ellis, in which he laid out his aspirations for the ‘Snowdonia 360’ tourist route around northwest Wales. In introducing the piece we asked for your views. Some readers expressed sympathy with tourism-based businesses facing hard times, but all were worried that the initiative’s focal point is the promotion of motorised transport in the area.

The pages of our respected magazine are a good place to discuss questions like this. As one member usefully pointed out, it isn’t that long ago that the Society objected to aspects of the re-opening of the Welsh Highland railway line. Today many people would see the railway’s potential as part of a more sustainable visitor infrastructure.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Snowdonia Society does not support the Snowdonia 360 initiative. However, we do think it’s worth discussing their project with them and it’s clear members were glad that it had been brought to their attention. We’ve included excerpts from several of the emails received, to give a flavour of the issues raised: From Tony Pearson: I was rather apprehensive reading about the Snowdonia 360 initiative.

This concept, based on the North Coast 500 in Scotland, could have a negative impact on Snowdonia. As the article by Jonathan WilliamsEllis mentions, the NC 500 led to a 70% increase in visitor numbers in its first year. Would we want a similar increase in tourists in the Snowdonia area?

From Graham Wood, Eglwysbach.

I was unaware of this initiative until the spring issue of the magazine arrived. I think a lot of people will be interested, not least community groups along valleys that might be affected.

The planet is in climate crisis, with emissions from use of fossil fuels being an overriding contributory factor. And yet here is an initiative expressly designed to bring increased numbers of motor vehicles into Snowdonia. If experience in Scotland is any guide then many will be large diesel-powered camper vans. The fact that the initiative is sponsored by Lotus - a maker of high-performance sports cars - gives another worrying indication of the anticipated use.

My experience of the North Coast 500, as a cyclist and from talking to local people in the Highlands and Islands, suggests a huge underlying resentment at the disruption, litter, hold ups, increased accident rates and so on which result from increased traffic. A common anecdotal complaint is of camper van hire companies and supermarkets in Inverness doing very well, while serried ranks of vans drive the route causing hold ups but expecting to park free of charge for the night, leave rubbish and empty their chemical loos while making little use of local businesses.

While the roads chosen for the Snowdonia 360 route are not single track, the potential for similar problems is clear. Take for example the B road through Tal y Cafn, Dolgarrog and Trefriw. It isn’t single track but it is narrow and twisty with poor visibility. If you’ve cycled along it you will know how little clearance there is for vehicles passing even with traffic at current levels. The pieces of broken wing mirror on the verges tell a salutary tale. As a cycle route the best that can be said of this B road is that it is the ‘least unsafe’ option down the Conwy valley.

From Peter Foulkes, Machynlleth:

There is a balance to be struck between the need for an economically viable future for rural communities and the dangers of everincreasing commercialisation.

Slow tourism, not fast. I have spent (slow) time in Sutherland, taking in the incredible landscape and wonderful natural history, but was perturbed by convoys of camper-vans, who probably stocked up with cheaper provisions before even reaching the Highlands. I saw one such van ‘overnighting’ in the car park for Sandwood Bay, utilising the free toilets and water supply rather than using the campsite a couple of miles down the road. Not to mention the parade of flash sports cars intent on getting around the 500 as fast as possible.

But there could be an alternative. During lockdown our daily exercise has been a bike ride. Cycling with hardly a car to be seen or engine to be heard has given a wonderful perspective on what the area could aspire to, with just bird song and the sound of wind in the trees to be heard, and clean air to breathe with no taste of fumes from passing traffic. Just think how that compares with the scenes of parking overload at Ogwen and Pen y Pass in the weeks immediately before and after lockdown.

From Paul Nickson, Llanberis: We know how congested Snowdonia is especially in the summer.

The magazine refers elsewhere to Cynllun yr Wyddfa[1] and the desperate need to deal with the parking and other traffic problems affecting the Park. I can only imagine how much worse this will be not only in the Park but in the other areas in the ‘360’ plan such as Anglesey and the Llŷn peninsula.

I hope the Society will distance itself from this project and apply the same scrutiny it does to outrageous schemes such as hydro schemes in the Fairy Glen.

Snowdonia could become a cheerleader for ‘slow’ or ‘green’ tourism.

Imagine the area with serious investment put into a network of traffic free cycle routes, with more frequent and modestly priced public transport linking the various attractions and start/finish points of walks. Snowdonia could be a beacon for quiet, pollution-free, vehicle-free outdoor enjoyment.

I am no expert, but there must be ways more in tune with the moment than simply encouraging more people to drive into the area, with the ‘driving’ being the main activity.

[1] The Snowdon Partnership is currently working on long-term options to make travel and transport much more sustainable in the visitor hotspot areas of the National Park – our Director is currently Chair of the Snowdon Partnership.

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 21

Eryri heb sbwriel? Mae hyn yn ein dwylo ni Mary-Kate Jones Gyda chefnogaeth Partneriaeth Eryri, mae Cymdeithas Eryri yn arwain ar fynd i’r afael â sbwriel. Rydym wedi bod yn brysur yn cydlynu pecyn o fesurau wedi eu cyd-drefnu, gweithrediadau, ac ymgyrchoedd i fynd i’r afael â materion penodol yn ymwneud â sbwriel ar yr Wyddfa ac o amgylch yr Wyddfa.

Fe all sbwriel ymddangos yn broblem anodd ei datrys. Nod y gwaith hwn yw torri problem sbwriel i rannau llai, ysgogi pobl i feddwl ac annog newidiadau positif mewn ymddygiad. Mae ein negeseuon cyntaf yn ymwneud â chroen ffrwythau, poteli plastig, pacedi creision a’r hen broblem honno, ‘Sut allwn ni fynd i’r afael â baw dynol?’

