In the hills near Arthog, overlooking the Mawddach Estuary, is a stainless steel plaque fixed to a stone wall. This is a memorial to crew of the Flying Fortress bomber which crashed into the hillside here in June 1945, leaving no survivors. It was full of presents for their airmen’s families in the U.S.A. All the airmen’s names and ranks are engraved on this plaque.
Our walk sets off through woodland above Arthog, climbing through the Panteinion valley and past the stone farmhouse of Cyfannedd Fawr. We continue up over open ground, with views of Cadair Idris opening up ahead. After pausing at the memorial plaque we join a rough track which heads down to a quiet lane. This we cross, soon turning up on to a footpath with amazing views of the Mawddach Estuary and the Rhinogydd. Our descent takes is past the historic Deildre farmhouse, recently rebuilt from dereliction, across a meadow overlooking Barmouth Bridge and steeply back down to Arthog. We end by walking through the Arthog Bog nature reserve back to the start.