Cylchgrawn Hydref/ Autumn magazine 2018

Dwylo diwyd ● Helping hands Cylchgrawn • Magazine Hydref 2018 • Autumn

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.

Ymaelodwch heddiw! ● Join Today!

Ddim yn aelod?

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

Aelodaeth unigol: £24

www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk Gwirfoddoli Volunteering

Not a member?

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

Individual membership costs £24.

www.snowdonia-society.org.uk Digwyddiadau Events

Llywydd/President: John Lloyd Jones OBE Is-lywyddion/Vice-presidents: Sir John Houghton CBE FRS, Sir Simon Jenkins FSA, Huw Morgan Daniel CVO KStJ, David Firth, Morag McGrath, Katherine Himsworth Cadeirydd/Chair: David Archer Is-gadeirydd/Vice-chair: Margaret Thomas Aelodau’r pwyllgor/Committee members: Netti Collister, Bob Lowe, Gareth Roberts, Peter Weston, Dr Jacob Buis, Paul Gannon, Dr Sarah McCarthy, Julian Pitt, Jane Parry-Evans

R

I FFW

Cylchgronau Magazines

Swyddogion ac Ymddiriedolwyr: Officers and Trustees:

FF*

20% ODD* Gostyngiadau Discounts

Staff:

Cyfarwyddwr/Director: John Harold Swyddog Aelodaeth a Chyfathrebu/ Communications & Membership Officer: Debbie Pritchard Rheolwr Prosiect Ecosystem Eryri/Snowdonia Ecosystem Project Manager: Mary-Kate Jones Swyddogion Prosiect/Project Officers: Owain Thomas & Daniel Goodwin Swyddog Ymgysylltu/Engagement Officer: Claire Holmes Cyfrifydd/Accountant: Judith Bellis

Cymdeithas Eryri the Snowdonia Society Caban, Yr Hen Ysgol, Brynrefail, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL55 3NR  01286 685498  info@snowdonia-society.org.uk Delwedd clawr/Cover image: www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk © Dan Struthers 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 Rob Collister, 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 Rob Collister, 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.

Diwrnod gwaith coed • Llennyrch • Woodland workday © Daniel Goodwin

Cynnwys 4

Golygyddol

5

Dwylo i fyny dros Eryri

8

Dinistrio jac-y-neidiwr

9

Mae angen gwaith cynnal a chadw ar lwybrau

12 Sut allwch chi gael swydd mewn cadwraeth?

13 Adeiladu llwybrau 16 Gweithio gyda gwlybaniaeth 20 Casglu sbwriel ar yr Wyddfa 24 I chi'n unig - digwyddiadau i aelodau 28 Ffarwelio 30 Adolygiad y flwyddyn

Contents 4

Editorial

7

Hands up for Snowdonia

10 Balsam bashing 11 Footpaths need maintenance 14 How do you get a job in conservation?

15 Pitching in on the footpaths 18 Working in the wet 22 A Snowdon litter pick 25 Just for you - member events 28 Saying goodbye 31 Review of the year

Dwylo diwyd

Golygyddol

Editorial

Rob Collister Yn 1967, pan drefnwyd cyfarfod cyhoeddus gan Esmé Kirby ym Metws-y-coed i sefydlu’r hyn a elwir bellach yn Gymdeithas Eryri, trafodwyd nifer o bryderon yn bennaf yn ymwneud â’r nifer o ymwelwyr â’r ardal. Roedd ffermwyr yn flin bod pobl yn gadael eu giatiau’n agored, yn dringo dros eu cloddiau a bod cŵn yn rhedeg ar ôl eu defaid. Cwynodd preswylwyr eraill am sbwriel mewn mannau poblogaidd a safleoedd picnic ar ochr y ffyrdd ac ar gopaon poblogaidd fel yr Wyddfa a Thryfan. Roedd cerddwyr yn cwyno am lwybrau a oedd yn ymledu ac yn erydu o dan bwysau cynyddol ymwelwyr. Mewn adroddiadau blynyddol cynnar cofnodwyd bod aelodau’n casglu sbwriel ym Mwlch Sychnant ac yn gwneud gwaith trwsio ar Lwybr y Mwynwyr ac, ar ôl 1988, adferwyd Tŷ Hyll a’i ardd a rheolwyd y goedlan drwy ymdrechion aelodau. Serch hynny, dim ond ar ôl pen-blwydd y Gymdeithas yn 1992 y dechreuodd timau o wirfoddolwyr fynd i’r afael â rhestr hir o orchwylion megis trwsio llwybrau yn ardal Capel Curig a helpu’r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol i glirio Rhododendron yn Nant Gwynant.

In 1967, when Esmé Kirby called a public meeting in Betws-ycoed to found what is now the Snowdonia Society, a number of concerns were aired mostly to do with the increasing numbers of visitors to the area. Farmers were indignant that their gates were left open, their walls climbed over and their sheep chased by dogs. Other residents complained about litter at roadside viewpoints and picnic places and on popular summits like Snowdon and Tryfan. Walkers complained about footpaths which were rapidly widening and eroding under the pressure of countless feet. Early annual reports record clear-ups at the Sychnant Pass and repair work on the Miners’ Track and, after 1988, Tŷ Hyll was renovated, its garden resurrected and the woodland managed entirely by the efforts of members; but it was not until the Society’s 25th anniversary in 1992 that teams of volunteers began systematically tackling a long list of eyesores, repairing footpaths in the Capel Curig area and helping the National Trust combat Rhododendron in Nant Gwynant.

Dros y blynyddoedd ehangodd y gwaith ac yn gynnar yn y mileniwm newydd, rhoddwyd cydnabyddiaeth i werth y gwaith wrth i Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri ariannu Cydlynydd Gwirfoddolwyr cyntaf Gymdeithas Eryri, Paul Lewis. Yn fuan cynyddodd y nifer o ddyddiau gwaith o un y mis i 32 mewn blwyddyn. Parhawyd a datblygwyd gwaith Paul, gan Bea Kelsall hyd at 2012 ac yna gan Mary-Kate Jones. Mae Mary-Kate yn gyfarwydd gydag ymgeisio am grantiau gan ystod eang o gyfranwyr a bellach mae gan y Gymdeithas Reolwr Project a dau Swyddog Prosiect a gyflwynodd dros 100 diwrnod gwaith y flwyddyn. Erbyn hyn mae ein gwirfoddolwyr yn cynnwys myfyrwyr o Brifysgol Bangor a grwpiau ysgol a choleg sy’n ymgymryd â Gwobr John Muir yn ogystal ag aelodau, sy’n ennill profiad ymarferol neu’n dymuno ‘rhoi rhywbeth yn ôl’.

Over the years this work expanded to the point where, early in the new millennium, the Snowdonia National Park Authority recognised its value by funding the Snowdonia Society’s first Volunteer Coordinator, Paul Lewis. The number of workdays quickly shot up from one a month to 32 in a year. Paul’s work was continued and grown, by Bea Kelsall and when she moved on in 2012 she was succeeded by Mary-Kate Jones. MaryKate has proved herself adept at the time-consuming task of applying for grants from a wide range of donors to the extent that the Society now has a Project Manager and two Project Officers who deliver over 100 workdays per year. These days our volunteers are not only Snowdonia Society members but also students from Bangor University and school and college groups undertaking the John Muir Award, acquiring practical experience or simply ‘giving something back’.

Yn y rhifyn hwn o’r cylchgrawn cewch hanes yr ehangiad hwn yng ngraddfa ac amrywiaeth ein gwaith cadwraeth. Mewn cyfnod lle nad oes ond chwech warden ac un gweithiwr stad cyflogedig gan Barc Cenedlaethol Eryri, diolch i doriadau Llywodraeth Cymru, mae cyfraniad Gymdeithas Eryri wedi dod yn un hanfodol ac mae rôl ein gwirfoddolwyr yn bwysicach nag erioed.

This issue of the magazine charts this major expansion in both the scale and the variety of our conservation work. At a time when, thanks to Welsh Government cutbacks, Snowdonia National Park has only six wardens and one estate worker left still in post, the Snowdonia Society’s contribution has become crucial and the role of our volunteers more valuable than ever before.

CCB

AGM

Nodwch ddyddiad

Please note the date of the

Cyfarfod Cyffredinol Blynyddol

Snowdonia Society 2018

Cymdeithas Eryri 2018

Annual General Meeting

Gweler: www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/cy/ccb2018

See: www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/agm2018

27 Hydref • October 2018 - Coed y Brenin, Dolgellau 4 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

Helping hands

Dwylo i fyny dros Eryri Mary-Kate Jones 67 mlynedd yn ôl, dynodwyd Eryri yn Barc Cenedlaethol, mewn cydnabyddiaeth o’i arwyddocâd cenedlaethol a’r angen i warchod ei rinweddau unigryw ac arbennig. Ers hynny mae tirluniau a bywyd gwyllt llawer o’r DU wedi cael eu niweidio’n ddifrifol a’u dinistrio. Er nad yw Parciau Cenedlaethol wedi dioddef cymaint, mae’r warchodaeth o ganlyniad i’w dynodi wedi arafu a chyfyngu ar yr effeithiau. O ganlyniad, mae rhinweddau arbennig Parciau Cenedlaethol yn fwy gwerthfawr heddiw nag erioed.

Mae tirlun Eryri yn drawiadol ac yn gymhleth. Wedi ei lunio gan rymoedd eithafol, ar un pryd roedd mynyddoedd cyn uched â’r Alpau yn arglwyddiaethu ar yr ardal. Dros 400 miliwn o flynyddoedd mae’r copaon enfawr hynny wedi eu herydu a’u llunio nes creu’r mynyddoedd yr ydym yn eu hadnabod a’u gwerthfawrogi heddiw. Yn agos at y mynyddoedd trawiadol mae arfordir hardd. Mae natur agored y gweundir a’r rhostir yn newid i goedlannau hynafol, rhaeadrau byrlymus a chloddiau cerrig sych ac yn nodi patrymau newidiol ffermio ar y tir. Mae Eryri yn llawn bywyd gwyllt, hanes a straeon. Mae’n arbennig.

Dwylo diwyd Mae tirlun Eryri yn golygu llawer iawn i bob math o bobl, yn cynnwys y bobl rhyfeddol sy’n gwirfoddoli i Gymdeithas Eryri.

Mae ein gwirfoddolwyr yn mwynhau mynyddoedd ac arfordir Eryri ac yn gweithio mewn coedlannau ac ar lannau afonydd

sy’n llawn amrywiaeth bywyd o bob math. Yn rhyfeddol, mae’r gwirfoddolwyr hynny wedi gweithio dros 10,800 o oriau yn y tair blynedd ddiwethaf, ar waith ymarferol i warchod Eryri ac ar hyfforddiant i archwilio a deall ei fywyd gwyllt a’i ecoleg.

Dros y tair blynedd ddiwethaf mae Cymdeithas Eryri wedi trefnu dros 300 o weithdai i wirfoddolwyr, digwyddiadau, cyfleoedd hyfforddi, teithiau tywys a sgyrsiau, fel rhan o waith i bwysleisio pa mor arbennig yw Eryri. Mae ein gwaith yn canolbwyntio ar ddod a phobl yn nes at dirlun, bywyd gwyllt a threftadaeth yr ardal. Mae gwirfoddoli’n cynnig cyfle i ddysgu, archwilio a rhoi rhywbeth yn ôl, ac mae’r gwaith ymarferol yn amrywiol – mae rhywbeth i bawb.

Ers 2015 mae ein gwirfoddolwyr wedi helpu ar dros 70 o ddyddiau gwaith i glirio rhywogaethau ymledol. Mae’r gwaith wedi canolbwyntio’n bennaf ar glirio jac-y-neidiwr a Rhododendron o goedlannau, rhostiroedd a glannau llynnoedd ac afonydd. Ymysg y rhywogaethau eraill yr ydym wedi mynd i’r afael â nhw mae asalea melyn a bambŵ – planhigion eraill sydd wedi dianc o erddi Fictoraidd Eryri. Gobeithio y bydd y gwaith yma’n eu rhwystro rhag gweithredu fel meithrinfeydd ar gyfer rhywogaethau ymledol yn y dyfodol. parhad ...

Wythnos Wirfoddoli, cynnal a chadw llwybrau troed• Nantmor • Volunteer Week, footpath maintenance © Dan Struthers

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 5

Dwylo diwyd

Dwylo i fyny dros Eryri Mary-Kate Jones ... parhad Yn fwy diweddar mae ein gwirfoddolwyr wedi dechrau gweithio ar glirio eginblanhigion conifferau o safleoedd gwlyptir a mawndir pwysig. Meddai Jordan, gwirfoddolwr, am ei brofiad cyntaf o wirfoddoli: “O’n i’n meddwl mod i’n gwybod dipyn am rywogaethau ymledol a’r ffordd maen nhw’n ymledu. Fodd bynnag, rydw i wedi dysgu cymaint mwy wrth fynd i’r Parc Cenedlaethol a gweithio i liniaru eu heffeithiau. Roedd lledaeniad a gwytnwch jac-y-neidiwr a chlymog Japan yn peri syndod arbennig i mi, yn ogystal â maint a graddfa lleiniau o Rhododendron. Dysgais lawer am effeithiau posibl y rhywogaethau hyn ar fy niwrnod cyntaf o glirio Rhododendron.”

Rydym wedi trefnu dros 80 o gyfleoedd hyfforddi ac addysgiadol yn amrywio o deithiau tywys a sgyrsiau i hyfforddiant mwy ffurfiol. O fryoffytau a gwenyn i lyffantod a blodau, mae ein gwirfoddolwyr yn archwilio ac yn darganfod. Meddai Sarah, gwirfoddolwr rheolaidd: “Mae Cymdeithas Eryri’n rhoi cymaint i’w gwirfoddolwyr drwy gynnig cludiant am ddim i’w dyddiau gwaith, digwyddiadau cymdeithasol, a hyfforddiant am ddim mewn amryw o feysydd amgylcheddol. Mae’r cyrsiau hyfforddi yma wedi sbarduno fy niddordeb mewn meysydd megis trapio gwyfynod, arolygu dyfrgwn, ac adnabod coed. Drwy gyfrwng y dyddiau, cefais ddealltwriaeth sylfaenol o bob maes, mewn amgylchedd hamddenol a llawn hwyl.”

Cam pwysig ymlaen i’n rhaglen addysg yw datblygiad ein huned Medrau Cadwraeth Ymarferol, a achredir gan Agored Cymru.

Rhoddwyd peilot o’r cynllun ar waith yn gynnar yn 2017 ac fe gafodd groeso cynnes gan ein gwirfoddolwyr a’n partneriaid.

Mae’r uned achrededig yn ychwanegu cryn werth i waith y gwirfoddolwyr. Wrth gwblhau cyfres o weithdai a llyfr cofnodi syml, gellir cydnabod eu gwaith a’u dysgu gyda thystysgrif achrededig. I lawer, mae’r gydnabyddiaeth ffurfiol hon o fedrau ymarferol yn darparu ychwanegiad gwerthfawr i’w CV a hwb i’w hymdrechion i gael eu cyflogi.

Mae dros 40 o ddyddiau gwaith ar lwybrau a chasglu sbwriel wedi digwydd yn ystod y tair blynedd ddiwethaf: ar yr Wyddfa, o amgylch Llwybr Llechi Eryri, ar hyd Lôn Gwyrfai ac yn Nant

Ffrancon. Un eitem a gasglwyd ar un o’r dyddiau gwaith yma oedd papur lapio bar Mars a gafwyd mewn carn ar lwybr Watkin.

Roedd hwn mewn cyflwr perffaith ar ôl 25 mlynedd ac arno roedd cynnig i ennill tocynnau i gemau Olympaidd 1992! Mae sesiynau casglu sbwriel hefyd wedi digwydd ar hyd glannau afonydd a thraethau ledled Eryri.

Dwylo gyda’i gilydd Mae gweithio mewn partneriaeth yn allweddol i gryfder ein rhaglen wirfoddoli dros gadwraeth. Wrth gydweithio rydym yn sicrhau bod ein gwirfoddolwyr yn gwneud gwir wahaniaeth.

Gyda thoriadau ariannol yn parhau i ddigwydd ledled y sector cadwraeth a’r ansicrwydd a ddaw gyda Brexit, mae gweithio’n effeithiol mewn partneriaeth yn bwysicach nag erioed i gadwraeth.

Boed hynny ar y ddaear yn un o’r llu o fannau arbennig yn Eryri, neu ar lefel strategol yn un o sawl partneriaeth yr ydym wedi ymrwymo iddi, mae ein gwaith mewn partneriaeth yn symud ymlaen. Mae Partneriaeth yr Wyddfa’n dod â’r cyrff a’r tirfeddianwyr sy’n gyfrifol am reolaeth y mynydd o ddydd i ddydd ynghyd. Mae Partneriaeth Tirlun y Carneddau’n datblygu project pwysig i wella gwybodaeth a dealltwriaeth am y rhan hon o’r Parc Cenedlaethol. Mae ein gwaith yn Fforwm Eryri’n helpu i lunio’r cynllun rheolaeth dros Eryri. Ym mhob un o’r achosion yma bydd gan ein gwirfoddolwyr ran bwysig wrth i ni helpu i warchod Eryri.

Diolch enfawr felly i holl wirfoddolwyr, ymddiriedolwyr, staff a phartneriaid Cymdeithas Eryri, sydd wedi helpu i sicrhau llwyddiant y tair blynedd ddiwethaf.

Os hoffech gymryd rhan ymarferol yn ein gwaith neu’n hyfforddiant byddem wrth ein bodd yn clywed oddi wrthych.