Mae croen ffrwythau yn enghraifft amlwg. Credwn y byddai llawer o bobl sy’n gadael croen ffrwythau ar y mynyddoedd yn dychryn wrth feddwl am adael potel blastig. Does gan lawer ohonyn nhw ddim syniad bod croen ffrwythau, eri ei fod yn pydru’n fuan mewn tomen gompost gynnes braf, yn gallu parhau am hyd i ddwy flynedd ar fynyddoedd oer. Wrth gyfathrebu negeseuon syml fel hyn gobeithiwn annog pobl i gymryd gofal arbennig a pharatoi’n well.

Rydym yn rhannu’r posteri yma’n eang ar y cyfryngau cymdeithasol. Dewch atom i ledaenu’r gair ac ynghyd â Phartneriaeth yr Wyddfa, partneriaid a busnesau cyfrifol ar hyd a lled Eryri gallwn helpu i gyfathrebu y negeseuon iawn a gwneud

22 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

gwahaniaeth ledled y Parc Cenedlaethol.

Dydy sbwriel ddim yn anochel. Mae Eryri heb sbwriel yn bosib.

Mae’n amlwg y byddai Eryri heb sbwriel yn well profiad i bawb – preswylwyr ac ymwelwyr fel ei gilydd. Ond mi fyddai Eryri heb sbwriel hefyd yn arbed arian, canlyniad lle byddai pawb ar eu hennill. Mae’r arbedion o ran costau arian ac amser staff pe bai pawb yn mynd â’u sbwriel gartref yn sylweddol, o ystyried y pwysau difrifol ar hyn o bryd ar yr awdurdodau, elusennau, tirfeddianwyr a gwirfoddolwyr sydd, gyda’i gilydd, yn gwneud eu gorau glas i warchod Eryri.

Mae yna lu o broblemau anodd, megis trafnidiaeth a pharcio, lle bydd angen gwario arian mawr ar adeiladwaith mewnol a chostau gweithredu er mwyn sicrhau atebion tymor hir. Mae sbwriel yn wahanol. Mae’r atebion i sbwriel yn ein dwylo ni – mae gan bob un ohonom ran hanfodol i’w chwarae.

Mae sbwriel, yn llythrennol, yn ein dwylo ni.

Pwy fyddai’n meddwl ei bod yn iawn agor eu drws a dod o hyd i sbwriel wedi ei adael ar riniog eu drws? Wel, neb, wrth gwrs.

Dyna pam yr ydym yn credu bod pawb yn alluog i ddeall pam fod hyn yn bwysig ac yn gallu bod yn ofalus. Ein her yw trosglwyddo’r ymwybyddiaeth yma i bobl mewn ffyrdd sy’n gweithio. Felly does

dim angen i sbwriel fod yn un o’r ‘problemau anodd’ yma.

Os bydd pobl yn gollwng sbwriel, fyddan nhw ddim wedi meddwl am y peth, neu ddim yn rhagweld y canlyniadau na pham ei fod yn bwysig. Felly mae trosglwyddo’r negeseuon iawn mewn ffyrdd sy’n ddealladwy i bobl yn gallu gwneud gwir wahaniaeth. Dyna fyrdwn ein hymgyrch.

Rydym yn gofyn i bawb helpu drwy ledaenu’r negeseuon yma ar-lein. Dyma gam cyntaf project i rannu problem sbwriel yn rhannau priodol – gan graffu a chanolbwyntio ar gwahanol fathau o sbwriel a throsglwyddo negeseuon wedi eu targedu.

Gyda’n gilydd gallwn gymryd camau tuag at sicrhau Eryri heb sbwriel – yr Eryri sy’n hoff gennym ni, ond yn well fyth.

Mary-Kate Jones yw Rheolwraig Prosiect Cymdeithas Eryri

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 23

Litter free Snowdonia? It's in our hands Mary-Kate Jones With the support of the Snowdon Partnership, The Snowdonia Society is taking the lead on tackling litter. We’ve been busy putting together a package of co-ordinated messages, actions, and campaigns to tackle specific litter isues on Snowdon and around Snowdonia.

Litter can seem a daunting problem. The aim of this work is to break the litter problem down into bite size chunks, get people thinking and encourage positive changes in behaviour. Our initial messages are on fruit peel, plastic bottles, crisp packets and that old dilemma ‘What to do about a Number two’.

Fruit peel is a classic example. We think that many people who leave fruit peel on a mountain would be horrified at the thought of leaving a plastic bottle. Many are unaware that, although fruit peel breaks down quickly in a lovely warm compost heap, it can last for up to two years in the cold mountains. By communicating simple messages like this we hope to nudge people to take extra care and be better prepared.

We’re sharing these posters widely on social media. Please help us spread the word and together with the Snowdon Partnership, partners and responsible businesses across Snowdonia we can help communicate the right messages and make a difference across the National Park.

24 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Litter is not inevitable. A litter-free Snowdonia is possible.

It’s obvious that a litter-free Snowdonia would be a better experience for everyone – residents and visitors alike. But a litter-free Snowdonia would also save money, a genuine ‘win-win’ outcome. The cost savings and staff time savings if everyone took litter home are significant, given the immense pressures at the moment on the authorities, charities, landowners and volunteers who between them look after Snowdonia.

There are plenty of hard problems, like transport and parking for example, where long term solutions will need big bucks spent on the right infrastructure and running costs. Litter is different. The solutions to litter are in our hands – each of us has a vital part to play.

Litter is, literally, in our hands.

