Two walks await Meirionnydd Ramblers in the coming days.

Ysbyty Ifan on the upper reaches of the Afon Conwy is somewhat outside the Meirionnydd Ramblers’ usual patch.

The village lies in a tranquil valley of green fields; just a couple of miles to the west is a broad ridge of rough open access land with a trig point marking the modest 398m top of Rhiw Lwyd.

In a walk of contrasts, the route sets off from the village towards the north, following a track, and then footpaths, through fields and past farms to the tiny settlement of Padog. Here they will turn to the west and head to the ruin of Hwylfa.

Now the terrain changes completely as they make their way on faint paths across rough, often boggy, grassland to reach the trig point on Rhiw Lwyd.

A short distance beyond lies a substantial track and a choice of return routes depending on the conditions on the day.

One option takes them on a way marked path over rough open access land while the other follows the track, the two options converging to take easy paths back to the start.

This nine-mile circular walk starst at 10am on Thursday, 23 February from the Ysbyty Ifan car park on the east side of the river (grid ref SH842488). The walk is graded B-, moderate.

For further information, contact the walk leader, Jacky, on 01654 761561 or 07929 062412.

Then on Wednesday, 1 March, a leisurely walk starts by crossing the iconic Barmouth Bridge.

Built in the 1860s, the bridge carries the Cambrian Coast Railway, together with an adjacent footpath, across the Mawddach Estuary. Views from the path, both inland and towards the sea, are spectacular.

After crossing the bridge they will take a circuit through the RSPB Arthog Bog, a small wetland nature reserve crammed full of wildlife, including internationally important rare mosses, lichens and liverworts.

A short uphill stretch, with views of estuary, brings us to Mawddach Crescent, a row of terraced houses overlooking the estuary. The crescent was built for holiday use by Solomon Andrews, a Cardiff business man and completed in 1902.

They will continue towards the little outcrop of Fegla Fach and back over fields to take a lower path along estuary, finally retracing their steps across the bridge to Barmouth. They will be stopping for a lunch break so please bring provisions.

Any who prefer a shorter walk can join at Morfa Mawddach station, missing out the bridge walk. Please inform the leader in advance if you plan to do this.

A lesiurely circular walk of 6.5 miles, it starts at 10.30am from the road by Barmouth station (grid ref SH611158)

Contact Lyndsay on 01341 280704 for more information.