Mary-Kate yw Rheolwraig Brosiect Ecosystem Eryri i Gymdeithas Eryri

Gyda diolch i'n hariannwyr • With thanks to our funders:

6 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

Helping hands

Hands up for Snowdonia Mary-Kate Jones For 67 years, Snowdonia has been designated as a National Park, in recognition of its national significance and the need to protect its unique and special qualities. Since that time the landscapes and wildlife of much of the UK have suffered serious damage and destruction. Whilst National Parks have not been spared, the protection which comes from their designation has slowed and limited the impacts. As a consequence, the special qualities of National Parks are more precious today than ever.

The landscape of Snowdonia is striking, compact and complex.

Extreme forces have shaped it with mountains as high as the Alps once dominating it. Over 400 million years those immense peaks have been eroded and shaped into the summits we know and love today. Beautiful coastlines are in close proximity to towering mountains. The wild openness of moors and heaths transform into ancient woodlands, cascading waterfalls and dry-stone walls which mark the changing patterns of farming on the land. Snowdonia is steeped in wildlife, history and stories. It is special.

Helping hands The landscape of Snowdonia captures the hearts and imaginations of many, including the amazing people who volunteer for the Snowdonia Society. Our volunteers enjoy first-hand the majestic beauty of Snowdonia’s mountains and coastline and experience the woodlands and rivers brimming over with such varied and unexpected richness of life. Remarkably, those volunteers have worked over 10,800 hours in the last three years, on practical work to protect Snowdonia and on training to explore and understand its wildlife and ecology.

Over the last three years the Snowdonia Society has organised well over 300 volunteer workdays, events, training opportunities, walks and talks, as part of work to emphasise just how special Snowdonia is. Our work focuses on bringing people closer to the landscape, wildlife and heritage of the area. Volunteering offers an opportunity to learn, explore and give something back. Practical work is varied and there really is something for everyone.

Since 2015 our volunteers have lent a helping hand on more than 70 invasive species workdays. The work has mainly focused on clearing Himalayan balsam and Rhododendron from woodlands, heaths and the margins of lakes and rivers. Less high profile species we have tackled include yellow azalea and bamboo - more escapees from Victorian gardens in Snowdonia - hopefully preventing them from acting as a reservoir of invasive species in the future.

More recently our volunteers have begun work on clearing invading conifer saplings from important wetland and peatland sites.

Jordan, a volunteer, spoke of his first experience of volunteering.

“I thought I had a decent understanding of invasive species and the way that they spread. However, I have learned so much more from going into the National Park and actually working to mitigate their impacts. The spread and resilience of Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed was particularly surprising, as well as the size and scale of Rhododendron infestations. My first work day of Rhododendron removal taught me a lot about the impact these species can have.”

We have arranged over 80 training and educational opportunities ranging from walks and talks to more formal training. From bryophytes and bees to frogs and flowers, our volunteers explore and discover. Sarah, a regular volunteer said “The Snowdonia Society give back so much to their volunteers through free transport to workdays, social events, and free training in a variety of environmental topics. These training courses have sparked my interest in topics such as moth trapping, otter surveying, and tree identification. The days enabled me to gain a foundation understanding of each topic, in a fun and relaxed environment.”

A major step forward for our education programme is the development of our Practical Conservation Skills unit, accredited

by Agored Cymru. This unit piloted in early 2017 and has been warmly received by our volunteers and partners. The accredited unit adds considerable value to the work that volunteers put in.

By completing a set of workdays and a simple logbook, their work and learning can be recognised with an accredited certificate. For many this formal recognition of practical skills provides a valuable addition to their CV and a boost to employability.

Over 40 footpath and litter picking workdays have taken place over the past three year period: on Snowdon, around the Snowdonia Slate trail, along Lôn Gwyrfai and in Nant Ffrancon. A notable find on one of these workdays was a Mars bar wrapper which was found hidden in a cairn on the Watkin path. This wrapper – worryingly still in perfect condition after 25 years – offered the finder the chance to win tickets to the 1992 Olympic games! Litter clean-ups have also taken place along rivers and beaches around Snowdonia.

Many hands Partnership working is key to the strength of our volunteer conservation programme. By working in partnership we ensure that our volunteers really make a difference. With funding cuts continuing across the conservation sector and the uncertainty which comes with Brexit, effective partnership working is more important to conservation than ever before.

Whether it is on the ground in one of Snowdonia’s many special places, or at the strategic level in one of several partnerships we are committed to, our work in partnership is moving forward.

The Snowdon Partnership brings together the organisations and landowners that are responsible for day-to- day management of the mountain. The Carneddau Landscape Partnership is developing a major project to improve knowledge and understanding of this part of the National Park. Our work in Fforwm Snowdonia is helping to shape the management plan for Snowdonia. In all these cases our volunteers will have a key role to play as we help to look after Snowdonia.

A big thank you goes out to all the Snowdonia Society volunteers, trustees, staff and partners who have helped to make the last three years such a success.

If you would like to get hands-on with any of our work or training we’d love to hear from you.

Mary-Kate is the Snowdonia Ecosystem Project Manager for the Snowdonia Society

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 7

Dwylo diwyd

Dinistrio jac-y-neidiwr Owain Thomas

Dinistrio jac-y-neidiwr • Waunfawr • Balsam bashing © Cymdeithas Eryri • Snowdonia Society

Dros y ddeng mlynedd ddiwethaf mae Cymdeithas Eryri wedi cymryd rhan flaenllaw mewn ymdrechion i reoli un o rywogaethau ymledol anfrodorol mwyaf eang ei dosbarthiad yn y DU, jac-y-neidiwr. Mae’r planhigyn hwn, sydd wedi ymledu’n eang ar hyd llawer o ddyfrffyrdd ein Parc Cenedlaethol, wedi gorchuddio rhai ardaloedd mor llwyr fel ei fod mwy nau lai’n amhosibl gweld dyfodol hebddo – bron iawn.

Yn ystod y ddegawd ddiwethaf rhoddwyd un o’n projectau mwyaf ar waith mewn partneriaeth ag Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri (APCE) ac Ymddiriedolaeth Byd Natur Gogledd Cymru (YBNGC). Wedi ei leoli’n y Bala, mae’r project ar gyfer gwirfoddolwyr wedi cydweithio’n agos gydag wardeniaid APCE i glirio jac-y-neidiwr o Lyn Tegid a’i is-afonydd lu. Ymysg yr afonydd sy’n bwydo’r llyn mae’r afon Ddyfrdwy, Ceunant Cyffdy, Llafar, Lliw, Tryweryn a Thwrch.

Pan gychwynnodd y project byddech wedi gweld glannau Llyn Tegid wedi eu gorchuddio gyda phinc a phorffor blodau’r jac-y-neidiwr drwy gydol yr haf. Oherwydd y môr o liw, canolbwyntiodd ein gwirfoddolwyr i ddechrau ar lannau’r llyn er mwyn gweld be fyddai’n bosibl ei sicrhau.

Dros y blynyddoedd rydym wedi gwella ein dulliau fel bod modd i ni glirio cymaint o’r planhigyn â phosibl. Un o’r newidiadau a wnaed yn gynnar iawn oedd cychwyn ar ben uchaf is-afon a’i dilyn i lawr at lannau’r llyn. Wrth glirio fel hyn dydyn ni ddim yn brwydro’n erbyn llif hadau newydd yn dod i lawr yr afon; yn hytrach rydym yn cychwyn o ffynhonnell y broblem ac yn gweithio’n ffordd i lawr gyda’r lli. Defnyddir llawer techneg i glirio jac-y-neidiwr, ond i ni yr hen ddull o dynnu â llaw sydd wedi sicrhau’r canlyniadau gorau.

Diolch i waith ac ymroddiad y wardeniaid lleol a’n gwirfoddolwyr dydy’r golygfeydd pinc ddim i’w gweld y dyddiau yma. Heddiw fe gewch gryn broblem dod o hyd i fwy na nag un neu ddau o leiniau o’r planhigyn yn dal i dyfu’n yr ardal. O ganlyniad i’r llwyddiant hwn rydym wedi gallu lleihau’r nifer o ymweliadau gwaredu jac-y-neidiwr. Cyn lleied â thri haf yn ôl roeddem yn gallu llenwi

ein rhaglen waith i wirfoddolwyr gyda dyddiau gwaith lladd jacy-neidiwr yn y Bala; yn 2018 does ond angen pedwar diwrnod arnom.

Un o uchafbwyntiau’r ddegawd ddiwethaf yw’r digwyddiad blynyddol Diwrnod Mawr y Ddyfrdwy. Dyma un o lawer o ddigwyddiadau i wirfoddolwyr a drefnir gan Ymddiriedolaeth Byd Natur Gogledd Cymru ar lannau’r afon Ddyfrdwy fel rhan o’u project Rhywogaethau Ymledol Anfrodorol y Ddyfrdwy. I ni mae’r digwyddiad yn gyfle i gydweithio ochr yn ochr â grwpiau a chyrff gwirfoddol gwahanol, i gyd fel un tîm. Dros y cyfnod 2014 i 2016 canolbwyntiwyd ein hymdrechion ar gymerau’r afon Tryweryn a’r Ddyfrdwy wrth i’r Ddyfrdwy lifo tua’r gogledd o Lyn Tegid. Mae pob un planhigyn a gesglir cyn hadu’n lleihau’r nifer o hadau yn afon Dyfrdwy ac mae hyn yn helpu i warchod 110 cilometr o lannau afon.

Diwrnod gwaith gwirfoddoli, staff ac ymddiriedolwyr • Volunteer workday, staff and trustees © Cymdeithas Eryri • Snowdonia Society

Mae llwyddiant ein gwaith yn y Bala wedi’n hannog i edrych ar ardaloedd eraill yn y Parc Cenedlaethol ac i ofyn sut allwn ni wneud mwy.

Un ffordd y gallwn helpu i wella rheolaeth jac-y-neidiwr yw drwy annog grwpiau lleol a hyd yn oed unigolion i weithredu eu hunain a chymryd cyfrifoldeb am fynd i’r afael ag o yn eu hardal leol. Eleni rydym wedi dechrau datblygu pecyn o gefnogaeth ac adnoddau ar gyfer cymunedau lleol sy’n mynd i’r afael â phlanhigion ymledol. Daw’r gefnogaeth hon mewn sawl ffurf: darparu cyngor, sgyrsiau mewn neuaddau pentref, a help gyda chynlluniau gweithredu a chyhoeddusrwydd. Hyd yma rydym wedi cysylltu gyda grwpiau ac unigolion yn Nhregarth, Llanberis, Capel Curig,

8 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

Helping hands Dyffryn Conwy, Nebo, Corwen ac, wrth gwrs, y Bala.

Lle bo hynny’n briodol byddwn yn darparu cefnogaeth ymarferol gyda’r gwaith yn cynnwys mapio’r broblem, trefnu dyddiau gwaith i wirfoddolwyr er mwyn annog cefnogaeth leol, darparu offer a beth bynnag arall sydd ei angen ar grwpiau i gychwyn ar y gwaith a gwneud gwahaniaeth.

Rydym yn gweithio gyda Chyfeillion y Ddaear Conwy a grŵp newydd yn Nhregarth ac yn edrych ymlaen at eu helpu i sefydlu eu projectau eu hunain yr haf hwn.

Wrth ganolbwyntio ar eu nentydd a’u hafonydd lleol yn ogystal â mannau lle mae’r jac-y-neidiwr yn ffynnu, bydd y grwpiau’n cydweithio fel cymuned i fynd i’r afael â’r broblem. Gobeithiwn y bydd datblygu projectau fel hwn yn annog pentrefi a chymunedau cyfagos i gydweithio gyda’r nod o glirio dalgylch afon gyfan yn y pen draw.

Rydym eisoes yn cydweithio gydag Antur Waunfawr, yn mynd i’r afael â jac-y-neidiwr sy’n effeithio ar nentydd sy’n llifo drwy Waunfawr i’r afon Gwyrfai, afon bwysig sy’n ymestyn o Lyn Cwellyn i’r arfordir yn Y Foryd. Credwn y bydd sicrhau cydweithio rhwng Cymdeithas Eryri ac Antur Waunfawr yn gwella’r siawns o sicrhau grŵp cymunedol lleol cryf a pharhaol.

Yn ogystal â gweithio ochr yn ochr â chymunedau lleol rydym yn datblygu taflenni gwybodaeth ac adnoddau ar y we i ysbrydoli, cyflenwi gwybodaeth ac arwain gweithredu lleol effeithiol. Bydd y daflen yn darparu arweiniad i ddechreuwyr am jac-y-neidiwr ac yn gweithredu fel man cyswllt cyntaf i unrhyw un sy’n dymuno cymryd rhan.

Bydd hefyd yn helpu grwpiau i hysbysebu eu gwaith ac addysgu eraill yn eu cymuned. Bydd adnoddau’r we yn rhoi mwy o arweiniad am y planhigyn, manylion ynglŷn â sut i gymryd rhan a gwybodaeth am ein gwaith mewn partneriaeth â chymunedau lleol. Bydd yr adnoddau hyn ar gael mewn da bryd cyn tymor 2019.

Os oes gennych chi ddiddordeb mewn cymryd rhan mewn unrhyw ffordd cofiwch gysylltu:

Jac-y-neidiwr • Himalayan balsam © Daniel Goodwin

owain@snowdonia-society.org.uk Owain Thomas yw Swyddog Brosiect Ecosystem Eryri i Gymdeithas Eryri.

Mae angen gwaith cynnal a chadw ar lwybrau!

Helen Pye Un o’r materion sy’n effeithio fwyaf ar fynyddoedd Eryri yw’r erydu cynyddol o ganlyniad i’r nifer fawr o gerddwyr. Rydym yn parhau i weld cynnydd blynyddol yn y nifer o gerddwyr, sydd yn beth gwych mewn un ffordd. Mae gan amgylchedd naturiol Eryri ran bwysig i’w chwarae mewn gwella iechyd meddyliol a chorfforol pobl. Ar y llaw arall, mae’r erydu sylweddol sy’n digwydd oherwydd bod cymaint yn cerdded yn her enfawr i’w rheoli. Rydym hefyd wedi sylwi bod y nifer cynyddol o stormydd difrifol yn creu pwysau ychwanegol a difrod eang i lwybrau.

Mae tair elfen bwysig i allu rheoli effaith erydiad. Yn gyntaf, ariannu, adnoddau a medrau ar gyfer gwaith trwsio a gwella. Yn ail, cynllunio da er mwyn sicrhau bod pobl yn aros ar y llwybr a bod llwybrau’n toddi i’r tirlun. Yn drydydd, ac yn bwysicach na’r ddau arall, gwaith cynnal a chadw.

Dyma lle mae gan y gwaith partneriaeth rhwng Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri a Chymdeithas Eryri ran arwyddocaol i’w chwarae. Fe allwn wario miliynau ar drwsio a gwella llwybrau’r ucheldir yn Eryri, ond heb drefn cynnal a chadw da waeth i chi daflu arian i lawr y draen (neu’r ffos!).

Yn drist, yn gyffredinol dyma’r elfen sy’n cael ei hesgeuluso amlaf ac sy’n denu’r swm lleiaf o ariannu ac adnoddau. Yma yn Eryri, fodd bynnag, mae gennym ddull arbennig o weithio mewn partneriaeth er mwyn mynd i’r afael â chynnal a chadw llwybrau. Mae Cymdeithas Eryri yn rhoi cryn dipyn o ymdrech ac ynni i’r broses o drefnu dyddiau cynnal a chadw llwybrau, denu gwirfoddolwyr a threfnu holl elfennau’r sesiynau. Yn aml un o Wardeniaid y Parc Cenedlaethol fydd yn arwain y diwrnod gan ddefnyddio eu gwybodaeth ynglŷn â lle y dylid canolbwyntio’r gwaith ac ar beth.

Gyda grŵp o oddeutu deg o wirfoddolwyr mae’n wirioneddol drawiadol faint o waith gaiff ei gwblhau mewn diwrnod. Mae clirio traws-ddraeniau, draeniau ochr a ffosydd yn arbennig o werthfawr. Pan fydd y rhain yn llawn cerrig a phridd, bydd dŵr yn dechrau treiddio ar draws ac ar hyd y llwybr ac mae’n anhygoel mor gyflym y gall glaw beri difrod sylweddol i lwybrau a luniwyd yn ofalus.

Gobeithiwn y bydd y gwaith cynnal a chadw hwn mewn partneriaeth yn parhau i gynyddu ac ehangu i’r dyfodol. Gorau po fwyaf o wirfoddolwyr a ddaw i’n helpu gyda’r gwaith hynod o werthfawr hwn. Ac os ydych chi’n cerdded yn y mynyddoedd ac yn digwydd gweld ffos wedi ei chau, mae croeso i chi ei chlirio – mae pob cyfraniad yn wirioneddol helpu!

Gan Helen Pye, Rheolwr Partneriaethau’r Parc Cenedlaethol

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years |99

Dwylo diwyd

Bashing the balsam Owain Thomas Jac-y-neidiwr yn blodeuo • Himalayan balsam in bloom © Owain Thomas

Over the past ten years the Snowdonia Society has been heavily involved in efforts to control one of the United Kingdom’s most widespread non-native invasive species, Himalayan balsam. This plant has spread widely along many of the waterways of our National Park and has covered some areas to such an extent that it is almost impossible to see a future without it - almost.