Who would think it ok to open their door and find litter dumped on their doorstep? The answer is no-one. That’s why we think everyone is capable of understanding why this matters, capable of caring. Our challenge is to get that awareness over to people in ways that work. So litter doesn’t have to be one of those ‘hard problems’. If people drop stuff it’s because they haven’t thought about it, or don’t see the consequences or why it matters. So

getting the right messages across in ways that people engage with really can make a difference. That’s what our campaign is all about.

We’re asking everyone to help by spreading these messages on-line. This is the first stage of a project to break the litter problem into its constituent parts – zooming in to focus on different types of litter and get targeted messages across.

Together we can take steps towards a litter-free Snowdonia – the Snowdonia we love, only better.

Mary-Kate Jones is Project Manager for the Snowdonia Society

Potel blastig ar lwybr watkin ● Plastic bottle on Watkin path ©Ben Porter

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 25

Datblygiad â chroeso iddo ar aber y Ddwyryd John Harold Nid yn aml ar y tudalennau yma rydym yn rhoi croeso cynnes i ganiatáu caniatâd cynllunio!

atebol i ganiatâd cynllunio gan ei fod yn cael ei ganiatáu yn unol â Deddf Drydan 1947/57.

Digwydd hyn yn fwy prin fyth pan fyddo’r caniatâd hwnnw’n cael ei roi am broject adeiladu ar raddfa fawr. Serch hynny rydym yn falch iawn o adrodd bod pwyllgor Cynllunio a Mynediad Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol wedi rhoi caniatâd cynllunio am greu twnnel o dan aber y Ddwyryd i gludo ceblau trosglwyddo trydan foltedd uchel. Wedi ei gwblhau, bydd y twnnel yn galluogi’r Grid Cenedlaethol i fwrw ymlaen gyda dad-gomisiynu a thynnu’r peilonau a saif ar wely’r aber i lawr; peilonau sydd wedi llygru’r tirlun yn y gornel hon o’r Parc Cenedlaethol ers 1966.

Bydd y gwaith yn cychwyn yn 2021 a disgwylir iddo gymryd pum mlynedd i’w gwblhau, gyda chyfran o’r gwaith yn cael ei wneud gan gontractwyr lleol.

Mae Cymdeithas Eryri, ynghyd â’r Ymgyrch dros Barciau Cenedlaethol a chyrff eraill, wedi cefnogi ac annog y broses ac yn arbennig wedi cyfrannu at ymgynghoriadau ar broject Darpariaeth Effaith Weledol Ofgem y Grid Cenedlaethol – y rhaglen £500m i leihau effaith weledol isadeiledd trydan mewn Ardaloedd o Harddwch Naturiol Eithriadol a Pharciau Cenedlaethol. Mae aber y Ddwyryd yn un o bedwar lleoliad ledled Cymru a Lloegr i elwa o’r rhaglen.

Mewn cyfarfod o Bwyllgor Cynllunio Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol ar 1 Gorffennaf, rhoddwyd caniatâd cynllunio ar gyfer codi adeilad pen twnnel a leolir oddi ar yr A496 i’r gogledd o bentref bach Llandecwyn i’r de ddwyrain o aber y Ddwyryd ac ar gwr y Parc Cenedlaethol. Bydd y datblygiad hwn yn galluogi’r Grid Cenedlaethol i fwrw ymlaen â chynlluniau i osod 3.4km o geblau, sydd ar hyn o bryd yn croesi uwchben yr aber, o dan y ddaear.

Gan fod y datblygiad yn ymwneud â dau Awdurdod Cynllunio, penderfynwyd ar ganiatâd cynllunio am dŷ pen twnnel ar ochr orllewinol yr aber gan Bwyllgor Cynllunio Cyngor Gwynedd yn ddiweddarach ym mis Gorffennaf. Nid yw’r twnnel ei hun yn

Fel yr eglurodd Chris Baines, Cadeirydd y Grŵp Cynghori Rhanddalwyr Annibynnol sy’n cynghori project pwysig y Grid Cenedlaethol: “Rydw i wrth fy modd, yn dilyn y penderfyniad pwysig hwn, ein bod gam yn nes at dynnu’r gwifrau pŵer yma. Bydd yr effaith yn trawsnewid yr ardal, a bydd pobl leol ac ymwelwyr fel ei gilydd yn gallu mwynhau harddwch aber Dwyryd am y tro cyntaf mewn cenedlaethau. Mae’r project yn ganlyniad i bum mlynedd o waith tîm ac ymgynghoriad rhwng y Grid Cenedlaethol, rhan-ddalwyr lleol a chenedlaethol a’r gymuned leol."

Meddai’r Cynghorydd Elwyn Edwards, Cadeirydd y Pwyllgor Cynllunio, ar ran Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol: “Er bod rhaid ystyried yn ofalus unrhyw gynllun peirianyddol fel hwn mewn ardal ddynodedig, rydym yn falch iawn o gefnogi’r cynllun hwn a fydd yn y pen draw yn gwella’n sylweddol gymeriad y tirlun a mwynder gweledol aber Dwyryd.”

Mae Cymdeithas Eryri yn parhau i gydweithio’n agos gydag Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol ar faterion cynllunio a datblygu sy’n effeithio ar integriti Eryri ac yn cefnogi’n gryf eu gwaith ar y project hwn.

John Harold yw Cyfarwyddwr Gymdeithas Eryri

Corhedydd y waun ● Meadow pipit - Cadair Idris ©Ben Porter

Ben Porter Naturiaethwr a ffotograffydd ● Naturalist and photographer Gwefan: ● Website: www.benporterwildlife.co.uk Twitter - @bardseyben

26 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

A welcome development for the Dwyryd estuary

John Harold

It isn’t often in these pages that we warmly welcome the granting of planning permission!

