North Wales 2011 – Bringing It All Back Home

Y Garn From Tryfan

A series of energetic convective fronts have seemingly straddled northern Britain for as long as I can remember this late summer/early autumn. This has resulted in repeated and sustained precipitation in all heatwave-excluded areas of the UK leading to swollen rivers, waterlogged ground and the most miserable meteorological conditions. This will not have gone unnoticed by anyone attempting to ply an honest trade in the upland areas of this windswept little island that clings – with some obstinacy it seems – to the eastern fringes of the mighty Atlantic Ocean!

In other words, it’s been raining for ever!

Carnedd Dafydd & the Black Ladders

Long ago and far away a far-sighted local education authority in NW London bought some old stables in a beautiful valley on the western edge of Snowdonia. School parties from the area were organised, initially to work on the stables to make them habitable, and then to use it them a base for outdoor activities. Thus began my life-long love affair with mountains and all that goes with them. The mountains of N Wales will always have a special place in my heart and so I was delighted when Jennifer asked me to return there with her and help her get to know them better. Needless to say, most of the accompanying photos come from another time!

Carnedd Dafydd From Carnedd Llywelyn

Regrettably, the weather gods conspired to dent our master plan of completing all fourteen 3,000’ peaks in the Snowdonia National Park over a 4-day period and we ultimately spent just 2 days of trudging through the wind and rain on what turned out to be a largely viewless return to my mountain roots.

Pen y Ole Wen From Llyn Idwal

Day 1 saw a welcome ‘high’ start (305m) from the eastern end of Lyn Ogwen for a gentle climb up the well-marked, if squelchy, path alongside the Afon Lloer. Just before reaching the well-hidden glacial tarn of Ffynnon Lloer (fountain of the moon), we turned left up some entertaining scrambles through a couple of rock bands before gaining the upper ridge that leads to the surprisingly flat summit of Pen yr Ole Wen (978m; hill of the white light). No views of course and it took some concentrated map and compass work to locate the rounded ridge that leads NW and then N from here to the other peaks of the Carneddau range.

Carnedd Dafydd From Pen y Ole Wen

These followed in quick succession, largely insignificant knuckles on a gently meandering ridge with intermittent boulder fields proving to be decidedly dodgy in the wet. Carnedd Dafydd (1044m; David’s Cairn) came and went and we had no sight of the dark dank cliffs of Ysgolion Duon (black ladders) that plunge into the abyss on the N side of the ridge. Then came the sneaky left turn in the ridge at Craig Llugwy before the final easy climb to Carnedd Llywelyn (1064m; Llywelyn’s Cairn).

Carnedd Llywelyn From Pen yr Helgi Du

Still no views and very wet and windy so we decided against any further misery and descended to the Ogwen valley SE via Ffynnon Llugwy. Soon after leaving the summit, the clouds finally relented and wide, if misty, vistas opened out over lonely Cwm Eigiau with its deserted slate mine buildings. We were also granted a view of the sharp wedge of Tryfan across the Ogwen valley. Immediately below us we were now able to inspect the vertical cliffs of Craig yr Ysfa whilst ahead lay the shapely mounds of Pen yr Helgi Du (hill of the black hound) and Pen Lithrig y Wrach (the delightfully named slippery hill of the witch)!

Pen Lithrig y Wrach and Pen yr Helgi Du

The long straight metalled reservoir access road took us quickly back to the A5 which we followed for a mercifully short mile back to the car. We were almost dry by the time we got to the car. Almost…

Tryfan

Day 2 saw a return to Llyn Ogwen this time to tackle some peaks in the Glyder range on the opposite side of the road. Unfortunately, an unrelenting fine drizzle was falling out of thick and very low clouds and we limited ourselves to an extended circuit of the finest corrie in Wales, Cwm Idwal. The excellent path carried us up to the cwm, past the Idwal Slabs and up the distinctive gash of Twll Du (black hole a.k.a. Devil’s Kitchen).

Cwm Idwal

Once on the skyline, we passed by Llyn y Cwn almost invisible in the murk before the steady climb to the big pile of stones and shelter that marks the summit of Y Garn (947m; the cairn). Shortly after leaving the summit we left the windy ridge for the peaceful calm of the mountain’s NE corrie and, whilst the drizzle persisted, the absence of wind was as welcome as it was sudden.

Pen y Ole Wen Across Cwm Idwal

The path descends steeply back into Cwm Idwal and is being repaired lower down – more excellent work from the National Park path-builders! Soon Llyn Idwal emerged from the cloud, then the outward path and finally the road. In 3½hrs we had visited a great corrie, been close to some amazing rock architecture and climbed one the region’s finest peaks. All we really had to show for our efforts were wet clothes and a couple of unused cameras!

Yet Another Heavy Shower (this one missed)!

So in the face of unrelenting rain, 4 days became 2 days and we spent the rest of the time driving around some old haunts, drinking copious amounts of coffee and reading vast amounts of Sunday newsprint. There’s only so much punishment you can take. Better luck next year! Perhaps…..

It was still great to be back though!

Defiant in the Face of Adversity!

Check out my future plans for this winter on: http://www.hillways.co.uk/winter/winter.htm