During the past decade one of our largest projects has been in partnership with the Snowdonia National Park Authority (SNPA) and North Wales Wildlife Trust (NWWT). Situated in Bala, this project has seen our volunteers work closely with SNPA wardens to remove Himalayan balsam from Llyn Tegid and its many tributaries. The rivers which feed the lake include the rivers Dyfrdwy (Dee), Ceunant Cyffdy, Llafar, Lliw, Tryweryn and Twrch.

When the project began you could expect to see the banks of Llyn Tegid covered in the pink and purple of Himalayan balsam throughout the summer months. This wall of colour meant that to begin with our volunteers focused on the banks of the lake to see what could be achieved.

Over the years we refined our methods so that we could remove the plant as efficiently as possible. One of the changes we made early on was to start at the top of a tributary and work our way down to the lakeside. Clearing areas this way meant that we were no longer fighting the flow of new seeds coming down from the top; instead we were starting from the source of the problem and working our way downstream. There are many techniques used to control Himalayan balsam, but for us the tried and tested hand pulling method has yielded the best results.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the local wardens and our volunteers those pink views are now a thing of the past. Today you will struggle to find more than a couple of small pockets of the plant still growing in the area. As a result of this success we have been able to reduce the number of balsam-bashing visits. As little as three summers ago we were able to fill the volunteering programme with Himalayan balsam workdays in Bala; in 2018 we need only four days.

One of the highlights of the past decade has been the annual Big Dee Day event. This is one of many volunteer events organised by the North Wales Wildlife Trust along the Dyfrdwy as part of their Dee Invasive Non-Native Species project. For us the event is an opportunity to work alongside different volunteer groups and organisations, all as one team. Over the period 2014 to 2016 we focused our efforts on where the Tryweryn meets the Dyfrdwy as it heads north out of Llyn Tegid. Every single plant collected before seeding reduces the number of seeds in the Dyfrdwy helping to protect 110 kilometres of river bank.

The success of our work in Bala has pushed us to look at other areas of the National Park and to ask how we can do more.

One way that we can help improve balsam control more widely is by encouraging local groups and even individuals to take action themselves and take responsibility for dealing with it on their doorstep. This year we have begun to develop a package of support and resources for local communities and individuals

10 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

tackling invasive plants. This support takes a number of forms: providing advice, talks in village halls, help with action plans and publicity. So far we have made contact with groups and individuals in Tregarth, Llanberis, Capel Curig, Dyffryn Conwy, Nebo, Corwen and of course Bala. Where appropriate we will provide practical support with the work including mapping the problem, organising volunteer workdays to generate local support, providing equipment and whatever else will help a group to get started and make a difference.

We are working with Friends of the Earth Conwy and a new group in Tregarth and are looking forward to helping them kickstart their own projects this summer. Focusing on their local

Helping hands

streams and rivers as well as known Himalayan balsam hotspots, the groups will work together as a community to tackle the problem. Developing projects like this will hopefully prompt neighbouring villages and communities to work together with the goal of eventually clearing a whole river catchment.

We are already working with Antur Waunfawr, tackling the Himalayan balsam which affects streams that work their way down through Waunfawr to the river Gwyrfai, an important river which extends from Llyn Cwellyn to the coast at Y Foryd. We believe that having Snowdonia Society and Antur Waunfawr working in partnership improves the chances of a strong and lasting local community group.

Footpaths need maintenance!

Helen Pye One of the biggest issues we have on Snowdonia’s mountains is the increasing erosion created by walkers. We continue to see an annual increase in the number of walkers which in one sense is fantastic - the natural environment of Snowdonia has a huge part to play in improving people’s mental and physical health. On the other hand the significant erosion caused by this ever-increasing footfall is an incredible challenge to manage. We’ve also noticed that the increasing incidence of severe storm events is creating additional pressure and widespread damage to paths.

As well as working alongside local communities we are developing information leaflets and web resources to inspire, inform and guide effective local action. The leaflet will provide a beginner’s guide to Himalayan balsam and serve as a first point of contact for anyone wishing to get involved. It will also help groups to advertise their work and inform others in their community. The web resources will give a more in-depth guide to the plant, details on how to get involved and information on our work in partnership with local communities. These resources will be in place in time for the 2019 season.

There are three important elements to being able to manage the impact of erosion. Firstly, funding, resources and skills for repairs and improvements. Secondly, good design to ensure that people stay on the path and that paths blend into the landscape. Thirdly, and most importantly, maintenance.

If you are interested in getting involved in any way then please do get in touch by contacting:

Sadly, in general this is the element that most frequently gets neglected and attracts the least amount of funding and resource.

Here in Snowdonia, though, we have a great partnership approach to the maintenance of paths. Snowdonia Society puts a huge amount of effort and energy into organising footpath maintenance days, attracting volunteers and organising logistics.

Often a National Park Warden will lead the day using their knowledge of where and what should be the main focus of the work.

owain@snowdonia-society.org.uk Owain Thomas is the Snowdonia Ecosystem Project Officer for the Snowdonia Society

Planhigyn ifanc jac-y-neidiwr • Himalayan balsam young plant © Dan Goodwin

This is where the partnership work between the Snowdonia National Park Authority and Snowdonia Society has a significant part to play. We could spend millions on the repair and improvement of upland paths in Snowdonia, but without a good maintenance regime you might as well be throwing money down the drain (or culvert!).

With a group of ten or so volunteers it really is impressive the amount of work that can be completed in a day. Of particular value is the clearing of cross-drains, side drains and culverts.

When these get blocked water will begin to find its own way across and along the path and it is incredible how quickly upland rainfall can cause considerable damage to carefully crafted paths.

We hope that this partnership maintenance work continues to increase and expand into the future. The more volunteers the better in this extremely valuable work. And if you’re ever walking in the mountains and happen to see a blocked drain, do please feel free to clear it, every little really does help!

By Helen Pye, National Park Partnerships Manager

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years |11 11

Dwylo diwyd

Sut allwch chi gael swydd mewn cadwraeth?

Daniel Goodwin

Diwrnod gwaith llwybr troed • Pyg• Footpath workday

Mae gweithio yn y sector cadwraeth yn rhywbeth sy’n apelio i lawer a pham lai? Dyma gyfle i weithio mewn rhai o ardaloedd unigryw a harddaf y wlad tra’n gwneud rhywbeth diffuant a gwerth chweil. Does dim syndod felly bod y sector gwaith hon yn hynod o gystadleuol gyda llawer o ymgeiswyr yn cystadlu am yr un swydd. Mae’r angen i fod yn wahanol i’r lleill yn holl bresennol.

Mae’r gystadleuaeth hon am swyddi wedi cynyddu fwyfwy yn y blynyddoedd diweddar o ganlyniad i doriadau yn yr arian i gyrff llywodraethol. Fodd bynnag, mae buddion y swydd a’r angen am gadwraethwyr hyfforddedig yn parhau. Felly sut mae unrhyw un yn sicrhau swydd mewn maes mor gystadleuol? Dyna fy nghwestiwn i fi fy hun wrth adael y brifysgol gyda gradd mewn Cadwraeth Cefn Gwlad. Yr ateb i mi oedd gwirfoddoli.

Ni ellir pwysleisio digon yr angen am waith gwirfoddol gan fod llawer o gyflogwyr yn rhestru profiad ymarferol fel rhan hanfodol o unrhyw gais am swydd. Fe all hyn arwain at sefyllfa lle mae unigolion yn methu â chael y profiad angenrheidiol i sicrhau swydd y mae angen profiad arni. Mae gwirfoddoli’n rhan o ddianc o’r cylch diddiwedd hwn. Yn y sector gwaith hwn nid yw gradd yn ddigon i gychwyn gyrfa.

Mae Cymdeithas Eryri, yn fwy nag erioed o’r blaen, yn darparu cyfleoedd ar gyfer y sawl sy’n dymuno cau’r bwlch rhwng addysg a chyflogaeth. Fel rhan o’i dathliadau 50 mlynedd aeth Cymdeithas Eryri gam ymhellach a lansio Uned Medrau Cadwraeth Ymarferol.

Mae’r uned yn mynd i’r afael yn ymarferol â medrau y bydd cyflogwr yn chwilio amdanyn nhw, yn darparu cyfle i bobl sy’n cymryd rhan weithio gyda gwahanol gelfi mewn amrywiaeth o

12 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

gynefinoedd, profi ymarfer gweithio diogel, cwblhau asesiadau risg a dysgu am yr heriau sy’n wynebu Eryri.

Er bod cyfleoedd hyfforddi wedi bod yn ran creiddiol o’r hyn a gynigir gan Gymdeithas Eryri ers blynyddoedd (codi cloddiau sych, cyrsiau adnabod, ayyb), mae achredu’n golygu bod safon benodol wedi ei hateb, ac fe all cyflogwyr gydnabod hyn fel cyrhaeddiad gwerth chweil.

Wrth gwblhau’r cwrs, fe gewch eich achredu ac fe gewch lenwi’r bylchau yn eich CD wrth wneud rhywbeth gwerth chweil ac archwilio rhai mannau hardd a difyr. Mae llawer o’r myfyrwyr sy’n astudio graddau sy’n seiliedig ar gefn gwlad/yr amgylchedd ym Mhrifysgol Bangor yn raddol dod i ddeall hyn.

Roeddwn yn ddigon ffodus o gael fy newis i gymryd rhan yn y cynllun peilot ar gychwyn 2017. Er fod gen i radd eisoes a fy mod wedi gwirfoddoli i’r Gymdeithas a llawer o’i phartneriaid cadwraeth, roedd amcanion yr uned a’r ffaith ei fod wedi ei achredu’n apelio’n fawr ataf.

Mae’r uned yn cynnwys cwblhau pedwar gweithgaredd gwahanol, yn aml ar safleoedd gwahanol ac mewn partneriaeth â gwahanol gyrff cadwraeth (Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri, Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol, Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, Coed Cadw neu Ymddiriedolaeth Byd Natur Gogledd Cymru).

Felly, ar bob diwrnod gwaith mae potensial o allu gweithio gydag unigolion sydd yn hynod o brofiadol ac yn wybodus yn eu maes, megis warden y Parc Cenedlaethol sy’n arbenigo mewn rheoli rhywogaethau ymledol, neu Warden yr Ymddiriedolaeth

Helping hands Genedlaethol sy’n arbenigo mewn cynnal llwybrau. Yr amrywiaeth hon o brofiad sy’n hynod o ddefnyddiol wrth chwilio am gyflogaeth.

Adeiladu llwybrau

Roedd fy mhedwar diwrnod yn cynnwys dosbarth cynnal offer, clirio Rhododendron, plannu coed a glanhau traeth.

Ar y diwrnod cynnal offer dysgais bod modd i gelfi barhau am oes wrth dderbyn gofal priodol a chael eu cadw’n briodol; hefyd bod perfformiad y celfi hyn yn gallu parhau mwy neu lai’r un fath am byth os byddan nhw’n cael eu hogi’n rheolaidd.

Ned Feesey

Ar y diwrnod Rhododendron cefais gipolwg ar brojectau tymor hir y Gymdeithas. Mae’r Gymdeithas wedi bod yn mynd yn ôl dro ar ôl tro i’r Hostel Ieuenctid yn Nant Gwynant i sicrhau cynnydd yn y frwydr yn erbyn y rhywogaeth hynod o ymledol hon.

Wrth blannu coed cefais gymryd rhan mewn gweithgaredd a fyddai’n gwneud argraff positif ar y tirlun yn y blynyddoedd i ddod a bod yn rhan o’r project parhaus i gynyddu arwynebedd coedlannau Cymru. Roedd hyn hefyd yn gyfle i weithio ochr yn ochr â Swyddog Coedlannau Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri sy’n hynod o wybodus am ffactorau sy’n effeithio ar dyfiant a goroesiad coed.

Tra’n glanhau’r traeth gwelais gwir raddfa’r mater o ficro blastig yn ein cefnforoedd ond hefyd pwysleisiwyd gwerth gwirfoddolwyr gweithgar er mwyn gwneud gwahaniaeth.

Ar ôl cwblhau’r uned rydw i’n ymwybodol iawn mor ddefnyddiol yw’r cwrs o ran ehangu fy ngwybodaeth a’m dealltwriaeth yn ogystal â’m cyflwyno i fedrau newydd a chynyddu fy siawns o sicrhau cyflogaeth. Gan fod yr uned yn cael ei hasesu drwy wylio pobl allan yn y maes a thrwy gyfrwng llyfr gwaith personol dros y pedwar diwrnod mae’r elfen ymarferol yn parhau i fod wrth wraidd y profiad a dydy’r sawl sy’n cymryd rhan ddim yn cael eu boddi gan waith papur.

Erbyn hyn rydw i’n Swyddog Project gyda Chymdeithas Eryri ac yn cydlynu ymdrechion gwirfoddolwyr, rhai ohonyn nhw mewn sefyllfa debyg i fy sefyllfa i pan adewais y brifysgol. Yn wir, roedd cwblhau yr uned fedrau yn gymorth mawr i mi gael y swydd hon. Deuthum yn ymwybodol o’r ystod o faterion cadwraeth sy’n effeithio ar Eryri a pha ddulliau sy’n cael eu mabwysiadu i geisio eu rheoli. Roedd y cyfle i rwydweithio gydag unigolion a oedd yn cynrychioli’r llu o bartneriaid Cymdeithas Eryri ac ymweld â safleoedd pwysig yn ystod yr uned hefyd yn hynod o fuddiol. Bellach rydw i’n pwysleisio pwysigrwydd gwirfoddoli i unrhyw un sydd â diddordeb mewn dilyn gyrfa mewn cadwraeth yn ogystal â buddion cymryd rhan yn ein huned gadwraeth.

Wrth edrych tua’r dyfodol, bwriad Cymdeithas Eryri yw ehangu ei hyfforddiant achrededig, edrych ar yr hyn sydd ei angen ar gyflogwyr ac ystyried adborth gwirfoddolwyr.

Ar y gweill mae Uned Cynnal Llwybrau i ddarparu’r medrau sydd eu hangen i drwsio ein mynyddoedd yn effeithiol.

Daniel Goodwin yw Swyddog Brosiect Ecosystem Eryri i Gymdeithas Eryri: dan@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Ers ein lansiad yng ngwanwyn 2017, mae tîm llwybrau’r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol wedi bod yn gweithio ar y llwybrau sydd wedi erydu fwyaf yn ardaloedd Nant Gwynant a Dyffryn Ogwen. Fel tîm o bedwar, mae graddfa’r gwaith trwsio a chynnal a chadw’r ydym yn mynd i’r afael ag o’n uchelgeisiol a heriol. Serch hynny, mae’n hynod o werth chweil, gyda chanlyniad amlwg i roi prawf arno ar ddiwedd pob dydd. Yn cychwyn y gwanwyn hwn, byddwn yn cydweithio gyda Chymdeithas Eryri i gynnig nifer o ddyddiau ‘pitsio’ i wirfoddolwyr, i’w cynnal ar ddydd Sadwrn cyntaf ac ail ddydd Mawrth pob mis.

Mae’r dyddiau i wirfoddolwr ynghlwm â’n rhaglen waith ehangach sydd ar hyn o bryd yn canolbwyntio ar lethrau deheuol yr Wyddfa a dau lwybr y naill ochr i Tryfan. Rydym yn ddigon ffodus i weithio mewn mannau hynod o drawiadol ac yn aml y mwynhad a chariad tuag at yr ardal sy’n ysbrydoli llawer i roi rhywbeth yn ôl. Credwn bod hyn yn arbennig o amlwg yng ngwaith dygn, chwilfrydedd, ac awydd gwirfoddolwyr Cymdeithas Eryri i gymryd rhan. Mae eu cymorth wedi rhoi hwb go iawn i’n rhaglen waith ac wedi’n galluogi i fynd i’r afael ag erydiad ar raddfa fwy.

Wrth ddefnyddio technegau hen ffasiwn a deunyddiau newydd, gallwn hwyluso’r ôl traed cynyddol ar lwybrau Eryri mewn ffordd sympathetig. Mae pob diwrnod i wirfoddolwyr yn canolbwyntio ar un llwybr sydd angen sylw ac mae’n cynnig amrywiaeth o waith ar gyfer pob gallu. Fe all hyn amrywio o osod cerrig camu newydd drwy fannau gwlyb, i dirlunio llwybrau sy’n lledaenu er mwyn helpu i warchod y cynefinoedd o gwmpas. Ar bob diwrnod ceisiwn gyfleu i wirfoddolwyr ein rhesymau dros fwrw ati i weithio ar lwybrau’r ucheldir. Mae’n bleser gweld bod gwirfoddolwyr yn meddwl yr un fath â ni erbyn i bawb gerdded i lawr yn ôl ar ddiwedd y dydd, ac yn gallu adnabod rhannau o lwybr sydd angen gwaith yn y dyfodol neu cerrig wedi eu gosod yn flêr a all arwain at ledaeniad y llwybr i’r llystyfiant o gwmpas.

Teimlwyd hyn gennym fwy nag erioed yn ystod y diwrnod ‘pitsio’ cyntaf a drefnwyd gennym yn gynnar ym mis Ebrill. Ein nod oedd agor sianeli draenio oedd wedi llenwi â llaid a thirlunio adrannau o’r llwybr igam-ogam uwchben Llyn Dinas yn Nant Gwynant. Fodd bynnag, o ganlyniad i ragolygon am law a gwynt roeddem yn bryderus ynglŷn â faint fyddai’n dod draw i’n helpu. Er gwaethaf y tywydd gwael cawsom ein siomi ar yr ochr orau pan ddaeth nifer draw i gyfrannu eu dydd Sadwrn. Gyda’n rhawiau a’n ceibiau a chryn ymdrech, roedd yr hyn yr oeddem wedi anelu i’w wneud o’r dechrau bron wedi ei gwblhau erbyn ein hegwyl cyntaf am banad!