Even less so when that permission is for a very large-scale construction project. Despite this we are indeed pleased to report that the National Park Authority’s Planning and Access committee has granted planning permission for the building of a tunnel under the Dwyryd estuary to carry high voltage electricity transmission cables. When complete the tunnel will allow National Grid to proceed with the decommissioning and removal of the pylons that stride across the estuary flats; pylons that have blighted the landscape in this corner of the National Park since 1966.

The Snowdonia Society, along with Campaign for National Parks and other organisations have supported and nudged the process along and in particular have contributed to consultations on the National Grid’s Ofgem funded Visual Impact Provision project – the £500m programme to minimise the visual impact of electricity infrastructure in Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National Parks.. The Dwyryd estuary is one of four locations across Wales and England to benefit from the programme.

At a meeting of the National Park Authority’s Planning Committee on 1 July, planning consent was granted for the erection of a tunnel head house located off the A496 to the north of the small settlement of Llandecwyn on the south east of the Dwyryd estuary on the edge of the National Park. This development will enable the National Grid to proceed with plans to underground 3.4km of cabling that currently crosses the estuary overhead.

As the development spans two Planning Authorities, planning permission for a tunnel head house on the western side of

the estuary was determined by the Gwynedd Council Planning Committee later in July. The tunnel itself is not subject to planning permission as it is permitted under the Electricity Act 1947/57.

Work will begin in 2021 and is expected to take five years to complete, with a proportion of the work undertaken by local contractors.

Chris Baines, Chair of the independent Stakeholder Advisory Group that advises the National Grid’s VIP project explained: “I am delighted that following this important decision, we are another step closer to the removal of these power lines. The effect will be transformational, and locals and visitors alike will be able to enjoy the unspoiled splendour of the Dwyryd Estuary for the first time in generations. The project is the culmination of five years of teamwork and consultation between National Grid, local and national stakeholders and crucially the local community."

On behalf of the National Park Authority, the Chair of the Planning Committee, Cllr. Elwyn Edwards said: “While careful consideration must be given to an engineering scheme of this nature in a designated area, we are happy to support this scheme that will ultimately substantially improve the character of the landscape and the visual amenity of the Dwyryd estuary.”

The Snowdonia Society continues to work closely with the National Park Authority on planning and development issues which affect the integrity of Snowdonia and strongly support their work on this project.

John Harold is the Director of the Snowdonia Society

Llyn Cau - Cadair Idris ©Ben Porter

Tynnwyd llawer o'r delweddau yn y rhifyn hwn gan Ben Porter wrth iddo gynnal arolwg o fywyd gwyllt Eryri yn ystod y cyfnod clo. Mae'n werth darllen yr adroddiad isod: Many of the images in this issue were taken by Ben Porter while he was carrying out a survey of wildlife in Snowdonia during lockdown. The report below is well worth reading: www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/welsh-wildlife-duringlockdown-survey-reveals-how-nature-responded

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 27

Nature of Snowdonia - taith Mike Raine Pe bai ffasiwn beth â cherddwr mynydd neu ddringwr nodweddiadol yn bodoli yna credaf na fyddai gwybodaeth, dealltwriaeth nag ymwybyddiaeth amgylcheddol yn uchel ar eu rhestr o flaenoriaethau. Yn amlwg, maen nhw i gyd yn mwynhau crwydro’r mynyddoedd, ond bydd y rhan fwyaf wedi eu hudo gan yr her gorfforol a meddyliol a gysylltir â chrwydro’r bryniau. Dydy hynny ddim yn golygu nad ydyn nhw’n gwerthfawrogi’r amgylchedd, ac mae’r rhan fwyaf yn falch o ddysgu dipyn bach mwy amdano. Yn fy mhrofiad i, fodd bynnag, ychydig o wybodaeth amgylcheddol sydd gan lawer o ymgeiswyr sy’n ymuno â mi ar gyrsiau arweinydd mynydd neu hyfforddwyr mynydda ac roedden nhw hefyd wedi darganfod y mynyddoedd fel cyfrwng ar gyfer heriau corfforol a meddyliol. I fod yn arweinydd mynydd llwyddiannus a chyfrifol maen nhw’n wynebu’r orchwyl anodd o gael gafael ar wybodaeth am yr amgylchedd o ystod o ffynonellau ac mae gormod ohonyn nhw wedi dysgu i ailadrodd ambell i chwedl fynyddig go amheus.

Mae’n debyg mai oherwydd y blodyn tresgl y moch yn fwy na’r un arall y daeth y llyfr yma i fodolaeth. Dywedwyd wrthyf sawl gwaith ar gyrsiau asesu arweinydd mynydd mai aelod o deulu’r blodau ymenyn oedd hwn. Os ydych mewn sefyllfa un-i-un gallwch fynd i’r afael â hyn yn eithaf rhwydd ond, mewn safle o ffug arwain dydy hyn ddim mor hawdd. Gellir dilyn y rhan fwyaf o straeon arweinydd mynydd posib i bwynt lle mae’r ymgeiswyr yn gallu cywiro eu hunain, a gorau oll os bydd hynny’n digwydd cyn iddi fynd yn beryglus. Ond, os yw arweinydd potensial yn troi at grŵp a dweud rhywbeth sy’n anghywir, yna beth ddylai’r asesydd ei wneud? Dydy o ddim yn beth braf dweud wrth bobl eu bod yn anghywir yn syth bin, a hynny o flaen eu cyfoedion. Fodd bynnag, os na fydd y camgymeriadau yma’n cael eu cywiro’n syth yna mae’n bosib iddyn nhw gael eu hailadrodd bedair gwaith, o ystyried bod pedwar ar gwrs asesu arweinydd mynydd a chymryd bod y lleill wedi coelio’r ffaith a’i drosglwyddo.

