Moel Siabod

Monday 29th August
Today started with really bad weather, heavy rain pouring down all around, but astonishingly, it didn't last. I decided that I would walk up Moel Siabod today, a hill that I'd been up before, but which I hadn't gone up the way I had intended so today I wanted to correct this. Parking at Pont Cyfyng I headed off on the path to the disused quarry below Moel Siabod. Passing a dammed lake I headed uphill to the now flooded quarry taking in spectacular waterfalls cascading into the quarry lake in this no doubt one busy area. Continuing below the southern cliffs of Moel Siabod I passed Llyn y Foel, where I had taken a different route last year. I had followed the clear path that clung to the foot of the cliffs before climbing steeply up a scree slope onto the summit. this treacherous route was not what I had intended, I'd wanted to walk up the ridge of Daear Ddu. So this time I headed across the mud beside llyn y Foel towards the foot of the ridge, which was when I got a bit stuck. I could see no path onto the top of the ridge, and in the rain I couldn't climb up on it (believe me, I tried!). Eventually I followed a path that ran westwards beside the ridge and gradually moved away from it to gain the top some distance west of the summit. It was not the ridge-top scramble I had been looking for. Am I going to have to do this again?!

As I'd neared the top the views southwards had opened out as the rain stopped, and once on top I discovered that the clouds were lifting everywhere. The rain had stopped, the clouds were breaking and the sun was coming out. After lunch at the summit with glorious views all around I began my descent along the north-eastern ridge scrambling over the rocks all the way. I had great fun, enjoying myself immensely jumping from rock to rock, basking in the sun. The rain of the morning was forgotten as I took my time slowly descending the ridge, knowing that this would end my weekend in Wales. I have work early tomorrow morning, so with regret I heaed off from Wales early, mid-afternoon. I hope it won't be long before I return.

Mynydd Mawr & the Nantlle Ridge

Sunday 28th August
Today the weather was much worse than yesterday with strong winds that often knocked you over and clouds that descended lower and lower as the day progressed. But I still enjoyed myself much more than I did yesterday; guess I was in a better frame of mind. Todays walk was split into two sections, both starting from Rhyd-Ddu. For the first one I set off through the village and onto a forest track until I picked up the footpath to Bwlch y Moch on the edge of the wood. Crossing the stile and turning right I followed the fence to the start of the steep, but short pull onto Foel Rudd. From there on it was a relatively easy, highly enjoyable walk along the ridge above Craig y Bera and up into the clouds onto the summit of Mynydd Mawr. The walk to the top was great fun, enjoying a lightness of spirit I hadn't felt yesterday, I felt that I had just walked up a good mountain. Turning around I descended the way I had come, enjoying the awe-inspiring, vertiginous views from the of Craig y Bera.

Back in Rhyd-Ddu I began the second walk and much longer walk of the day, this time on hills I've walked before, exactly one year ago. Heading out westwards I followed the footpath to the foot of Y Garn and began the steep, seemingly never ending climb. Last year this climb was plagued with appalling weather but this year the clear (below 2000 feet!), dry conditions of the morning persisted. After lunch in the shelter I headed south along the ridge attempting to stay on the top of the ridge all the way even while scrambling on the rocks up to Mynydd Drws-y-coed. It was funny seeing people gingerly making their way down the ridge some metres down the slope while I was standing on the top. I was totally ignoring the clouds and wind as I breezed along the ridge, having enormous fun as passed over Trum y Ddysgl and Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd.

It was during the descent to Bwlch Dros-bern when the fun stopped. It was very steep, wet from the mist and it seemed even windier. The descent was treacherously slippery and I was going to have to come back this way! Once safely down, but still being heavily buffeted I approached Craig Pennant and attached it head on scrambling up the steep cliff face as if the weather was perfect (which it was when I got here a year ago!). Despite the bad weather I succeeded in getting to the top of the cliffs and began the walk along the top up to the summit of the unnamed hill above Cwm Silya, which is the highest point on the ridge. By now I was getting fed up with the strong wind blowing me over every couple of minutes so turned around and started on my way back. Unfortunately the only way down eastwards is a ridge running south from Trum y Ddysgl (half way back along the ridge) so I returned to Bwlch Dros-bern (this time following the footpath) and climbed up to Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd, once again taking my life in my hands (often literally!) on the slippery rocks. Safely up I passed below the obelisk topped hill and crossed the narrow col to the ridge below Trum y Ddysgl and began the descent. Relieved I was now off the tricky sections of the ridge I was able to enjoy myself as I descended to Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor where I joined the bridlepath passing through Beddgelert Forest and on below Y Garn to join the ascent path back to Rhyd-Ddu.

Tryfan & Glyder Fach via Bristly Ridge

Saturday 27th July
Back into Snowdonia for the Bank Holiday weekend I wanted to practice my scrambling skills in preparation for my trip to Ireland in a couple of weeks, so what better places than the north face of Tryfan and Bristly ridge. I set off early but due to my incompetence and the traffic on the A55 (I don't think I'll use that road again) I didn't reach the foot of Tryfan until almost noon. I was not a happy bunny even before I started my walk, and finding that I'd left the inner soles for my boots at home also failed to lighten my mood. Setting off through Gwern Gof Uchaf I headed up to the start of the north side of Tryfan. Now I've done this before only a couple of months ago and it was just as much fun scrambling up as it was before, especially towards the end as the scrambling became more technical and I was able to sail past the other people walking up.

The summit was packed with people many of them attempting the leap from Adam to Eve (or visa versa). I joined them and found it ridiculously easy, much easier than it had been a couple of months ago in high winds. After lunch I descended to Bwlch Tryfan, curiously finding the descent as fun as the ascent had been. Once as the col I began the sole reason for doing this walk: the Bristly ridge. Ascending steeply I slowly made my way straight to Glyder Fach over the high, narrow, razor edged ridge with scrambling that wasn't too difficult so long as you picked your route correctly, often my problem. Several times I would begin a climb and think better of it, or I would achieve a very difficult climb only to find a much easier ascent on the other side. The Biggest problems were large dips in the course of the ridge requiring a tricky descent before a steep climb. It was a tricky, challenging ascent, but thoroughly satisfying as a result. It was with a great sense of achievement when I gained the summit of Glyder Fach.

Once at the top I was a little deflated; maybe it was the anti-climax after all that effort. I'd been up here recently, admittedly not in as good weather, but the summit held no interest for me. So I began the descent to Bwlch y Ddwy-Glyder where last time I made a major navigational error in the mist. In good weather I can see how easy that it was to do, indeed the couple ahead of me made the same error but due to the clear conditions they quickly realised their error and corrected themselves. I ascended to the top of Y Gribin and began the descent of this ridge that I'd never walked along before. Eschewing the footpath over the screes I kept to the top of the ridge scrambling over the rocks before joining the footpath down to Llyn Bochlwyd. I don't think I was able to enjoy the descent or the stunning views of Nant Ffrancon as much as I would have normally because of the strange mood I was in after the mornings madness (I also didn't help that I was desperate to use a toilet!). It is amazing how such little things can cloud your enjoyment of what should have been a fantastically enjoyable walk. I had originally planned on climbing Pen yr Ole Wen when I reached Idwal Cottage, but with the advancing clock (and the fact that I couldn't be bothered) I decided to drop down to the A5 and walk back to the car. It was a good challenging walk, albeit short, but I wish I had been in a better mood for it.