Gyda’r awyr yn goleuo ac awydd i ddysgu mwy dechreuwyd ar y gwaith o gysylltu adrannau o bitsio oedd yn bodoli eisoes a chreu sianeli draenio newydd i rwystro erydiad pellach, cyn mynd am dro fer i ddod â’r dydd i ben.

Hoffem ddiolch yn fawr iawn i Gymdeithas Eryri a phawb sydd wedi cyfrannu eu hamser i’n helpu; mae eich cefnogaeth wedi bod yn hynod o werthfawr. Bydd y dyddiau ‘pitsio’ (ar ddydd Sadwrn cynta’r mis a’r ail ddydd Mawrth o bob mis) yn parhau hyd ddiwedd hydref. Gyda phob diwrnod yn canolbwyntio ar lwybr sydd angen sylw a golygfeydd trawiadol i’w mwynhau gobeithiwn weld mwy’n ymuno â ni yn y dyfodol.

Ned Feesey, Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol

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Dwylo diwyd

How do you get a job in conservation?

Daniel Goodwin

Wythnos Wirfoddoli, cynnal a chadw llwybrau troed• Nantmor • Volunteer Week, footpath maintenance Š Dan Struthers

Working in the conservation sector is an appealing prospect for many and why wouldn't it be? It is an opportunity to work in some unique and beautiful areas of the country while doing something genuine and worthwhile. It is therefore no surprise that this is a highly competitive work sector with many applicants competing for the same job. The need to stand out from the crowd is ever present.

This competition for jobs has only increased in recent years with funding cuts to government bodies. However, the perks of the job and the need for trained conservationists remain. So how does one go about getting a job in such a competitive field? That was the question I asked myself when I left university with a degree in Countryside Conservation. The answer I found was volunteering.

The importance of voluntary work cannot be understated with many employers listing practical experience as essential for job applications. This can lead to a Catch 22 situation where individuals are unable to gain the necessary experience to get a job that requires experience. Volunteering is a means of escaping this endless loop. In this work sector a degree alone is not enough to begin a career.

The Snowdonia Society now more than ever provides opportunities for those wishing to bridge that gap between education and employment. As part of its 50th year celebration the Snowdonia Society went further and launched a Practical Conservation Skills Unit. The unit directly addresses skills that an employer will look for, providing an opportunity for participants to work with different tools in a variety of habitats, experience safe working practice, complete risk assessments and learn about the challenges faced by Snowdonia.

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While training opportunities have long been a core part of what the Snowdonia Society offers (dry-stone walling, ID courses etc.), accreditation means that a certain standard has been met, which employers can recognise as being a worthwhile achievement.

Completing the unit is not only a means of gaining accreditation but a way of filling in gaps in your CV while doing something worthwhile and exploring some beautiful and interesting places.

Many of the students studying countryside/environment based degrees at Bangor University are coming to this realisation.

I was lucky enough to be selected to take part in the pilot scheme for the unit at the start of 2017. While I already had a degree and had volunteered for the Society and many of its conservation partners, the objectives of the unit and the fact that it is accredited particularly appealed to me.

The unit involves completion of four distinct activities, often at different sites and in partnership with different conservation organisations (Snowdonia National Park Authority, National Trust, Natural Resources Wales, Woodland Trust or North Wales Wildlife Trust). Therefore, on each workday there is the potential to work with an individual who is highly experienced and well informed in his or her field, such as a National Park warden specialising in the management of invasive species, or a National Trust Ranger specialising in footpath maintenance. It is this variety of experience that is so beneficial when looking for employment.

My four days involved a tools maintenance class, Rhododendron clearance, tree planting and a beach clean. The tools maintenance day taught me that tools can last a lifetime given the right care and if stored correctly and also that the performance of these

Helping hands tools can remain much the same indefinitely if they are sharpened regularly.

The Rhododendron day provided me with an insight into the long-term projects that the Society is involved in. The Youth Hostel in Nant Gwynant is a site that the Society has been going back to and making progress on for many years in the fight against this resilient invasive species.

Tree planting allowed me to take part in an activity that would make a positive impression on the landscape in years to come and to be part of the ongoing project to increase woodland coverage in Wales. This was also an opportunity to work alongside the Woodland Officer for the Snowdonia National Park who is very knowledgeable about factors affecting tree growth and survival.

The beach clean opened my eyes to the sheer scale of the issue of micro plastics in our oceans but it also highlighted the value of hard working volunteers in making a difference.

Having completed the unit I am very much aware of its usefulness in widening my knowledge and understanding as well as introducing me to new skills and increasing my employability. The fact that the unit is assessed through observations out in the field and through a reflective workbook on the four days means that the practical element is kept at its heart and participants are not bogged down with paperwork.

I now find myself in the role of Project Officer with the Snowdonia Society coordinating the efforts of volunteers, some of them in a similar position to myself when I left university. Certainly, my completion of the skills unit undoubtedly helped me obtain this job. It made me aware of the range of conservation issues which affect Snowdonia and what methods are being used to try and manage them. The opportunity to network with individuals representing the Snowdonia Society’s many partners and to visit important sites during the unit was also of great benefit. I now emphasize to anyone interested in pursuing a career in conservation not only the importance of volunteering but also the benefits of taking part in our conservation unit.

Looking to the future, the Snowdonia Society intends to expand its accredited training, looking at what employers want and taking on board feedback from volunteers.

In the pipeline is a Footpath Maintenance Unit to provide the skills needed to effectively mend our mountains.

Daniel Goodwin is the Snowdonia Ecosystem Project Officer for the Snowdonia Society: dan@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Pitching in on the footpaths Ned Feesey Since our launch in spring 2017, the National Trust’s Snowdonia footpath team have been working on the most critically eroded footpaths in the Nant Gwynant and Ogwen valley areas. As a team of four, the scale of the repair and maintenance work we undertake is both ambitious and challenging. It is nonetheless highly rewarding, with a tangible result you can ‘test out’ at the end of each day. Starting this spring, we have teamed up with the Snowdonia Society to offer a number of ‘pitching in’ volunteer days, running on the first Saturday and second Tuesday of each month.

The volunteer days have tied in with our wider work programme which currently focuses on Snowdon’s southern flank and two paths either side of Tryfan. We are lucky enough to work in some truly spectacular places and it is often the same enjoyment and love for the area that inspires many to give something back. We feel this to be especially discernible in the hard work, inquisitiveness, and desire to get involved from Snowdonia Society volunteers. Their help has given our work programme a real boost and allowed us to tackle erosion on a bigger scale.

By using old-fashioned techniques and natural materials, we can sympathetically facilitate the increasing footfall Snowdonia receives. Each volunteer day concentrates on a single path in need of some TLC and entails a variety of work to suit all abilities. This can range from laying new stepping stones through boggy areas, to landscaping widening paths that helps protect the surrounding habitats. Each day seeks to give an insight into how and why we undertake upland footpath work. It is a pleasure to see that by the time we walk back down at the end of the day, volunteers are thinking as we do, identifying sections requiring future work or poorly placed stones that can lead to the path spreading onto surrounding vegetation.

We felt this most of all during the first ‘pitching in’ day we ran in early April. We were aiming to unblock silt-filled drainage channels and landscape braided sections of footpath along the zigzag path above Llyn Dinas in Nant Gwynant. However, due to a wet and windy forecast we were nervous as to how many would come and help out. Despite the unappealing weather we were pleasantly surprised to find a number willing to give up their Saturday, and armed with shovels and mattocks and with considerable effort, what we initially set out to complete had nearly been done by our first tea break! With brightening skies and an eagerness to learn we then set out joining up existing sections of pitching and creating new drainage channels to prevent future erosion, before taking a short walk to end the day.

We’d like to say a big thank you to the Snowdonia Society and everyone who has given up their time to help us; your support has been invaluable. The ‘pitching in’ days (on both the first Saturday and second Tuesday of each month) will be continuing up until the autumn. With each day focussing on a path in need of some attention and the promise of some spectacular views we hope to see more joining us in the future.

Ned Feesey, National Trust

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years |15 15

Dwylo diwyd

Gweithio gyda gwlybaniaeth John Harold Ffa'r gors• Bogbean © Sam Thomas

Rhewi, dadmer, llifogydd, sychder: dŵr, moleciwl syml gyda grym elfennol, sy’n llunio Eryri. O lunio massifs mynyddoedd i greu’r patrymau o gaeau a dosbarthiad manwl planhigion ac anifeiliaid, dŵr yw pwls bywyd a meistr y tir. Mae’r hyn a welwn heddiw’n dibynnu ar siap dŵr ar ffurf rhew, yn llifo neu’n anweddu, gan barhau ag aeonau o anweddu, glaw ac erydu.

Mae’r ucheldir yn cysylltu â’r iseldir drwy’r llif sy’n barhaol rhyngddyn nhw, ar ffurf dŵr daear, dŵr wyneb, cenllifoedd a thryddiferu. Y cyfuniad o ddŵr a disgyrchiant yw hafaliad hanfodol ffurf tir. Mae dŵr yn torri i mewn i’r llwyfandir, yn erydu’r creigiau uchel ac yn golchi’r pridd tenau i lawr. Mae creigiau enfawr yn cael eu symud ddarn wrth ddarn yn y ceunentydd serth, tra bod y gwaddodion mannaf sy’n cael eu cynnal yn y dŵr yn croesi’r iseldir ac yn diflannu i’r môr.

Ffurfiau tir sy’n helpu i benderfynu ar ddefnydd tir, ac yn y pen draw yr hyn sy’n cael ei gynhyrchu ganddyn nhw yw’r tirluniau yr ydym mor hoff ohonyn nhw. Yng ngwlad yr ucheldir, y gors sy’n arglwyddiaethu. Heb ddylanwad allanol na chymerau, ysbrydolir corsydd gan y glaw sy’n eu bwydo gyda dŵr addfwyn y nefoedd sy’n tywallt arnyn nhw dro ar ôl tro.

Yn fwy o hylif na thir soled, delir corsydd at ei gilydd gan groen o blanhigion byw dros weddillion eu hen fywydau.

Yn crynhoi ar raddfa o un metr ym mhob mileniwm, mae mawn dwfn yn cynrychioli croniad cynyddol gweddillion marwol mwsoglau. Yma, mae rafftiau o blanhigion arbenigol yn ffynnu ar ddogn gynnil cynefin oligotroffig (argaeledd maethion isel). Dyma gartref mwsoglau’r orgors. Mae eu troellau serennog yn llunio carped arnofiol sydd ag wyneb brith a sgleiniog o fwsoglau Sphagnum. O dan y rhosedi byw lliw pinc, gwyrdd, aur a choch, mae coesau’r hen fwsogl yn cronni’n dawel; cymysgedd slwtshlyd o weddillion wedi eu hanner-piclo mewn hylif asid brown tywyll. Yn llachar ac yn fywiog uwchben yr wyneb, yn dywyll fel tannin ac yn farw oddi tano. Ond, o dan yr amodau priodol, fe all y gymysgedd yma o fawn ffres a dŵr claear o dan yr wyneb fod yn allweddol i hud thicsotropig y siglen.

Fe all cors iach gynnal swm enfawr o ddŵr ac mae’n gallu rheoli faint o ddŵr sy’n cael ei gynnal a’i ollwng i’r tirlun. Lympiau enfawr o sbwng Sphagnum yw’r mawndiroedd gloyw yma sy’n llenwi pantiau naturiol y tir yn hollol naturiol. Mewn man fel Cors Geuallt efallai bod y ‘tir’ o dan eich traed gymaint â 90% o ddŵr ac eto fe all gynnal eich pwysau, bron iawn, cyn belled â’ch bod yn dal eich gwynt wrth i’r lle grynu fel jeli o dan eich welingtons. Golygfa anghyfarwydd yw cors ar ffurf cromen sy’n dal swm enfawr o ddŵr, bron yn erbyn disgyrchiant. Cyforgorsydd yw’r rhain – un o ryfeddodau byd natur na wyddwn fawr ddim amdanyn nhw.

Mae mawnogydd yn gartref i sawl cigysydd bach ond gwyrthiol; planhigion sydd wedi dod o hyd i ffordd o ychwanegu at eu deiet annigonol; tafodau’r gors, chwysigenddail, a gwlithlysiau. Pan ydych chi’n gorfod gwneud bywoliaeth o ychydig o ddafnau o law

16 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

a darnau o fwsogl marw, mae ychydig o gig yn mynd ymhell. Mae’r economi syml hon wedi galluogi’r teuluoedd yma o blanhigion nad ydyn nhw’n perthyn i esblygu graddau gwahanol o bapurpryfed (mân yn nhafodau’r gors Pinguicula, bras yn y gwlithlysiau Drosera) a thrapiau gwactod hynod o gyflym ar gyfer chwain dŵr (chwysigenddail Utricularia).

Yn yr haf mae llafn y bladur yn britho’r tywyrch tywyll gyda phigynnau llachar o sêr euraidd, ond mae ei enw Lladin, Narthecium ossifragum, yn adrodd stori dywyllach. Hyd ychydig o ddegawdau’n ôl arferai gwartheg bori’n llawer mwy eang yn y bryniau yma, a sylwyd bod y planhigyn hwn yn nodi’r mannau lle byddai’r da byw yma a oedd yn byw’n hir yn mynd yn fregus ac yn sâl. Fe all llafn y bladur ymdopi gyda’r pridd mawnog salaf ar y tir mwyaf asidig a gwlyb, ac yn y cynefinoedd hyn mae calsiwm amsugnadwy yn elfen brin.

Helping hands

Yma hefyd mae’r llygaeren grwydrol Vaccinium oxycoccos; blodau gyda phetalau atblygedig fel Cyclamen bach perffaith sy’n crogi uwchben coesau gwifrog sy’n cordeddu ymysg pennau blysiog Sphagnum. Mae bobl yn cael eu synnu’n aml wrth ddeall bod y llygaeren yn frodorol yma, ond mae ei blodau’n addo mwy na’i ffrwythau – tywyll, sur, araf i aeddfedu ac anodd dod o hyd iddyn nhw – fel arfer yn gallu ei wireddu mewn diodydd neu sawsiau gwyliau.

O Gors Bodgynydd i Ben-aran, mae rhaglen waith ymarferol Cymdeithas Eryri yn darparu’r dwylo diwyd ar gyfer rhai o’r gorchwylion mwyaf dyrus sydd eu hangen er mwyn ailgyflenwi a chynnal y mannau hyn. Mae gwirfoddolwyr yn gwneud rhywfaint o waith ar raddfa fechan i gau’r ffosydd ar gyfer ail-wlychu safleoedd mawnog, ond eu rôl fwyaf yw clirio conifferau ifanc sy’n hadu o blanhigfeydd gerllaw neu’n egino o’r tir noeth ar ôl clirio coed aeddfed.

Mae angen i ni ofalu am y trysorau botanegol yma a’u cartrefi gwerthfawr ar y fawnog – y corsydd gwlyb ynghyd â phob math o rostir o wlyb i sych. Mae eu mawnog yn dal y dŵr sy’n gollwng ac yn treiglo ac yn bwydo’r nentydd a’r afonydd nes y bydd yn y pen draw’n llenwi rhwydweithiau hylifol y tir. Y cysylltedd yma rhwng dŵr yw’r system greiddiol sy’n amgylchynu tirluniau Eryri ac sy’n clymu ynghyd llawer o’i chynefinoedd a’i bywyd gwyllt.

Fe all conifferau anfrodorol fod yn hynod o ymledol os yw’r amodau’n ddelfrydol ar eu cyfer – fe all y sbriwsen-hemlog a’r sbriwsen Sitka fod yn arbennig o ymwthiol. Yn eironig, ffynhonnell y problemau yma gyda rhywogaethau ymledol yn aml yw coedwigaeth masnachol sydd o dan reolaeth Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru, y corff sydd â chyfrifoldeb dros strategaethau rhywogaethau ymledol, ymysg rolau eraill.

Mae bygythiadau amrywiol yn wynebu’r mawnogydd a’r gwlyptiroedd yma, ac mae mynd i’r afael â’r bygythiadau yma, fel cymaint o’r gwaith ymarferol yr ymgymerir ag ef gan ein gwirfoddolwyr, yn fudr ond yn hanfodol.

Heb reolaeth, bydd y conifferau’n sychu ac yn difrodi’r mawn a chyfyngu ar dwf rhywogaethau brodorol, felly mae ein timau o wirfoddolwyr yn gweithio ar hyd a lled safleoedd rhostir ac yn codi eginblanhigion llai â llaw a defnyddio llifiau bwa a thocwyr coed i glirio eginblanhigion mwy. Yn y tair blynedd ddiwethaf cwblhawyd cryn dipyn o’r gwaith hwn yn Ardal Cadwraeth Arbennig Afon Eden, lle mae’n ffurfio rhan o broject ar raddfa’r tirlun i warchod poblogaeth hyfyw olaf Cymru o gregyn gleision perlog dŵr croyw drwy wella ansawdd dŵr o fewn dalgylch yr afon.

Ers cyfnodau cynhanesyddol, mae mawn wedi ei dorri ar gyfer tanwydd, cloddiwyd ffosydd a draeniau drwyddo ac fe’i cliriwyd a’i losgi. O fewn y ganrif ddiwethaf mae rhostiroedd a chorsydd yr ucheldir wedi eu coedwigo ar raddfa enfawr, a’u hailboblogi gyda rhengoedd o sbriws Sitka, pinwydd camfrig a chonifferau anfrodorol eraill mewn ungnwd tywyll a dwys.