Yr hyn oedd ei angen oedd ffynhonnell o wybodaeth wedi ei hanelu’n uniongyrchol at y gynulleidfa hon. O ganlyniad i fy nghynnig i helpu gyda hyn cynhyrchwyd Nature of Snowdonia (Gwasg Pesda 2020). Syniad y llyfr hwn oedd dod ag ystod o bethau y gall y darllenwr/cerddwr/dringwr eu gweld ar ddiwrnod nodweddiadol ar y mynydd at ei gilydd. O’r dechrau un doedd Tresgl y moch, a arferai gael ei ddrysu gyda blodau’r ymenyn gan ambell i arweinydd mynydd ●Tormentil, used to be confused with buttercups by some mountain leaders

Mike Raine

hwn ddim yn llyfr am lygad y dydd, y blodyn ymenyn na feillion na’r blodau arctig alpaidd mwy prin. Roedd yn llyfr am dresgl y moch, teim, a chlustog Fair, am rigoliadau, meini crwydr a chen map; y pethau yr ydych yn eu gweld. Mae’n anochel bod dringwyr yn crwydro oddi ar y llwybr amlwg, felly roeddem yn teimlo bod rhyw ymwybyddiaeth o’r planhigion arctig alpaidd mwy prin, yn cynnwys brwynddail y mynydd, yn haeddu ei gynnwys. Ond, mae’r darlun eang yn ymgais i ddangos ac egluro natur pob dydd taith yn ucheldir Eryri, ledled ystod o bynciau.

Cyn hyn byddai angen cyfrolau gwahanol ar arweinyddion ar gyfer adnabod blodau, adar, pryfed, glaswellt, coed, rhedyn, ffwng, mamaliaid, mwsogl, cen, daeareg, daearyddiaeth ac archeoleg heb sôn am ddulliau o amaethu tir mynydd neu chwedlau lleol.

Roedd cludo dwsin neu fwy o lyfrau adnabod erioed yn apelio i’r sawl sy’n hoff o droedio mor ysgafn â phosib ar y mynyddoedd.

Mi oedd hyn felly yn golygu ei bod yn afresymol methu neu ohirio llwyddiant ymgeisydd am beidio â bod yn berchen ar lefel dda, neu hyd yn oed sylfaenol, o wybodaeth.

Fy syniad i oedd tynnu lluniau o bob dim yr oeddwn yn eu gweld ar y mynydd am flwyddyn neu ddwy ac yna eu gosod mewn llyfr.

Dyma, yn ei hanfod, yr argraffiad cyntaf o Nature of Snowdonia.

Fy ngobaith yw ei fod wedi aeddfedu dros y blynyddoedd, wedi dod o hyd i’r gynulleidfa briodol ac yn siarad efo nhw mewn ffordd ddealladwy – does dim allwedd ar gyfer botanegwyr yma! Rydym yn adnabod blodau yn ôl y tymor a’u lliw gyda chyfeiriad at gynefin a maint o fewn y testun. Mae’r ail argraffiad wedi ei ymestyn yn sylweddol, wedi ei ail-ysgrifennu’n eang ac mae ynddo dros 100 o ffotograffau newydd.

Gwybodaeth am y llyfr, ei bris, ac opsiynau dewisol am ei brynu https://www.mikeraine.co.uk/product-page/nature-ofsnowdonia-2nd-edition Mae Mike Raine yn rhan o dîm hyfforddi Plas y Brenin, y Ganolfan Awyr Agored Genedlaethol, ac yn awdur Nature of Snowdonia (Gwasg Pesda 2020.) Gallwch ei ddilyn ar Trydar @mikeraine neu gallwch hoffi ei Blog ar Facebook ‘Notes from the Hill’. Chwiliwch hefyd am ei weithdai Nature of Snowdonia preifat.

28 | 28 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlyneddGwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

Nature of Snowdonia - a journey Mike Raine If there were such a thing as an average hillwalker or climber then I suspect environmental knowledge, understanding and awareness may not be uppermost in their priorities. Clearly, they all enjoy being out in the hills, but most will have been seduced by the physical and mental challenge associated with adventuring in the hills. This is not to say that they don’t appreciate the environment, and most are very receptive to being told a little more about it.

It has however been the case, in my experience, that many candidates joining me on mountain leader and mountaineering instructor courses have presented with limited environmental knowledge and they too had discovered the hills as a medium for physical and mental challenge. To be a successful and responsible mountain leader they face the tricky task of gleaning information about the environment from a range of sources and too many have fallen into repeating some dubious mountain leader myths.

The flower that made the book happen, more than any other, was probably tormentil. I’d been told several times on mountain leader assessment courses that tormentil was a buttercup. Now, if you are in a one-to-one situation you can deal with this quite easily. But, in a mock leadership position it’s a little trickier. Most of a potential mountain leader’s foibles can be followed through to a point whereby they can correct themselves, ideally before it gets too dangerous. But, if a potential leader turns to a group and tells them something incorrect, then what should the assessor do?

It’s not nice telling people they are wrong especially immediately, and in front of, their peers. If, however these mistakes are not corrected immediately then they can be repeated four-fold, given that a mountain leader assessment course typically has four candidates and be taken as true by the other assesses and passed on.

