Cambrian Way Part 2: Storey Arms to Ponterwyd

The Cambrian Way is the toughest long distance footpath in Wales, stretching from Cardiff in the south to Conwy in the north, winding its way across all the major mountains of the principality (so a lot of climbs and panoramic views)! This is the second section I have listed on Wikiloc, and runs from the Storey Arms in the Brecon Beacons National Park to the George Borrow Hotel in Ponterwyd. Occasional waymarking is by a black Welsh hat symbol, although to walk the trail you need a GPS track (such as this one) and a copy of Cicerone's "The Cambrian Way" (https://www.cicerone.co.uk/the-cambrian-way).
From the Storey Arms on the main A470 road the Cambrian Way continues over pathless moors to reach Glyntawe; a village with a few houses and two pubs by old limestone quarries. Nearby are the extensive Dan yr Ogof caves, where there is a campsite. After Glyntawe the trail follows a ridge with several summits. A steep drop and cliffs on the north east side of the ridge provides commanding views (when you are not caught in the clouds). One of the summits is Fan Brycheiniog, at 802 metres a "Nuttall", one of the many 2000 foot plus peaks the Cambrian Way crosses. Loosing height, the route almost reaches the village of Llandeusant, before heading across lower hills and woodland to Llandovery. On the way is the village of Myddfai with a welcome café in its visitor centre.
After the old market town of Llandovery (a good place to resupply with food) the path continues up the valley of the River Towy and the smaller isolated, attractive Doethie valley, leading to the Ty'n-y-cornel hostel, the most remote hostel in Wales. Beyond the hostel the route is over pathless, rough, boggy, tiring ground, until some forest, oak woods and Strata Florida. The latter was once a monastery dating from the 13th century, now it lies in ruins. A pleasant walk on roads and paths then takes you up to the Teifi lakes, and the Claerddu bothy. Unusually for bothies there is the luxury of a flush toilet as well as a propane stove.
After more rough ground, forest, and an arch built to remember King George III's jubilee, the Cambrian Way visits Devil's bridge, where for a small fee you can see four bridges built on top of each other and a long series of waterfalls. After climbing down and up a steep, wooded valley with a narrow gauge railway line, the track passes old lead mines, slopes covered with heather, and then this part of the Cambrian Way leaves you at the small village of Ponterwyd, which has the George Borrow hotel and a small shop at the petrol station to stock up on supplies.
The GPX track used here is derived from ones published by the Cambrian Way trust http://www.cambrianway.org.uk/. Part 1 of the route is at https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/cambrian-way-part-1-cardiff-castle-to-the-storey-arms-49958726. For a blog of my walk along the trail see https://johnponcambrian.blogspot.com/2020/09/talybont-road-to-dan-yr-ogof-on.html.