Yn fwy diweddar mae ymwybyddiaeth cynyddol o werth cynhenid a gwerth mwynderol y mawnogydd eang ac agored wedi golygu rhai newidiadau positif o ran cyfeiriad. Yn y blynyddoedd diweddar, mae projectau ar raddfa eang yn Eryri wedi cau ffosydd draenio, ail-lenwi ac adfywio rhai o’r pantiau Sphagnum ac adfer eu gallu i lyfnhau uchafbwyntiau ac iselbwyntiau dŵr ffo ar ffurf glaw. Mae clirio conifferau o safleoedd mawnogydd yn creu gofod fel bod y corsydd yn gallu ailgreu eu casgliadau penodol o blanhigion ac anifeiliaid arbennig.

Rhwng Trawsfynydd a Llanuwchllyn, mewn rhan anghysbell nas difethir o Eryri, mae llystyfiant brodorol yn raddol gymryd lle planhigfeydd conifferau a gliriwyd yn ddiweddar. Yma mae gwirfoddolwyr Cymdeithas Eryri wedi bod yn gweithio ym mhob tywydd i glirio eginblanhigion a choed ifanc conifferau. Er nad ydy’r gwaith ymyrryd hwn yn amlwg bob tro, mi fydd yn gwneud byd o wahaniaeth yn y pen draw. Byddwn yn parhau gyda’r gwaith hwn ac yn gwneud pob dim allwn ni i sicrhau dyfodol gwell a mwy llewyrchus – a gwlypach – i fawnogydd paradwysaidd Eryri.

John Harold yw Cyfarwyddwr Cymdeithas Eryri

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1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 17

Dwylo diwyd

Working in the wet John Harold Freeze, thaw, deluge, drought; water shapes Snowdonia, a simple molecule with elemental force. From the sculpting of mountain massifs to the patterning of fields and the fine-grained distribution of plants and animals, water is the pulse of life and the master of land. What we see today depends on the shape of water in its frozen, flowing or vapour states, continuing eons of evaporation, precipitation and erosion.

Uplands connect to lowlands through the flow which keeps on going between them, as groundwater, surface water, torrent and seepage. Water plus gravity over time is the essential equation of the shape of land. Water cuts into the plateaux, scours the high rocks and washes down the thin soils. Great boulders are moved one piece at a time in the steep gorges, while the finest sediments in suspension cross the lowlands and swirl out to sea.

Landform helps determine land-use and their ever-changing endproducts are the landscapes we love.

In the upland realm of rain, the bog is king. Undiluted by external influences or confluences, bogs take their inspiration purely from the rain, fed only by the soft water of the heavens which open on them again and again.

More liquid than solid, bogs are held together by a skin of living plants stretched over the remains of their past lives. At one metre for each millennium, deep peat represents the incremental accumulation of moribund remains of mosses. Here, rafts of specialist plants thrive on the thrifty rations of an oligotrophic (low nutrient availability) habitat. This is the domain of the bogmosses. Their starry whorls make a complex floating carpet, a studded and sparkling surface of shag-pile Sphagnum. Below the living, breathing rosettes of pink, green, gold and red, the old moss stems steadily assemble; a mushy mass of half-pickled remains in a deep brown acid liquor. Bright and lively above,

18 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

tannin-dark and dead below. But under the right conditions this submerged mixture of fresh peat and cool water holds the key to the thixotropic magic of the quaking bog.

In rude health a good bog holds vast quantities of water and regulates its capture and release into the landscape. These shining peatlands are giant dollops of Sphagnum sponge, filling the natural basins of the land. In a place like Cors Geuallt the ‘ground’ beneath your feet may be 90% water and yet it can hold your weight, just, for as long as you can hold your nerve or hold your breath, as the place shivers like jelly beneath your wellies.

Rarely and remarkably, a few bogs hold some of their vast volume of water against gravity in a subtle and seemingly impossible dome shape. These are raised bogs – one of the least known wonders of the natural world.

Peat-filled wetlands are the world of some small but miraculous carnivores; plants which have found a way to supplement their meagre diets; the butterworts, bladderworts and sundews.

When you have to make a living from drops of rain and bits of dead moss, a little meat goes a long way. That simple economy has driven or enabled these unrelated families of plants to evolve different grades of flypaper (fine in butterworts Pinguicula, coarse in sundews Drosera) and lightning-fast vacuum traps for water fleas (bladderworts Utricularia).

Bog asphodel sprinkles the dark turf with vivid summer spikes of golden stars, but its country name of bone-breaker, mirrored in its Latin name Narthecium ossifragum, tells of a darker poetry.

Until a few decades ago cattle grazed much more widely in the hills, and this plant was noticed to mark out the places where those longer-lived livestock would grow brittle and sick. Bog asphodel can cope with the poorest peaty soils on the most acidic and wettest ground, and in these habitats absorbable calcium is a scarce element.

Helping hands

Llygaeron • Cranberry © Sam Thomas

And then there is the creeping cranberry Vaccinium oxycoccus; flowers with reflexed petals like perfect tiny cyclamen held above wiry stems which thread amongst the juicy heads of Sphagnum.

People are often surprised to learn that cranberry is native here, but its flowers promise more than its fruits – dark, sour, slow-maturing and hard to find - can usually deliver in drinks or festive sauces.

We need to take care of these botanical gems and their precious peatland homes – the soggy bogs along with the all the shades of heath from wet to dry.

Their peat holds the water that seeps and trickles and feeds the streams and rivers until finally it fills the land’s fluid networks.

This connectivity of water is the root system which encircles the landscapes of Snowdonia and meshes together much of its habitats and wildlife.

The threats that face these peatlands and wetlands are varied, and addressing those threats is, like so much of the practical work undertaken by our volunteers, unglamorous but essential.

Since prehistoric times, peat has been cut for fuel, ditched, drained, cleared, and burnt. Within the last century upland heaths and bogs have been afforested on a grand scale, repopulated with regiments of Sitka spruce, lodgepole pine and other nonnative conifers in dense dark monocultures.

More recently a growing awareness of the intrinsic and utility value of these great open peatscapes has seen some positive changes of direction. Large scale projects in Snowdonia in recent years have blocked drainage ditches, refilling and refreshing some of the Sphagnum basins and restoring their ability to dampen the peaks and troughs of rainfall run-off. Clearance of conifers from peatland sites is making space for some to begin to reassemble their select suites of special plants and animals.

From Cors Bodgynydd to Pen-aran, the Snowdonia Society’s practical work programme provides the helping hands for some of the fiddlier tasks needed in replenishing and maintaining these places. Volunteers do some small-scale ditch-blocking to re-wet peat sites, but their biggest role is in clearing young conifers which seed in from adjacent plantations or germinate from disturbed ground after clearance of mature trees.

Non-native conifers can be highly invasive where the conditions suit them – western hemlock and Sitka spruce can be particularly prolific. Ironically the origin of these invasive species problems is often commercial forestry under the management of Natural Resources Wales, which has amongst its roles a responsibility for invasive species strategies.

Left unchecked the conifers will dry and damage the peat and inhibit growth of native species, so our volunteer teams work across heathland sites pulling up smaller seedlings by hand and using bow-saws and loppers to remove larger saplings. In the last three years a fair bit of this work has been completed in the Afon Eden Special Area of Conservation, where it forms part of a landscape-scale project to protect Wales’ last viable population of freshwater pearl mussels by improving water quality within the river catchment.

Between Trawsfynydd and Llanuwchllyn recently cleared conifer plantations are slowly being replaced with native vegetation in a wonderfully remote and otherwise unspoilt part of Snowdonia.

Here Snowdonia Society volunteers have been putting in the hours, come rain or shine, to clear conifer seedlings and saplings.

This kind of timely intervention goes almost unnoticed but will make the world of difference in the long run. We will continue with this work and do all we can to ensure a brighter, better - and wetter - future for Snowdonia’s peatland paradises.

John Harold is the Director of the Snowdonia Society

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 19

Dwylo diwyd

Casglu sbwriel ar yr Wyddfa Rob Collister Yr haf diwethaf, ar fympwy, crwydrais i lawr o gribyn Cwm Glas ym Mwlch Llanberis i mewn i Gem Hetiau. Mae’n debyg bod y pant bach yma ar gornel uchaf Cwm Glas Bach wedi ei ffurfio yn ymchwydd olaf yr Oes Iâ ddiwethaf ac mae wedi bod yn lle pwysig am fan glanio i hetiau ers y cyfnod Fictoraidd. Saif y cwm yn union islaw gorsaf Clogwyn ar Reilffordd yr Wyddfa lle mae llwybr Llanberis yn croesi o dan y lein. Dyma’r unig le cyn y copa lle mae’r llwybr yn rhan o gopa crib ogleddol hir yr Wyddfa ac mae’n lle enwog am fod yn wyntog. Yn yr hen ddyddiau mae’n siŵr bod llawer i het uchel wedi hedfan yn braf i’r cwm islaw mewn ymchwydd sydyn o wynt; heddiw mae’n llawer mwy tebygol o fod yn gap pêl-fas. Yn 1896, fodd bynnag, daeth Cwm Hetiau’n enwog am reswm eithaf gwahanol.

Ar 6 Ebrill, ar ôl dwy flynedd o waith adeiladu, agorodd Rheilffordd yr Wyddfa’n swyddogol gyda dwy locomotif, y ddwy’n tynnu dau gerbyd yn llawn o deithwyr oedd wedi eu cyffroi’n lân wrth gael y cyfle i gyrraedd copa’r Wyddfa. Pan gychwynnodd y trên cyntaf yn ôl i lawr, fodd bynnag, digwyddodd trychineb. Gan fod y ddaear wedi suddo ychydig o dan y trac islaw’r copi neidiodd yr injan oddi ar y system frecio rac-a-phiniwn a dechreuodd gyflymu’n ddi-reolaeth i lawr yr allt. Pan sylweddolodd y gyrrwr a’r dyn tân yn y caban beth oedd yn digwydd llwyddodd y ddau i neidio i ffwrdd heb niwed. Arhosodd yr injan ar y lein ond roedd yn dal i gyflymu pan gyrhaeddodd y tro ychydig cyn Clogwyn ac fe ddaeth oddi ar y cledrau a mynd yn ei flaen dros yr erchwyn i lawr Chwarel Dinorwig a Llyn Peris o eśgair Cwm Glas • Dinorwic Quarry and Llyn Peris from the Cwm Glas spur © Rob Collister

i Gem Hetiau. Yn ffodus, doedd y cerbydau ddim wedi eu clymu i’r injan ac arhosodd y rheiny ar y cledrau gan arafu’n y pen draw lle mae’r lein yn dod i dir gwastad wrth orsaf Clogwyn. Yr unig glaf oedd y gŵr anffodus a neidiodd drwy ffenestr a tharo ei ben ar graig. Cynhaliwyd ymchwiliad cyhoeddus a gwnaed newidiadau er mwyn sicrhau na fyddai’r un peth yn digwydd eto. Flwyddyn union yn ddiweddarach ail-agorodd y rheilffordd heb ffwdan ac mae wedi bod ar waith byth ers hynny heb ddamwain fawr arall.

Yn y cyfamser, darganfuwyd bod prif silindr y locomotif, yn rhyfeddol, yn dal yn gyfan ac fe’i llusgwyd fesul modfedd i fyny’r cwm hynod serth i orsaf Clogwyn i’w ail-ddefnyddio; ond buan iawn y diflannodd unrhyw beth a allai gael ei dynnu oddi arno fel cofrodd.

Heddiw, mae’r cwm yn lle hynod o dlws gyda harddwch naturiol.

Yn edrych i lawr drosto mae creigiau llawn blodau, ac mae dail gwyrddlas pren y ddannodd yn amlwg o bellter ac oddi tanyn nhw mae llethrau o sgrî lle mae’r rhedynen bersli’n tyfu. Er gwaethaf sŵn y trên uwchben sy’n mynd heibio bob hanner awr, dydy’r cwm ddim yng ngolwg y rheilffordd na’r llwybr ac mae’n teimlo’n anghysbell hyd yn oed yn yr haf.

Bron iawn mai’r peth cyntaf welais i oedd fflach o liw oren. Darn o fetel rhydlyd oedd hwn ac yn llawer rhy drwm i fod wedi ei chwythu i lawr, felly mae’n siŵr mai darn o’r trên a gwympodd i lawr oedd hwn, ynghyd â’r darnau eraill tebyg a welais ar y llethr sgrî ac mewn nant fechan. Roedd hefyd beth wmbredd o sbwriel ymwelwyr wedi chwythu i lawr o’r llwybr uchod ynghyd â darnau o reilffordd. O fewn munudau roeddwn wedi llenwi fy sach gefn gyda photeli plastig, caniau alwminiwm a phapur dada. Wrth i mi adael, gwasgais esgid gerdded ddu a phinc merch, bron yn newydd, i mewn efo gweddill y sbwriel, gan ddyfalu sut ar y ddaear y daeth honno i fod yno a beth oedd wedi digwydd i’r esgid arall, a’i pherchennog. Cefais hyd i ffon sgïo newydd sbon hefyd ac mi ddefnyddiais i honno fy hun ar y ffordd serth i lawr i’r ffordd.

Wrth i mi gerdded i lawr gwelais fwy fyth o sbwriel, yn cynnwys sach gefn fechan a oedd yn wag heblaw am gan o ddiaroglydd Lynx. Gwnaeth hyn i mi ystyried o ddifrif natur wastraffus a difeddwl dynol ryw. Serch hynny, codais fy nghalon wrth weld blodau’r tormaen mwsoglyd a serennog a mantell Fair yn blodeuo ar lannau pob nant a chipolwg ar fron felen hardd siglen lwyd. Meddyliais y byddai grŵp o wirfoddolwyr yn gallu clirio’r cwm cyfan mewn diwrnod a phe bai hofrenyddion yn gallu hedfan cerrig i mewn ar gyfer trwsio llwybrau yna beth fyddai’n eu rhwystro rhag cludo bagiau o sbwriel efo nhw wrth ymadael?

Erbyn i mi gyrraedd y ffordd roeddwn wedi codi fy nghalon ac yn sionc fy ngherddediad unwaith eto.

Y diwrnod canlynol cysylltais â swyddfa’r Gymdeithas ym Mrynrefail ac ymhen eiliadau roedd diwrnod casglu sbwriel Cwm Hetiau wedi ei ychwanegu at y rhaglen ar gyfer penwythnos MAD (Gwneud Gwahaniaeth) o weithgareddau cadwraeth a gynhelir ar ddiwedd mis Medi. Roedd Peter Rutherford, Swyddog Mynediad y Parc Cenedlaethol, yn gefnogol i’r syniad ac mi ffoniodd y tirfeddiannwr i adael iddo wybod; ac ychydig o ddyddiau’n

20 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

Helping hands ddiweddarach mi es draw i nôl dau o’r bagiau mawr a ddefnyddir ar gyfer cludo cerrig o dan hofrennydd o swyddfa’r Warden ym Mhen y Pas. Ar y diwrnod, o ystyried ei bod yn benwythnos, fe allai parcio wedi bod yn broblem ond drwy gysylltiad â David Medcalf cawsom adael ein ceir yn Ynys Ettws, cwt y Clwb Dringo. Cychwynnodd deg ohonom, yn cynnwys Cadeirydd y Gymdeithas, David Archer, ynghyd â’n codwyr sbwriel a’n bagiau plastig duon yn ogystal â’r ddau fag mawr, gan groesi’r bryn i mewn i Gwm Blas Bach. Wrth glawdd y mynydd yn y gwaelod, llenwyd y bag cyntaf gyda haearn rhychiog a mwy o adeilad bach. O’i weld am y tro cyntaf roedd yn ymddangos fel pe bai wedi ei gladdu a’r darnau o haearn yn rhy hir i fynd i’r bagiau ond mae’n rhyfeddol beth mae deg o bobl i gyd yn tynnu a sathru efo’i gilydd yn gallu ei gwblhau.

Wedi gwasgaru, aethom i fyny llethrau serth o laswellt a sgrî gan golli golwg ar ein gilydd yn aml wrth i’r niwl ddod i lawr. Roedd cryn dipyn o sbwriel wedi hel yng ngwelyau’r nentydd ond ar y mynydd agored roedd llai na’r disgwyl. Newidiodd hynny, fodd bynnag, pan gyrhaeddwyd Cwm Hetiau rhyw awr ar ôl gadael clawdd y mynydd. Roedd sbwriel ym mhob man. Ar ôl cinio braidd yn wlyb mewn glaw mân, ond mewn man cysgodol o afael gwynt cryf o’r de orllewin yma yn y cwm ar wyneb gogleddol y mynydd, dyma ail-gychwyn ar y casglu. Yn ystod y ddwy awr nesaf casglwyd metel rhydlyd, pibellau plastig o bob lliw a llun, darnau o raff glas neu oren, dwy ferfa, gweddillion dwy babell, planced, sawl tarpwlin, poteli, caniau, batrïau, dillad yn cynnwys siacedi dal dŵr, sawl sbectol haul a goglau, menig ac, wrth gwrs, hetiau – llawer ohonyn nhw, o leiaf ugain, capiau’n bennaf ond trilbi a het

Pentwr o sbwriel yng Nghwm Hetiau • Piling up rubbish in Cwm Hetiau © Rob Collister

wellt hefyd. Roedd gormod i ffitio i mewn i un o’r ddau fag mawr felly gadawyd y gweddill ar gyfer ymweliad eto. Rhag ofn i bobl boeni ein bod yn clirio pethau o arwyddocâd hanesyddol, roedd o leiaf un haen o fetel, sydd bellach yn rhan o wely’r nant, nad oedd modd i ni ei symud er gwaethaf cryn ymdrech. Bu’n rhaid gadael ffrâm fetel mawr, nad oedd â wnelo hi ddim â’r locomotif, ar gyfer un o wardeniaid y Parc i’w thorri’n ddarnau rhywbryd eto.