What was needed was a source of information directly aimed at this audience. My attempt to help with this has been the production of Nature of Snowdonia (Pesda Press 2020). The idea of the book was to bring together a range of things that the reader/walker/ climber might see on a typical day out on the hill. Right from the start it wasn’t about daisies, buttercups and clover or about the rarer arctic- alpines. It was a book about tormentil, thyme, and thrift, about striations, erratics and map lichen; the things you Rhigoliadau, sy’n cael eu drysu’n aml gan arweinwyr mynydd gyda phlanau haenu a phlanau hollti ● Striations, often confused with bedding planes and cleavage by mountain leaders

Nature of Snowdonia - Mike Raine

actually see. Inevitably climbers find themselves off the beaten track, so some awareness of the rarer arctic-alpines, including the iconic Snowdon Lily was thought worthy of inclusion. But the broad picture is an attempt to illustrate and explain the everyday nature of a walk in upland Snowdonia, across a range of topics.

Previously leaders would have needed separate volumes on flowers, birds, insects, grasses, trees, ferns, fungi, mammals, mosses, lichens, geology, geography and archaeology to say nothing of the ways of hill farming or the back story of myths and legends. Carrying a dozen or more identification guides has never been something that has appealed to those travelling as light as they can through the hills. This made it a bit unreasonable to fail or defer a candidate for not having what might be considered a good, or even a basic, level of knowledge.

My idea was to take pictures of everything I saw on the hill for a couple of years and then stick it in a book. This, essentially, was the first edition of Nature of Snowdonia. I like to think it has matured over the years, found its audience and speaks to them in an understandable way, no botanist keys here! We identify flowers by season and by colour with a hint towards habitat and size within the text. The second edition is greatly expanded, extensively re-written and has over 100 new photographs.

Book info, price and preferred purchase options https://www. mikeraine.co.uk/product-page/nature-of-snowdonia-2nd-edition Mike Raine is part of the instructional team at Plas y Brenin, the National Outdoor Centre and the author of Nature of Snowdonia (Pesda Press 2020). You can follow him on Twitter @mikeraine or like his Facebook Blog ‘Notes from the Hill’. Look out too, for his private Nature of Snowdonia workshops.

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 29

newyddion trist Teyrnged i Syr John Houghton 1931-2020

A Tribute to Sir John Houghton 1931-2020

Bu farw Is-lywydd Cymdeithas Eryri a’r gwyddonydd hinsawdd byd-enwog Syr John Houghton ym mis Ebrill 2020, yn 88 oed.

Vice president of the Snowdonia Society and worldrenowned climate scientist Sir John Houghton has died, April 2020, at the age of 88.

Roedd yn un o arweinyddion cynnar mwyaf dylanwadol y Panel Rhyng-lywodraethol ar Newid Hinsawdd (IPCC), a sefydlwyd ym 1988 i gynghori llunwyr polisi ar wyddoniaeth newid hinsawdd fyd-eang. Ef oedd prif olygydd tri adroddiad cyntaf yr IPCC a chadeiriodd neu gyd-gadeiriodd bwyllgor asesu gwyddonol y panel. Yn 1997 roedd Syr John ymysg gwyddonwyr yr IPCC a gasglodd Wobr Heddwch Nobel yn Oslo ar ran y corff. Rhannwyd y wobr y flwyddyn honno gyda chyn islywydd yr UD, Al Gore.

He was among the most influential early leaders of the UN’s Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which was set up in 1988 to advise policymakers on the science of global climate change. He was the chief editor for the IPCC’s first three reports and chaired or co-chaired the panel’s scientific assessment committee. In 2007 Sir John was among the IPCC scientists who collected the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on behalf of the organisation, which shared the award that year with former US vice president Al Gore.

Yn gyn Gyfarwyddwr Cyffredinol y Swyddfa Dywydd ac yn ddiweddarach yn Brif Weithredwr, sefydlodd Syr John Ganolfan fyd-enwog Hadley dros Newid Hinsawdd a Gwasanaethau. Fel un o wyddonwyr hinsawdd mwyaf blaenllaw ei genhedlaeth, cyfrannodd yn fawr at ddealltwriaeth achosion ac effeithiau’r cynnydd yn nhymheredd y ddaear.

A former Director General and later Chief Executive of the Met Office, Sir John founded the world -renowned Hadley Centre for Climate Science and Services. As one of the foremost climate scientists of his generation, he contributed greatly to the understanding of the causes and impacts of global temperature rise.

Yn 1972 etholwyd Syr John yn gyfaill y Gymdeithas Frenhinol.

Cafodd ei urddo’n farchog yn 1991, enillodd fedal aur y Gymdeithas Seryddiaeth Frenhinol yn 1995 ac fe’i anrhydeddwyd â Gwobr Siapán yn 2006.

Ganwyd John Houghton i rieni a oedd yn Fedyddwyr pybyr yn Nyserth, gogledd Cymru ac fe’i magwyd yn y Rhyl, lle y datblygodd ei gariad tuag at y môr a’r mynydd. Ei gof pennaf o’i blentyndod oedd harddwch cefn gwlad Eryri a bryniau Clwyd gerllaw. “Fy nghof cryfaf yw fy mod yn hoff iawn o gefn gwlad. Mae’n lle hyfryd a chyn gynted ag oedd gen i feic roeddwn yn mynd ar fy meic i grwydro’r ardal gyfan gyda chyfeillion. Roeddwn i hefyd yn mwynhau teithiau i Eryri i ddringo mynyddoedd.”

Mynychodd Ysgol Ramadeg y Rhyl ac enillodd ysgoloriaeth yn 16 oed i Rydychen. Aeth ymlaen i ddod yn athro ffiseg atmosfferig.

Yn 1997 cynorthwyodd Syr John gyda ffurfio Menter John Ray, elusen addysgiadol a oedd yn canolbwyntio ar gynghroesiad gwyddoniaeth, yr amgylchedd a Christnogaeth. Yn Gristion ymroddedig, ni welai wrthdaro rhwng ei gredoau crefyddol a’i safle fel un o’r unigolion a oedd ar flaen y gad ym maes gwyddoniaeth hinsoddol.