Yn flinedig a gwlyb ond yn fodlon ar waith y dydd, daeth pawb i lawr yn ddiogel, ac yn falch o’r banad yng nghaffi cysurus Siabod ar y ffordd adref.

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

Mae ein gwirfoddolwyr wedi bod yn gweithio’n galed! Dros y tair blynedd diwethaf rydym wedi rhedeg 244 diwrnod gwaith yn cynnwys 10 diwrnod casglu sbwriel yn Eryri a 21 diwrnod casglu sbwriel ar lwybrau troed eraill a thraethau o gwmpas Eryri.

Our volunteers have been hard at work!

Over the past three years we have run 244 workdays including 10 Snowdon litter picks and 21 litter picks on other footpaths and beaches around Snowdonia.

Cysylltwch â ni i ddarganfod sut y gallwch chi helpu • Get in touch to find out how you can help: www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/volunteer, 01286685498 1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 21

Dwylo Diwyd

A Snowdon litter pick Rob Collister Last summer, on impulse, I picked a way down from the Cwm Glas spur in the Llanberis Pass into Cwm Hetiau. This tiny hollow at the very top corner of Cwm Glas Bach must have been formed in a final hiccup of the last Ice Age and has been well known as a repository for hats since Victorian times. It lies immediately beneath Clogwyn station on the Snowdon Railway at the point where the Llanberis path crosses under the line. It is the only place before the top at which the path comes right to the crest of Snowdon’s long north ridge and it is a notoriously windy spot. In days gone by many a top hat must have gone sailing out into the cwm below, caught by a sudden gust; nowadays it is much more likely to be a baseball cap. In 1896, however, Cwm Hetiau became famous for a rather different reason.

major incident ever since. Meanwhile, it was discovered that the main cylinder of the locomotive, amazingly, was still intact and it was laboriously hauled up some very steep ground to Clogwyn station to be re-used; but anything that could be removed as a souvenir very soon vanished.

On 6th April, after two years under construction, the Snowdon Railway officially opened with two locomotives, each pulling two carriages filled with excited passengers, making their way to the summit of the mountain. When the first train set off on the way back down disaster struck. Subsidence under the track just below the top caused the engine to jump the rack-and-pinion braking system so that it began to career downhill out of control. The engine driver and the fireman in the cab quickly realized what was happening and were able to jump off without injury. The engine stayed on the line going faster and faster until it reached the bend just before Clogwyn station where it left the rails and plunged straight over the edge down into Cwm Hetiau. Mercifully, the coaches were not coupled to the engine and they stayed on the rails and eventually came to a halt where the line levels out at Clogwyn station. The only casualty was the unfortunate who managed to jump out of a window and struck his head on a rock.

A public enquiry was held and modifications were made to ensure that the same thing could not happen again. Exactly a year later the railway re-opened without fanfare and has operated without

Almost the first thing I spotted was a splash of orange. It proved to be a sheet of rusting metal much too heavy to have been blown down. It had to be a relic from the runaway locomotive and I soon discovered other similar pieces scattered about the scree slope and embedded in a little stream. There was also a vast amount of tourist rubbish blown down from the path above along with detritus from the railway. Within minutes I had filled my rucksack with plastic bottles, aluminium cans and sweet wrappers. As I left, I squeezed in a solitary black and pink ladies’ mountaineering boot, scarcely used, wondering how on earth it came to be there and what had happened to the other boot or indeed to its owner.

A brand new ski stick I purloined for my own use on the steep descent to the road.

Today it is a place of great charm and unspectacular natural beauty. Overlooking it are flower-rich crags, the blue-green leaves of roseroot visible even from a distance and beneath them are scree slopes where parsley fern grows in profusion.

Despite the noise of the train up above every half hour, it is out of sight of both railway line and path and feels secluded even in summertime.

As I walked down I encountered yet more debris, including a small rucksack empty but for a can of Lynx deodorant, and reflected gloomily on the profligate, thoughtless nature of the human race.

Yet it was not all bad. There were mossy and starry saxifrage and lady’s mantle all in flower bordering every stream and the beautiful yellow breast of a grey wagtail affected my mood like a ray of sunshine. It occurred to me that a gang of volunteers could clear up the Rheilffordd yr Wyddfa yng ngorsaf Clogwyn lle mae llwybr Llanberis yn mynd o dan y trac • The Snowdon railway at Clogwyn station where the Llanberis path passes under the whole area in a day and if helicopters track © Rob Collister could fly in stone for footpath repairs what was to stop them flying out bags of rubbish on the return journey? By the time I reached the road my spirits had lifted and there was a spring in my step once more.

Next day I contacted the Society’s office in Brynrefail. Before I knew it the Cwm Hetiau clear-up had been added to the programme for the MAD (Make A Difference) weekend of conservation activities that was being held at the end of September. Peter Rutherford, National Park Access Officer, was supportive of the idea and also rang the landowner to let him know; and a few days later I picked up two of the heavyduty bags used for air-lifting stone from the Warden’s office at Pen y Pass.

22 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

Helping hands On the day, being a weekend, parking could have been a problem but through the good offices of David Medcalf we were able to leave our cars at Ynys Ettws, the Climbers’ Club hut. Ten of us, including the Society’s Chair, David Archer, set off armed with litter-pickers and black bin-liners as well as the two big bags, traversing the hillside into Cwm Glas Bach. Right at the bottom, by the mountain wall, we filled our first bag with corrugated iron and other debris from the remains of a small building. At first glance it all seemed impossibly buried and the sheets of tin too long to fit the bag but it is surprising what the combined efforts of ten people all heaving, twisting and stamping can achieve.

Spreading out we made our way up steep slopes of grass and scree frequently losing sight of each other as the mist rolled in. A fair amount of junk had accumulated in stream beds and runnels but on the open hillside there was less than expected. That soon changed when we arrived in Cwm Hetiau about an hour after leaving the mountain wall. Rubbish was everywhere. We paused for a rather soggy lunch in steady drizzle, glad to be sheltered from a strong south westerly in this north-facing nook of the mountain, and then set to work. Over the next two hours we retrieved numerous pieces of anonymous rusting metal, plastic piping of all shapes and sizes, lengths of blue or orange rope, not one but two wheelbarrows, the remains of two tents, a blanket, several tarpaulins, bottles, cans, batteries, various items of clothing including waterproof jackets, assorted sunglasses and goggles, gloves and, of course, hats – a lot of them, at least twenty, mostly caps but also a trilby and a straw boater. There was too much to fit in our single lifting bag so we left the residue well weighed down for a later visit. Lest anyone be concerned that we were removing artefacts of important cultural significance, there was at least one sheet of metal, now a part of the streambed that resisted our best efforts to shift it. A large metal frame, nothing to do with the locomotive, had to be left for a Park warden with an angle grinder to deal with at a later date. Tired and wet but satisfied with the day’s work we headed down for a much-needed cup of tea at the ever-welcoming Siabod Cafe on the way home.

Bagiau sbwriel yng Nghwm Hetiau • Bags of rubbish in Cwm Hetiau © Rob Collister

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

Her Eryri 100km mewn 3 diwrnod!

Ein tîm gwych yn gwisgo eu capiau newydd Cymdeithas Eryri yn ystod Her Eryri a gododd £2,800. Diolch i bawb ohonoch a gyfranodd i'n tîm.

Mae manylion ar sut i brynu'r capiau i'w gweld ar dudalen 17.

Snowdonia Challenge 100km in 3 days!

Our fab five sporting their new Snowdonia Society caps during the Snowdonia Challenge which raised £2,800. Thank you to all who donated to our team.

Details on how to purchase the caps can be found on page 17.

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 23

newyddion

I chi'n unig, digwyddiadau i aelodau Claire Holmes Yn 2018 lansiwyd cyfres arbennig o ddigwyddiadau yn y rhaglen flynyddol i’n haelodau fel diolch am eu cefnogaeth barhaus sy’n ein galluogi i warchod Eryri ac ymgyrchu i gadw Eryri’n hardd.

Hyd yma cynhaliwyd dau ddigwyddiad ar gyfer aelodau’n unig, gydag arbenigwyr yn y maes yn arwain digwyddiadau sy’n amlygu rhinweddau arbennig Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri.

ysgrifennwr am fyd natur ac ymgyrchydd a gerddodd 500 milltir ar draws Prydain i godi ymwybyddiaeth am dynged y gylfinir, yn siarad am werth parciau cenedlaethol fel mannau ar gyfer myfyrio’n dawel ac fel hafan ar gyfer bywyd gwyllt. Cynhelir hefyd daith i weld ffwng y goedwig gydag Anita Daimond.

Y digwyddiad olaf ar gyfer aelodau’n unig yn 2018 fydd ein cyfle i ‘Gyfarfod y Gymdeithas’ ar 13 Rhagfyr mewn adeilad a fu ar un pryd yn gapel Methodist o’r bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg. Yma, bydd cyfle i staff, ymddiriedolwyr ac aelodau ddod ynghyd i gael panad a blasu mins peis. Peidiwch â’i fethu!

Yn gynnar ym mis Mai roeddem yn ffodus o gael gweld gweilch y pysgod ar safle Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn, gyda thaith breifat o safle gwarchod y gwalch y pysgod a arweiniwyd gan Mick Alexander, a golygfeydd gwych o’r nyth uchel a’i breswylwyr.

Yn ddiweddarach y mis hwnnw cynhaliwyd noson gofiadwy gyda Dr Trevor Dines ar ei ddôl flodau gwyllt ar lan yr afon Conwy, lle mae rhywogaethau o blanhigion fel y gribell felen, y sgorpionllys amryliw a chribau San Ffraid ymysg dwsinau o blanhigion eraill sy’n cymryd lle’r ungnwd gwelltir sy’n nodweddiadol o dirluniau amaethyddol heddiw.

Ymaelodwch rŵan i gymryd rhan yn ein digwyddiadau i aelodau’n unig.

Ni fyddai ein gwaith yn bosibl heb gefnogaeth ein haelodau. Os ydych chi’n hoffi’r hyn yr ydym yn ei wneud ac am ein helpu i warchod a gwella Eryri yna, os gwelwch yn dda, recriwtiwch aelod newydd neu rhannwch ein stori gyda phobl eraill. Dewch ymlaen i wneud eich rhan dros Eryri a lledaenu’r gair am Gymdeithas Eryri!

Cofiwch am ein dau ddigwyddiad ar gyfer aelodau’n unig ar gyfer 2018. Y nesaf yw ein CBC ar 27 Hydref yng Nghoed y Brenin gyda’r siaradwr gwadd ysbrydoledig Mary Colwell. Mae Mary,

Ymaelodwch!

Dewch i ddarganfod sut y gallwch helpu i gadw Eryri'n wyllt ac yn hardd, ac am y manteision o fod yn aelod o Gymdeithas Eryri drwy gysylltu â ni neu ymweld â'n gwefan:

S FITH

RIF N G

WU RHY Ms

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Claire Holmes yw Swyddog Ymgysylltu i Gymdeithas Eryri

3/19

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Become a Member!

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 info@snowdonia-society.org.uk

Find out how you can help keep Snowdonia wild and beautiful, and about the benefits of being a Snowdonia Society member, by contacting us or visiting our website:

 01286 685498

www.cymdeithas-eryri.org.uk/ymaelodi  www.snowdonia-society.org.uk/join 24| Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017 24

news

Just for you, member events Claire Holmes 2018 saw the launch of a special series of events in the yearly programme for our members as a thank you for their continued support, enabling us to actively protect and campaign to keep Snowdonia beautiful.

Two member-only events have been held so far, with experts in the field leading events that highlight the special qualities of Snowdonia National Park.

Bywyd cyfrinachol blodau gyda Trevor Dines • The secret life of flowers with Trevor Dines © Claire Holmes

In early May we were lucky to get up close and personal with the ospreys at Bywyd Gwyllt Glaslyn Wildlife, with a private tour of the osprey protection site led

by Mick Alexander, offering unobstructed views of the lofty nest and its majestic inhabitants.

Later that month we held a memorable evening with Dr Trevor Dines at his experimental wildflower meadow on the river Conwy, where plant species like yellow rattle, changing forget-me-not and betony among dozens of others are replacing the grass monoculture typical of modern agricultural landscapes.

Don’t miss out on our next two member-only events for 2018. Next up is our AGM on 27th October at Coed y Brenin with inspirational guest speaker Mary Colwell.

A nature writer and campaigner who walked 500 miles across Britain to raise awareness of the plight of the curlew, Mary will speak about the value of national parks as places for quiet contemplation and as havens for nature. There will also be a forest fungi walk with Anita Daimond.

The final member-only event for 2018 will be our ‘Meet the Society’ get-together on 13th December in

a magnificent converted 19th century Methodist chapel in Dinorwig, giving staff, trustees and members the chance to get together over a mince pie and a panad! (cuppa). Don’t miss it!

Join now to take part in our member-only events.

Our work would not be possible without the support of our members. If you like what we do and want to help us protect and enhance Snowdonia then, please, recruit a new member or share our story with those you know. Go on, do your bit for Snowdonia and spread the word about the Snowdonia Society!

Claire Holmes is the Engagement Officer for the Snowdonia Society

Calendr 2019 Calendar Enillwyr ein cystadleuaeth Ffotograffiaeth Ar werth ar-lein yn fuan ac yn y CCB • Winners of our Photography Competition For sale online soon and at the AGM

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 25

llyfrau • books

Adolygiad llyfr • Book review Blodau Cymru Byd y Planhigion gan • by Goronwy Wynne Mae’r beibl hwn o lyfr am fyd y planhigion a’r blodau yn haeddu pob ansoddair canmoladwy y gellir meddwl amdano – campwaith, cynhwysfawr, difyr, diddorol, darllenadwy, addysgiadol, cyfoes, swmpus, hollgynhwysol, trylwyr, lliwgar, gorchestol, hollol gampus!

Rhaid pwysleisio nad llyfr ‘adnabod’ planhigion a blodau yw hwn, ond yn hytrach popeth arall sy’n ymwneud â botaneg (sef ‘y wyddor sy’n trin a thrafod planhigion’) – o ddaeareg a daearyddiaeth Cymru, i goed a ffyngau a chwyn, i geneteg a DNA a rhestrau o gymdeithasau, sefydliadau a llyfryddiaethau perthnasol. Er yr holl wybodaeth eang a phytiau o straeon o bedwar ban y byd a geir, mae gwreiddiau’r llyfr yn gadarn yng Nghymru a’r Gymraeg, a’r cyflwyniadau manwl i bob un o’r siroedd unigol a’u daearyddiaeth, eu botanegwyr a’u cynefinoedd unigryw yn amhrisiadwy.

Mae’r cyfan wedi’i ysgrifennu mewn ffordd mor rhwydd ei ddarllen, mor ysgafn a difyr, yn agos-atoch a hawdd ei ddeall. Trefnwyd yr holl ddeunydd yn drefnus a thaclus, gallwch daro mewn ac allan neu ddefnyddio’r mynegai manwl i ganfod gwybodaeth benodol.

Mae twr o luniau, diagramau a mapiau lliw llawn sy’n ychwanegu at hwylustod y darllen, a dyluniad hyfryd a glân y llyfr i’w ganmol.

Mae’r cyfeiriadau llenyddol a’r dyfynnu pwrpasol ar farddoniaeth yn cyfoethogi’r darllen yn fawr, felly hefyd y trafod ar enwau Cymraeg (megis yr enwau gwahanol am wrych a chlawdd, a dylanwad coed ar enwau lleoedd).

Mae’r wybodaeth sydd yma yn ddi-ben-draw. A wyddech chi fod yna rhyw hanner cant o rywogaethau o redyn? A thros 300 o wahanol fathau o fwyar duon?! Cawn restr ddefnyddiol o blanhigion gwenwynig, hanes diddorol y rhai meddyginiaethol, datblygiad blodau’r ardd, map o ynysoedd Cymru, hanes botanegwyr Cymru a thu hwnt, cadwraeth natur yn gyffredinol, blodau gwyllt o safbwynt y gyfraith, i enwi ond mymryn sydd yn y llyfr.

Tybed ai ‘Blodau Cymru’ oedd y teitl gorau i’r llyfr gan fod yma gymaint, gymaint mwy? Byddai ehangu ar yr is-deitl ‘Byd y Planhigion’ o bosibl wedi disgrifio ehangder y cynnwys yn well, a byddwn i’n fwy na bodlon wedi derbyn y gair ‘gwyddoniadur’ yn y teitl. Mae galw wedi bod ar wneud natur yn bwnc TGAU, ac yn sicr byddai’r llyfr hwn yn sylfaen maes llafur penigamp i unrhyw astudiaeth o’r fath. Yn sicr mae’n drysorfa i ehangu eich gwybodaeth a’ch cariad at Gymru a harddwch ei byd natur.

Adolygiad oddi ar www.gwales.com, trwy ganiatâd Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru gan Gwenllian Dafydd Gallwch archebu copi o'r llyfr yma: https://www.ylolfa.com/products/9781784614249/blodau-cymru

26 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

This Welsh-language compendium of plants and flowers deserves all the adjectives of high praise that come to mind – comprehensive, thorough, lively, masterly, interesting, readable, informative, contemporary, substantial, colourful, indeed completely outstanding! It very deservedly won the 2018 Welsh-language Book of the Year.