Yn 2007, symudodd Syr John i Aberdyfi. Yn ôl ei wyres, Hannah Malcolm, “cafodd fyw ei flynyddoedd olaf ger y môr yng Nghymru, sef y man, mae’n debyg (heblaw am lusgo pobl i fyny llwybrau amheus ym mynyddoedd Cymru) a garai fwy nag unlle arall.”

Gwahoddwyd Syr John i ddod yn Is-lywydd o’r Gymdeithas gan David Lewis, Cadeirydd Cymdeithas Eryri ar y pryd. Roedd ganddo ddiddordeb yn y Gymdeithas a’i gweithgareddau, mynychodd ein CBC yn y Bermo yn 2010 ac ysgrifennodd erthygl ar newid hinsawdd ar gyfer cylchgrawn y Gymdeithas yng ngaeaf 2010. Ynghyd â David Lewis, helpodd i lunio dull y Gymdeithas o fynd i’r afael â materion newid hinsawdd ac ynni adnewyddadwy.

Yn ymgynghorydd amrhisiadwy i Ganolfan y Dechnoleg Amgen, CAT, ger Machynlleth, cyfrannodd yn hael i CAT yn 2016 i greu Bwrsari blynyddol Syr John Houghton ar gyfer helpu i gefnogi’r genhedlaeth nesaf o fyfyrwyr i archwilio atebion hinsawdd.

Ein cydymdeimlad llwyraf â theulu Syr John a’i ffrindiau oll.

30 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers dros 50 mlynedd

In 1972 Sir John was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. He was knighted in 1991, won the Royal Astronomical Society’s gold medal in 1995 and was honoured with the Japan Prize in 2006.

John Houghton was born to strict Baptist parents in Dyserth North Wales and grew up in Rhyl, where his love for the sea and mountains began. His abiding memory of his childhood is the beauty of the nearby countryside of Snowdonia and the Clwydian hills. “My strongest memory would be that I was very fond of the countryside. It’s a wonderful place and as soon as I got a bicycle I remember I went cycling around exploring the whole area with friends. I also enjoyed trips we made to Snowdonia to climb mountains.”

He attended Rhyl Grammar School and won a scholarship at 16 to Oxford, where he went on to become a professor of atmospheric physics. In 1997 Sir John helped to form the John Ray Initiative, an educational charity focused on the intersection of science, the environment and Christianity. A committed Christian he saw no conflict between his religious beliefs and his position at the vanguard of climate science.

In 2007, Sir John moved to Aberdyfi. His grand daughter, Hannah Malcom, comments “he got to live his final years by the sea in Wales, which was perhaps the place (apart from dragging people up 'shortcuts' on Welsh mountains) that he loved most of all.”

David Lewis, then Chair of the Snowdonia Society, invited Sir John to become a Vice-President of the Society. He took an interest in the Society and its activities, attended our AGM in Barmouth in 2010 and wrote an article on Climate Change for the Society magazine of winter 2010. With Davis Lewis he helped to shape the Society’s approach to climate change and renewable energy issues.

A valued adviser to the Centre for Alternative Energy, CAT, near Machynllech, he made a generous donation to CAT in 2016 to create the annual Sir John Houghton Bursary helping support the next generation of students in exploring climate solutions.

Our deepest condolences to all of Sir John’s friends and family.

sad news Gyda chalon drom nodwn farwolaeth tri o bobl yn ddiweddar a gyfrannodd lawer i fannau arbennig, bywyd a byd natur Eryri a gogledd orllewin Cymru.

With a heavy heart we pass on news of the recent passing of three people who have contributed much to the special places, life and nature of Snowdonia and northwest Wales.

Peter Hope Jones Magwyd Peter Hope Jones ym Mhrestatyn ac aeth i’r coleg ym Mangor i astudio coedwigaeth, lle ymunodd â Grŵp Adar y Brifysgol. Wedi gadael y brifysgol gweithiodd yn yr Wylfa newydd ar Fair Isle ac yna astudiodd ymfudiad adar yn y Camargue. Wedi dychwelyd i Gymru fe’i penodwyd yn warden y Cyngor Gwarchod Natur yn Niwbwrch, ac yn 1965 symudodd Peter i Feirionnydd lle’r oedd yn gyfrifol am y naw Gwarchodfa Natur Genedlaethol.

Yma arweiniodd ei astudiaethau at gyhoeddi Birds of Merioneth ac adroddiad blynyddol cyntaf Birds in Wales. Dychwelodd Peter i Ynys Môn ym 1983 a gweithiodd unwaith eto ar adar môr cyn astudio’r rugiar ddu i’r RSPB, ac yna Cyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru.

Yn ystod y cyfnod hwn ysgrifennydd ei lyfr am Enlli, History of Bardsey. Mi fyddai adara ac adar Cymru gryn dipyn yn dlotach heb waith y dyn mwyaf diymhongar hwn. Yn 2012 fe’i gwobrwywyd â Gwobr Cyrhaeddiad Gydol Oes y Gymdeithas Adara.

Peter Hope Jones Peter Hope Jones was bought up in Prestatyn and went to college at Bangor to study Forestry, where he became involved with the University Bird Group. On leaving university he worked at the new Observatory on Fair Isle and then in the Camargue studying bird migration. On returning to Wales he became the Nature Conservancy’s warden for Newborough Warren, and in 1965 Peter moved to Meirionnydd where he had responsibility for the nine National Nature Reserves. Here his studies led to publication of Birds of Meirioneth and the first annual report on Birds in Wales.