It must be emphasized that this is not a plant and flower identification book, but instead it seems to cover everything else in the field of Welsh botany – from the geology and geography of Wales, to trees and fungi and weeds, to genetics and DNA and lists of relevant associations, organizations and bibliographies. The author’s knowledge is extensive and boundless, and although the volume is full of titbits of stories from around the world it is solidly set in Wales and in the Welsh language, for example the detailed introductions to the individual counties and their geography, their botanists and their unique habitats are invaluable.

Considering its size (575 pages), it’s extremely accessible and reader-friendly, the extensive information conveyed clearly. All the material is organized systematically, you can browse and read a few pages or use the detailed index to find specific information. There are plenty of pictures, diagrams and full-colour maps which add to the ease of reading, and the beautiful, clean design of the book is commendable. The literary references and the purposeful quoting of Welsh poetry greatly enhance the pleasure of reading, as well as the discussion on Welsh names (such as the different Welsh names for hedge, and the influence of trees on placenames). This is not just a factual botany book, it weaves the world of nature in Wales with its people and their culture.

The information here seems endless. Did you know that there are around fifty species of fern? And over 300 different types of blackberries?! We are given a useful list of poisonous plants, the interesting history of the medicinal ones, the development of garden flowers, a map of the islands of Wales, the history of botanists from Wales and elsewhere, nature conservation generally, wildlife from the perspective of the law, to name only a few in this muchacclaimed book.

I wonder if Blodau Cymru (the flowers/flowering plants of Wales) was the best title considering that it offers so, so much more?

Expanding the sub-title ‘Byd y Planhigion’ (the plant world) would possibly better describe the content’s scope, and I would have been more than happy to accept the word ‘encyclopaedia’ in the title.

There has been a call for nature to be a GCSE subject, and this book could certainly be the foundation of an excellent syllabus for any such study. It is definitely a treasure to deepen your knowledge and love of Wales and the beauty of its natural world.

Review from www.gwales.com, by permission of the Welsh Books Council by Gwenllian Dafydd You can order a copy of the book here: https://www.ylolfa.com/products/9781784614249/blodau-cymru

aelodau busnes • business members

Aelodau busnes newydd • New business members Croeso i'n Haelodau Busnes newydd. Diolch enfawr am gefnogi gwaith Cymdeithas Eryri. (Telerau yn weithredol ar gyfer y gostyngiadau; cysylltwch â'r busnes am fanylion.)

Welcome to our new Business Members. A huge thank you to them for supporting the work of the Snowdonia Society. (Terms apply to all discounts; contact the business for details.)

Os ydych yn gwybod am fusnes sy’n gweithredu ym Mharc Cenedlaethol Eryri neu’n agos ato, pam na wnewch chi awgrymu eu bod yn ymaelodi fel Aelodau Busnes? Cysylltwch â ni i ofyn am becyn Aelodaeth Fusnes neu ewch i'n gwefan i ddarganfod rhagor.

If you know a business that operates in or near the Snowdonia National Park, why not suggest they become Business Members?

Contact us for a Business Membership pack or visit our website to find out more.

Mae Capel Dinorwig yn gapel wedi ei newid yn gelfydd yn llety uwchben Llyn Padarn, 3 milltir o Lanberis, yw Capel Dinorwig. Gwedd moethus, gofod byw agored. Golygfeydd gwych o gefn gwlad gyda llwybrau ar riniog y drws. 07748 594490

Capel Dinorwig is a stunning, converted chapel above Llyn Padarn 3 miles from Llanberis. Luxury finish, spacious open plan living. Fantastic country views with doorstep walks. 07748 594490

Llety Ymwelwyr Park Hill Gwely a brecwast, gyda phwll nofio dan do, a saif oddi ar y ffordd mewn adeilad Fictoraidd braf a godwyd yn draddodiadol yn yr 1860au. Saif mewn erw o erddi toreithiog yn edrych i lawr dros bentref Betws-y-coed, dyffrynnoedd Llugwy a Chonwy a mynyddoedd Eryri o gwmpas. Gostyngiad i aelodau: 10% archebion a wneir dros y ffôn: 01690 710540 www.park-hill.co.uk

Park Hill Guest House B&B, with an indoor heated swimming pool, is located off road in a fine Victorian building traditionally built in the 1860s.

Set in an acre of lush gardens and overlooking the village of Betws-y-coed, the Llugwy and Conwy valleys and the surrounding mountains of Snowdonia. Member discount: 10% on phone bookings: 01690 710540 www.park-hill.co.uk

Mae Campsites.co.uk yn rhestru cannoedd o safleoedd gwersylla a glampio ar hyd a lled Cymru – a rhai o’r gorau yn ardal Eryri. Mae twristiaeth gynaliadwy yn flaenoriaeth ac maen nhw’n falch o gefnogi Cymdeithas Eryri. www.campsites.co.uk

Campsites.co.uk list hundreds of camping and glamping sites across Wales – and some of the best in the Snowdonia area. Sustainable tourism is a priority and they are pleased to support the Snowdonia Society. www.campsites.co.uk

Mae Country Cottages Arlein yn rhestru ystod eang o fythynnod gwyliau a meddiannau hunanarlwyo ledled Cymru, Lloegr, Yr Alban ac Iwerddon.

Cewch ddewis o rentu bwthyn sy’n croesawu anifeiliaid anwes, meddiannau gyda thwb poeth a ffermdai gyda golygfeydd o gefn gwlad. www.countrycottagesonline.com/wales

Country Cottages Online features a wide range of holiday cottages and self-catering properties throughout Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland.

Choose from pet-friendly cottage rentals, properties with hot tubs and farmhouses with country views.. www.countrycottagesonline.com/wales

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 27

Ffarwelio David Lewis Roedd yn ddrwg gan y Gymdeithas glywed am farwolaeth David Lewis ar 16 Ebrill 2018.

Roedd yn aelod o Gymdeithas Eryri ers iddo fod yn 19 oed ac yn Gadeirydd y Gymdeithas rhwng 2008 a 2012.

The Society was sad to learn of the death of David Lewis on 16 April 2018. He was a member of the Snowdonia Society since he was 19 and Chairman of the Society from 2008 to 2012.

Magwyd David yn Stoneleigh, Surrey, cyn ennill lle yng Ngholeg Newydd, Rhydychen, lle y cyfarfu â Christine; roedd hefyd yn rhan o dîm buddugol ar y rhaglen University Challenge, yn ogystal ac ennill PhD.

David grew up in Stoneleigh, Surrey, before winning a place at New College, Oxford, where he met Christine, and was part of a triumphant University Challenge team, as well as collecting a PhD.

Symudodd y cwpl ifanc i Lundain a chartrefu yn Battersea, a chychwynnodd David ar yrfa hir a lwyddiannus yn y gwasanaeth sifil. Am flynyddoedd lawer arferai gerdded ar hyd glannau’r Tafwys i’w waith, lle roedd ei gyfrifoldebau’n amrywio o wastraff niwcliar, tai a dŵr yn ogystal â chyfnod bodlon yn y Coleg Gwasanaeth Sifil. Erbyn yr 1990au roedd wedi ei ddyrchafu’n Ysgrifennydd i’r Comisiwn Brenhinol ar Lygredd Amgylcheddol, ac am ddeng mlynedd bu’n gyfrifol am waith sy’n parhau i lunio polisi’r Llywodraeth hyd heddiw.

The young couple gravitated to London and settled in Battersea and David set forth on a long and distinguished civil service career.

For many years he would walk along the Thames to work, where his responsibilities ranged from nuclear waste, housing and water as well as a happy period at the Civil Service College. By the 1990s he had risen to be Secretary to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, for ten years overseeing work that still shapes Government policy today.

Er bod ei yrfa disglair yn ei gadw’n Llundain, roedd gwreiddiau Cymreig David yn bwysig iddo bob amser. Dilynodd y sgoriau rygbi ac aeth a’i feibion Alun a Huw i’w gêm ryngwladol gyntaf yng Nghaerdydd. Treuliodd ef a’i deulu ifanc lawer haf hapus mewn bwthyn Cymreig ar y gororau ac yn ddiweddarach prynodd ef a Christine dŷ ar arfordir gogledd Cymru yn Llanbedr.

Despite his distinguished career keeping him in London, David’s Welsh roots were always important to him. David followed the rugby scores closely and took his sons Alun and Huw to their first international match in Cardiff. He and his young family spent happy summers at a tumbledown Welsh border cottage and later he and Christine would buy a house on the north Wales coast at Llanbedr.

Treuliodd David amser hefyd, er gwaethaf ei yrfa prysur, yn cyfrannu at fywyd cymunedol. Yn Llundain roedd yn un o hoelion wyth Cymdeithas Battersea, Ymddiriedolaeth Syr Walter St John, a’r fforwm cymunedol ar gyfer Gorsaf Bŵer Battersea, yn ogystal â bod yn gadeirydd llywodraethwyr ysgol Chesterton i ddechrau ac yna ysgol Ernest Bevin (lle brwydrodd i benodi Naz Bokhari, prifathro Mwslemaidd cyntaf y DU). Yna, ar ei ymddeoliad, daeth yn aelod gweithgar ac yna’n Gadeirydd y Gymdeithas.

David also found time, despite a demanding career, to throw himself into the life of his community. In London he was a stalwart of the Battersea Society, Sir Walter St John’s Trust, and the community forum for Battersea Power Station, as well as being Chairman of the governors at first Chesterton and then Ernest Bevin schools (where he fought to appoint Naz Bokhari, the UK’s first Muslim headteacher). And then, on his retirement, he became an active member and subsequently Chairman of the Society.

Yn ddyn deallus, arferai David weithio oriau hir. Roedd fel petai ganddo flas anniwall am ddarllen a dadansoddi papurau hirfaith, ond llwyddodd i gyfuno’r gallu hwn i dreulio a chrynhoi materion cymhleth gyda synnwyr hiwmor sych ynghyd â’r gallu i fod yn fanesol a hael bob amser. Llwyddodd i lywio’r Gymdeithas yn fedrus drwy faterion polisi cymhleth, yn cynnwys y mater dadleuol o ddyfodol maes awyr Llanbedr. Hefyd, defnyddiodd ei fedrau i ymdopi â meysydd gwaith gweinyddu a gwella’r Gymdeithas. Yn arbennig rheolodd trosglwyddo’r Gymdeithas o Dŷ Hyll i’r Caban ym Mrynrefail, gan agor y ffordd i’r Gymdeithas sicrhau arian ar gyfer adfer Tŷ Hyll a’i newid yn ystafell de ac adnodd addysgol, ymysg gardd fywyd gwyllt a choedlannau.

David was an intellectual and worked long hours. He seemed to have an insatiable appetite for reading and analysing long papers, but he managed to combine this ability to digest and summarise complicated issues with a dry sense of humour along with the capacity to be unfailingly polite and generous. He managed to steer the Society expertly through complicated policy issues, including the contentious matter of the future use of Llanbedr airfield. In addition he also put his skills to use in coping with the administrative and enhancement areas of the Society’s work. In particular he oversaw the move of the Society’s office from Tŷ Hyll to the Caban in Brynrefail, opening the way for the Society to secure funds for the renovation of Tŷ Hyll and its transformation into tea room and educational resource, amidst wildflower gardens and woodland.

Yn ystod cyfnod David fel Ymddiriedolwr a Chadeirydd y Gymdeithas teithiodd yn helaeth rhwng Llundain a gogledd Cymru; gan nad oedd yn gyrru roedd yn gorfod dibynnu ar Christine neu ein trenau Cambrian hir ac araf ar hyd y glannau. Daeth yn arbenigwr ar lwybrau ac amserlenni trên a bws gogledd Cymru.

Yn sicr bu i’r Gymdeithas elwa’n enfawr o weledigaeth David, ei ddoethineb a’i ymrwymiad ac rydym wedi colli ffrind doeth a hael.

Siaradodd Simon Jenkins, gan gofio amser David fel Cadeirydd Cymdeithas Eryri, am ei “ymroddiad llwyr i’r achos wrth law.”

“Roedd bob amser yn iawn, ac eto doedd o ddim yn dangos dim gwenwyn i’r sawl oedd yn anghywir.”

Ysgrifennwyd gan Katherine Himsworth, cyn-ymddiriedolwr Cymdeithas Eryri

28 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

During David’s time as a Trustee and Chairman of the Society he did an enormous amount of travelling between London and north Wales; as he did not drive he had to rely on Christine or our long and slow Cambrian coast trains. He became an expert in the north Wales train and bus routes and timetables.

The Society benefited enormously from David’s insight, wisdom and dedication and we have lost a wise and generous friend. Simon Jenkins, recalling David’s time as Chairman of the Snowdonia Society, spoke of his “utter dedication to the cause at hand”. "He was ever in the right, yet seemed to bear no malice to those in the wrong."

Written by Katherine Himsworth, former trustee of the Snowdonia Society

Saying goodbye Pat Clayton Roedd Pat yn gymeriad lliwgar. Er ei bod yn hynod o falch o’i gwreiddiau yng ngogledd ddwyrain Lloegr, daeth i Gymru am y tro cyntaf tra’r oedd yn ei hugeiniau canol ac priododd Cymro; dyma gychwyn at gariad mawr tuag at Gymru. Cafodd swydd yng Ngholeg Polytechnig Lerpwl, a rhoddodd gynnig ar fentrau eraill yn y ddinas honno, ond pan ymddeolodd ei hail ŵr, George, symudodd gydag ef yn ôl i Gymru, a phrynu Gwesty Plas Maenan ger Llanrwst a rhoi hwb o’r newydd i’r busnes hwnnw. Yn ddiweddarach symudodd y ddau i redeg tŷ gwely a brecwast yng Nghricieth cyn ymgartrefu yn Eglwysbach yn 2004.

Pat was a colourful character. Although fiercely proud of her north east England roots, she first came to Wales in her mid-twenties and married a Welshman ; this was the start of a deep affection for Wales. She subsequently had a job teaching at Liverpool Polytechnic, and tried her hand at other ventures in Liverpool, but when George, her second husband, retired she moved with him back to Wales, buying Plas Maenan Hotel near Llanrwst and giving it a new lease of life. They later moved to run a B&B in Criccieth and settled in Eglwysbach in 2004.

Roedd gan Pat lu o ddiddordebau amrywiol. Dysgodd y Gymraeg ac o ganlyniad i’w rhwystredigaeth gyda’r llyfrau oedd ar gael ar y pryd i ddysgwyr Cymraeg ysgrifennodd 11 o lyfrau ar gyfer oedolion oedd yn dysgu’r iaith. Gweithiodd yn ddygn i elusen dros y byddar a gydag ychydig o gymorth, aildrefnodd Arddangosfa Gelf flynyddol Eglwysbach. Roedd wrth ei bodd gyda chefn gwlad Cymru ac roedd yn aelod o YDCW ers blynyddoedd. Yn 2008, daeth yn Drysorydd i Gymdeithas Eryri. Rhoddodd nifer enfawr o amser, yn aml yn gynnar iawn yn y bore, i gadw trefn dda ar gyllid y Gymdeithas a chyfrannu, yn ei ffordd unigryw ei hun, at drafodaeth bellach ar weithredu’r Gymdeithas, nes i salwch George arwain at ei hymddeoliad yn 2010.

Bu farw ar ddiwrnod Nadolig 2017, ar ôl brwydr fer gyda chanser. Mae aelodau’r Gymdeithas yn cofio ei hymrwymiad a’i hymroddiad i warchod Eryri, ac yn ddiolchgar iawn iddi am ei chyfraniad.

Gan Katherine Himsworth, cyn-ymddiriedolwr Cymdeithas Eryri

Pat’s interests were many and various. She learned Welsh and her frustration with the books then available for Welsh learners led her to write 11 books for adult learners. She worked hard for a deafness charity and set about rebranding and reorganising, with a little help, the annual Art Exhibition in Eglwysbach. She loved the Welsh countryside and was a long-standing member of CPRW. In 2008, she became the Treasurer for the Snowdonia Society. She devoted an enormous amount of time, much of it very early in the morning, to keeping the Society’s finances in good order and contributing, in her own inimitable way, to wider debate on the running of the Society, until George’s ill health led to her retirement in 2010.

She died on Christmas Day, 2017, after a short battle with cancer.

The Society remembers with gratitude, her commitment and dedication to the cause of Snowdonia.

By Katherine Himsworth, former trustee of the Snowdonia Society

Linda Williams Bu farw Linda Williams, personoliaeth allweddol yn ystafell de Tŷ Hyll, y ‘Pot Mêl’, ar 19 Mai 2018. Roedd Linda yn adnabyddus i’r llu o aelodau, ymwelwyr a gwirfoddolwyr Cymdeithas Eryri fel ‘rheolwr’ caredig a chyfeillgar ystafell de’r Tŷ Hyll. Dychwelodd llawer o ymwelwyr oherwydd natur groesawgar a llawen Linda a oedd yn cyfrannu cymaint i gymeriad yr ystafell de; daeth yn enwog am ei gwasanaeth gyda gwên, ei siytni, ei quiche, llond plât o fwyd; a’i gofal a’i haelioni tuag at y gwirfoddolwyr, ac adar yr ardd!

Linda Williams, a key personality at the Tŷ Hyll ‘Pot Mêl’ tearoom, sadly passed away on 19th May 2018. Linda was well known to the many members, visitors and Snowdonia Society volunteers as the kind and friendly ‘manager’ of the tea room at Tŷ Hyll. Many visitors returned because of Linda’s welcoming and happy nature that contributed so favourably to the character of the tearoom; and she became renowned for her service with a smile, her chutney, her quiches, her large portions; her care and generosity to the volunteers, and the garden birds!

O’r eiliad y cychwynnodd Linda ar y diwrnod cyntaf yr agorodd yr ystafell de, yn ôl ym mis Mehefin 2012, dangosodd ddiddordeb yng ngwaith Cymdeithas Eryri, yn enwedig wrth ofalu am yr ardd fywyd gwyllt, oedd yn bwysig iawn iddi. Roedd bob amser yn gefnogol gyda’n gwerthiannau o blanhigion, hadau a nwyddau Tŷ Hyll er mwyn codi arian. Byddai’n sicrhau bod yr ymwelwyr â’r ystafell de’n ymwybodol o’n gwaith gwerthfawr, yr ystafell wenyn, ac asedau’r goedlan a’r ardd, ac yn eu hannog i ymuno neu gwirfoddoli. Arferai ddweud yn aml wrth ei gŵr, Andy, mai dyma’r lle gorau a hapusaf y gweithiodd ynddo erioed. Meddai Andy “Roedd wrth ei bodd efo’r tŷ a mawr oedd ei dylanwad ar y lle. I Linda, doedd hi byth anodd mynd i’r gwaith.”

From the moment Linda started on the first day the tearoom opened, back in June 2012, she showed an interest in the work of the Snowdonia Society, particularly in the care of the wildlife garden, which she loved. She was always supportive and helpful with our fundraising sales of plants, seeds and Tŷ Hyll merchandise.

She ensured that the tearoom visitors were aware of our valuable work, the bee room, and the assets of the woodland and garden, encouraging them to join or volunteer. She often told her husband, Andy, that it was the best and happiest place she had ever worked.

Andy says “She loved the house and garden and really put her stamp on the place. For Linda, going to work there was never a chore.”

Bydd ein hatgofion am Linda yn parhau yn Nhŷ Hyll. Gofynnodd i unrhyw gyfraniadau yn ei hangladd gael eu rhoi tuag at waith Cymdeithas Eryri wrth gynnal yr ardd – plannwyd coeden geirios yr adar er cof amdani a bydd mainc newydd, a ddarparwyd gan glwb Llewod Llanrwst, yn cael ei mwynhau gan ei theulu pan fyddan nhw’n dod i eistedd yn y man oedd yn golygu cymaint i Linda.

The memory of Linda will live on at Tŷ Hyll. She requested that any donations at her funeral should go towards the Snowdonia Society’s work in maintaining the garden – a bird cherry tree has been planted in her memory and a new seat, provided by the Llanrwst Lions club, will be enjoyed by her family when they come and sit in the place Linda loved.

Roedd Linda yn aelod hoff o’r gymuned leol a bydd pawb o’i chydnabod yn teimlo ei cholli’n fawr. Colled drist i Dŷ Hyll.

Linda was a cherished member of the local community and will be sorely missed by all who knew her. A sad loss for Tŷ Hyll.

Gan Margaret Thomas, Ymddiriedolwr Cymdeithas Eryri

By Margaret Thomas, Snowdonia Society Trustee

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 29

Newyddion

Adolygiad o'r flwyddyn, 2017-18 David Archer Dechreuodd y flwyddyn yng nghanol yr ymgyrch i ymateb i adroddiad Llywodraeth Cymru ‘Tirluniau’r Dyfodol: Cyflawni dros Gymru’, sydd wedi peri pryder i ni. Cynhyrchodd aelodau a chefnogwyr lu o lythyrau ac e-byst i ddod â’r materion i sylw Aelodau’r Cynulliad ac osgoi trychineb posibl. Parhawyd i bwyso ar Lywodraeth Cymru i egluro’n glir ddyfodol Parciau Cenedlaethol Cymru. Ym mis Chwefror rhoddwyd cyhoeddusrwydd i ganlyniadau llu o doriadau yng nghyllideb Parciau Cenedlaethol. Er mawr ryddhad i ni, erbyn mis Mawrth 2018 roedd y Gweinidog newydd dros yr Amgylchedd, Hannah Blythyn AC, wedi rhoi’r ddogfen ‘Tirluniau’r Dyfodol’ o’r neilltu. Ym mis Gorffennaf cafwyd tystiolaeth bellach bod Aelod yn gwrando, gyda gwrthdroad yn nhoriadau cyllideb Awdurdodau Parciau Cenedlaethol, gan roi gobaith pellach i ni.

Lluniwyd ymatebion i ymgynghoriadau cenedlaethol yn cynnwys Polisi Cynllunio Cymru 10, ac ymgynghoriad Ofgem sy’n berthnasol i raglen ‘tanddaearu’ y Grid Cenedlaethol, sy’n cynnwys symud llinellau foltedd uchel a pheilonau sydd ar hyn o bryd yn croesi aber Dwyryd.

Gan symud o’r cenedlaethol i’r lleol, mae’r Gymdeithas wedi bod yn weithredol ar bob cam o adolygiad Cynllun Datblygiad Lleol Eryri ac wedi cymryd rhan yng ngwrandawiad yr Arolygaeth Cynllunio.

Ymatebwyd i geisiadau cynllunio, er enghraifft gwrthwynebwyd uned dofednod ddwys ar raddfa ddiwydiannol yn Rhoslefain a datblygiad siale yn groes i bolisi’r Parc Cenedlaethol yn Harlech a Beddgelert.

Cynhaliwyd ein hymrwymiad i waith partneriaeth yn Eryri, gan helpu i lywio Cynllun Partneriaeth Eryri i’w lansiad ffurfiol a datblygu Partneriaeth Tirlun Carneddau ar gyfer ei gais ariannu llawn i Gronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri. Cymerwyd rhan hefyd yng ngwaith Fforwm Eryri, gan gyrraedd y cam ymgynghori gyda Chynllun Eryri – tuag at gynllun rheolaeth mewn partneriaeth ar gyfer y Parc Cenedlaethol.

Mae gweithdai i wirfoddolwyr a reolir gan ein tîm cadwraeth yn darparu gwaith ymarferol a hyfforddiant wrth wella amgylchedd Eryri. Gweithiwyd gydag Awdurdod y Parc Cenedlaethol ar lwybrau, sbwriel a rhywogaethau ymledol, dechreuwyd ar waith llwybrau gyda’r Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol, gweithiwyd gyda Chyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ar Warchodfa Natur Genedlaethol Coedydd Aber, a gydag ystod o gyrff cadwraeth ar eu safleoedd nhw.

Ar ddiwedd Ebrill 2018 daeth arian Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru ar gyfer ein gwaith ymarferol i ben. Dros dair blynedd trefnodd y project hwn 117 o ddigwyddiadau hyfforddi a gweithiodd gwirfoddolwyr y swm rhyfeddol o 10,806 o oriau yn ystod 244 diwrnod gwaith.

Mae dyddiau gwaith yn Nhŷ Hyll yn helpu i warchod yr ardd fywyd gwyllt a’r coedlannau. Yn Nhŷ Hyll, sy’n eiddo i’r Gymdeithas ac sy’n denu 40,000 o ymwelwyr bob blwyddyn, mae hefyd ystafell de, a weithredir yn annibynnol i’r Gymdeithas, ac arddangosfa’r wenynen fêl.

Yn 2017 lansiwyd ein hyfforddiant achrededig arloesol mewn Medrau Cadwraeth Ymarferol sy’n cael croeso mawr gan wirfoddolwyr. Mae’r ceisiadau ariannu llwyddiannus i Gronfa Eryri a Loteri’r Cod Post yn mynd i sicrhau dyfodol y gwaith hwn hyd 2020.

Daeth dros 80 o bobl draw i gymryd rhan mewn gwaith cadwraeth ledled y Parc Cenedlaethol yn ein penwythnos MaD (Gwneud Gwahaniaeth) ym mis Medi 2007 – dathliad gwirfoddoli gyda’r

30 | Gwarchod a dathlu Eryri ers 50 mlynedd: 1967 - 2017

Ymddiriedolaeth Genedlaethol, Coed Cadw, Cymdeithas Byd Natur Gogledd Cymru, Cadw Cymru’n Daclus a’r Bartneriaeth Awyr Agored.

Ym mis Hydref 2017 mynychodd dros 70 o aelodau ein Cynhadledd pen-blwydd 50, ‘Wynebu’r Dyfodol’, i wrando ar siaradwyr ysbrydoledig, yn cynnwys y Fonesig Fiona Reynolds ac Iolo Williams, yn sôn am eu gweledigaeth dros Eryri a beth all ddigwydd yn y dyfodol. Cafwyd angerdd, gweledigaeth ac optimistiaeth er gwaethaf cysgod Brexit ac oedi gan lywodraethau.

Caewyd yr apêl pen-blwydd yn 50 ym mis Chwefror 2018 ar ôl codi’r swm rhyfeddol o £50,627. Cafwyd dros hanner y cyfraniadau gan aelodau a chefnogwyr, a’r gweddill gan fusnesau a digwyddiadau lleol. ‘Diolch’ enfawr i bawb a gyfrannodd – tystiolaeth gadarn o gariad pobl tuag at ein Parc Cenedlaethol.

Mae aelodau’n ganolog i effeithiolrwydd y Gymdeithas. Ail-luniwyd tudalennau aelodaeth yr wefan er mwyn sicrhau ei bod yn haws ymaelodi ac adfer aelodaeth. Mae’r aelodaeth wedi cynyddu o 3% dros y flwyddyn, a’n tudalennau cyfryngau cymdeithasol yn brysur ac yn cyrraedd cynulleidfa gynyddol. Mae aelodaeth fusnes wedi cynyddu’n sylweddol; bellach mae 36 o fusnesau sy’n gweithredu yn Eryri yn cefnogi ein gwaith.

Cefnogir digwyddiadau’n dda gan aelodau a phobl nad ydyn nhw’n aelodau. Maen nhw’n cynnig rhywbeth i bawb, boed hwnnw’n sgrialu yn y mynyddoedd uchel, dilyn llwybrau hanesyddol, dysgu am fywyd gwyllt, gwneud golosg neu weithgareddau plant yng nghoedlan a gardd Tŷ Hyll.

Mae cronfeydd ariannol y Gymdeithas yn parhau’n iach er gwaethaf y gwariant ychwanegol ar ein pen-blwydd yn 50, ein gwefan, a’n project cadwraeth. Mae cofroddion yn parhau’n arbennig o bwysig ac mae gweithgareddau codi arian yn parhau i wneud cyfraniad gwerthfawr. Rydym wedi symud ein rheolaeth fuddsoddiadau i Rathbones, cwmni sydd â phrofiad sylweddol yn y sector elusennol, ac wedi sefydlu is-bwyllgor ar gyfer cadw golwg ar faterion ariannol.

Gyda thristwch y cofnodwn farwolaeth David Lewis, Cadeirydd y Gymdeithas rhwng 2008 a 2012, ym mis Ebrill 2018. Bu i’r Gymdeithas elwa’n enfawr o weledigaeth, doethineb ac ymroddiad David.

Llywiodd y Gymdeithas yn fedrus drwy faterion polisi cymhleth.

Roedd bob amser yn ystyriol ac yn hael, ac ni gollodd ei synnwyr o ddigrifwch sych. Mae’r Gymdeithas hefyd yn cofio Pat Clayton, y Trysorydd rhwng 2008 to 2010, a fu farw ym mis Rhagfyr 2017.

Doedd dim diwedd ar ei hymrwymiad a’i hymroddiad i achos Eryri.

Mae’r Gymdeithas wedi bod yn ffodus iawn yn ystod y flwyddyn ac wedi denu dau ymddiriedolwr ‘ymgeisiol’. Mae gan y ddau fedrau a phrofiad gwerthfawr dros ben.

Yn ystod y flwyddyn rydym wedi ehangu ein gwaith ac wedi ychwanegu at ein staff. Penodwyd Debbie Pritchard yn Swyddog Aelodaeth a Chyfathrebu, ymunodd Daniel Goodwin â ni fel Swyddog Project Cadwraeth ac esblygodd rôl Claire Holmes i Swyddog Ymwneud â’r Cyhoedd, yn datblygu digwyddiadau a recriwtio aelodau newydd. Ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn ffarweliwyd â Frances Smith, aelod tymor hir o’n staff, a dymunwn y gorau iddi ar gyfer y dyfodol.

David Archer, Cadeirydd Cymdeithas Eryri

News

Review of the year 2017-18 David Archer The year began in mid-campaign in response to Welsh Government’s disturbing report ‘Future Landscapes: Delivering for Wales’.

Members and supporters generated a deluge of letters and emails to bring the issues to the attention of Assembly Members and avert a potential disaster. We continued to press Welsh Government to spell out clearly the future for the National Parks of Wales. In February we publicised the consequences of another round of National Park budget cuts. To our great relief by March 2018 the new Environment Minister Hannah Blythyn AM had quietly shelved the ‘Future Landscapes’ document. In July came further evidence of a Minister in listening mode, with a surprise in-year reversal of National Park Authority budget cuts, giving further cause for hope.

We responded to national consultations including the draft Planning Policy Wales 10, and an Ofgem consultation relevant to National Grid’s ‘undergrounding’ programme, which includes the removal of high voltage lines and pylons across the Dwyryd estuary.

Moving from national to local, the Society has been active at every stage in the review of the Eryri Local Development Plan and took part in the Planning Inspectorate hearing. We responded to planning applications, for example objecting to an industrial-scale intensive poultry unit at Rhoslefain and to developments of chalets contrary to National Park policy at Harlech and Beddgelert.

We maintained our commitment to partnership work in Snowdonia, helping to steer the Snowdon Partnership Plan to its formal launch and develop the Carneddau Landscape Partnership towards its full HLF funding application. We played our part in the work of Fforwm Eryri, reaching consultation stage with Cynllun Eryri – towards a new partnership management plan for the National Park.

Volunteer workdays managed by our conservation team provide practical work and training whilst improving Snowdonia’s environment. We worked with the National Park Authority on footpaths, litter and invasive species, began footpath work with the National Trust, worked with Natural Resources Wales at Coedydd Aber National Nature Reserve, and with a range of conservation organisations at their sites.

April 2018 marked the end of funding for our practical work by Natural Resources Wales. Over three years this project delivered 117 training events and volunteers worked a remarkable 10,806 hours in the course of 244 workdays.

Workdays at Tŷ Hyll help look after the wildlife garden and woodlands.

Tŷ Hyll, owned by the Society and attracting 40,000 visitors per year, houses an independently run tearoom and a honeybee exhibition.

2017 saw the launch of our pioneering accredited training in Practical Conservation Skills which is well received by volunteers. Successful funding bids to Cronfa Eryri and the Postcode Lottery secure the future of this work until 2020.

Our MaD (Make a Difference) weekend in September 2017 saw more than 80 people take part in conservation work across the National Park - a celebration of volunteering with the National Trust, Woodland Trust, North Wales Wildlife Trust, Keep Wales Tidy and the

Outdoor Partnership.

In October 2017 more than 70 members attended our 50th anniversary Conference ‘Facing the Future’ to hear inspirational speakers, including Dame Fiona Reynolds and Iolo Williams, give their perspectives on Snowdonia and what the future may hold.

Passion, vision and optimism came through despite the shadow of Brexit and the dithering of governments.

The 50th anniversary appeal closed in February 2018 having raised a remarkable £50,627. More than half came from members’ and supporters’ donations, with the rest from local businesses and events. An enormous ‘Thank You’ to all who contributed – solid evidence of how much people care for our National Park.

Members are central to the effectiveness of the Society. The membership pages of the website have been rebuilt to make joining and renewal more user-friendly. Membership has increased by 3% over the year. Our social media pages are busy and reach a growing audience. Business membership has increased significantly; 36 businesses active in Snowdonia now support our work.

Events are well supported by members and non-members and offer something for everyone, whether it’s scrambling in the high mountains, walking historic trails, learning about wildlife, charcoal making or children’s activities in the woodland and garden at Tŷ Hyll.

The financial reserves of the Society remain healthy despite extra expenditure on our 50th anniversary, website, and conservation project. Legacies remain exceptionally important and fundraising activities continue to make a valuable contribution. We have moved our investment management to Rathbones, a company with significant experience in the charity sector, and established a subcommittee for oversight of financial matters.

It is with sadness that we record the death in April 2018 of David Lewis, Chairman of the Society from 2008 to 2012. The Society benefited enormously from David’s insight, wisdom and dedication.

He steered the Society expertly through complicated policy issues.

David was unfailingly polite and generous, never losing his dry sense of humour. The Society also remembers Pat Clayton, Treasurer from 2008 to 2010, who died December 2017. Her commitment and dedication to the cause of Snowdonia was unfailing.

The Society has been fortunate to attract two new ‘candidate’ trustees during the year, both of whom bring very valuable skills and experience.

In the course of the year we have expanded our work and strengthened our staff. Debbie Pritchard has been appointed as Membership and Communications Officer, Daniel Goodwin joined us as Conservation Project Officer and Claire Holmes’ role evolved into Engagement Officer, developing events and recruiting new members.

We said goodbye at the end of the year to Frances Smith, one of our longest-serving members of staff, and we wish her the very best for the future.

David Archer, Snowdonia Society Chair

1967 - 2017: Protecting and celebrating Snowdonia for 50 years | 31

© Daniel Goodwin

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 Cymdeithas Eryri the 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