Peter settled back in Anglesey in 1983 and again worked on seabirds before studying Black Grouse for the RSPB, and later the Countryside Council for Wales. During this time he found time to write the History of Bardsey. Ornithology and the birds of Wales would be poorer were it not for the work of this most modest of men. Peter was awarded the Welsh Ornithological Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012.

Joe Brown Lle ddylien ni gychwyn wrth gofio gŵr a oedd yn arloeswr dringo cyfoes ym Mhrydain?

Joe Brown Where to start in remembering a, or perhaps the, pioneer of modern British climbing?

‘… Brown was invited to join Charles Evans’s reconnaissance expedition in 1955 to the 28,169ft Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak and its highest unclimbed one at that time… The climb was far harder, more arduous and committing than the 1953 ascent of Everest. Brown led the final difficult rock pitch to the top, minus four feet, as an undertaking had been given to the King of Nepal not to tread on the actual summit of this holy mountain. His fame thereafter was assured. He followed up this success in 1956 with the first ascent of the Mustagh Tower, a 24,000ft rock spire in the Karakoram.

‘… Brown was invited to join Charles Evans’s reconnaissance expedition in 1955 to the 28,169ft Kanchenjunga, the world’s third highest peak and its highest unclimbed one at that time… The climb was far harder, more arduous and committing than the 1953 ascent of Everest. Brown led the final difficult rock pitch to the top, minus four feet, as an undertaking had been given to the King of Nepal not to tread on the actual summit of this holy mountain. His fame thereafter was assured. He followed up this success in 1956 with the first ascent of the Mustagh Tower, a 24,000ft rock spire in the Karakoram.

By 1956 Brown had established himself as the most considerable all-round mountaineer in the history of the sport in Britain. His first ascents on Pennine, Welsh, Cumbrian and Scottish rock had significantly advanced the concept of the climbable; in the Alps and the Himalayas his record was no less impressive.'

By 1956 Brown had established himself as the most considerable all-round mountaineer in the history of the sport in Britain. His first ascents on Pennine, Welsh, Cumbrian and Scottish rock had significantly advanced the concept of the climbable; in the Alps and the Himalayas his record was no less impressive.'

Dyma ddyfyniad o deyrnged i Joe Brown yn y Guardian gan Jim Perrin: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/joe-brownobituary

Taken from Joe Brown’s obituary in the Guardian, by Jim Perrin: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/apr/21/joe-brownobituary

Rhodri Dafydd Gweithiodd Rhodri i Gyngor Cefn Gwlad Cymru ac yna Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru fel warden Gwarchodfeydd Natur Cenedlaethol Morfa Dyffryn a Morfa Harlech – safleoedd gorau arfordir Eryri.

Bu farw’n ddiweddar yn 41 oed wedi salwch hir – colled aruthrol.

Rhodri Dafydd Rhodri worked for Countryside Council for Wales and latterly Natural Resources Wales as warden of Morfa Dyffryn and Morfa Harlech National Nature Reserves – the jewels of Snowdonia’s coast. He recently passed away after a long illness at the age of just 41 – a tragic loss.

Roedd pawb a oedd wedi cyfarfod Rhodri yn gwybod mor addfwyn, gwybodus a meddylgar yr oedd fel unigolyn. Roedd hefyd yn wir gadwraethwr; roedd yn ei galon. Roedd â gofal mawr a gweithiodd yn ddygn i warchod a meithrin byd natur a’r mannau yr oedd yn eu caru.

Roedd staff a gwirfoddolwyr Cymdeithas Eryri yn ffodus i dreulio amser gyda Rhodri ar sesiynau glanhau’r traeth ym Morfa Harlech a Morfa Dyffryn dros nifer o flynyddoedd. Ein dymuniad yw y gallwn, drwy gyfrwng ein rhaglen o wirfoddoli a hyfforddi, helpu i feithrin mwy o bobl ifanc ar y math o lwybr a oleuwyd gan Rhodri gyda’i enghraifft dawel ac ymroddedig.

Anyone who met Rhodri could see what a gentle, knowledgeable and thoughtful person he was. He was also a true conservationist; it was in his heart. He cared deeply and worked hard to protect and nurture the nature and places that he loved.

Snowdonia Society staff and volunteers were fortunate to spend time with Rhodri on beach cleans at Morfa Harlech and Morfa Dyffryn over a number of years. It is our profound wish that we can, through our programme of volunteering and training, help to nurture more young people on the kind of path which Rhodri illuminated with his quiet and committed example.

Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for over 50 years | 31

Chris Hopwood, Cotswold Outdoor Expert

In partnership with

Betws-y-Coed, Wales

“At home in North Wales, we can just open the door and walk straight into the mountains or straight down to the lakes and rivers. It’s a privilege and it’s one that I maximise. It would be a waste not to make the most of my time in the hills now that they’re just here.”

20% discount

for members of Snowdonia Society Partnership discount is only valid for customers signed up to our free Explore More benefits scheme. Full T&Cs apply. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or discount. Selected lines are exempt. Maximum 10% discount on bikes.

Only valid upon production of your membership identification in-store or use of valid discount code online. Offer expires 31.12.19

You can also use your discount with:

Trusted by our partners since 1974

Stores nationwide | cotswoldoutdoor.com

Let’s go somewhere

Ymaelodwch

Join

www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/cy/ymaelodi

www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/join

 Cymdeithas Eryri - Snowdonia Society, Caban, Yr Hen Ysgol, Brynrefail, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 3NR  01286 685498  info@snowdonia-society.org.uk www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk • www.snowdonia-society.org.uk Elusen gofrestredig rhif • Registered charity no: 1155401