#24.Northern Carneddau Circuit.11-4-12.

After receiving a message off Dan (willowisp) saying he was heading up to Snowdonia a 2 day trip was arranged with the stopover in the Pentre Bach Bunkhouse in Waunfawr.Brian (cotswold stroller) was the only other invitee who said he would like to join us so i put together an itinery as Brian said he was going to wild camp the night before and me and Dan would walk up to meet him and we would then continue on.Dan said he would like to see Aber Fall's as he had never seen it so the route i chose to walk was my old favourite of the northern Carneddau circular walk.Meeting Dan at 9 a.m. at the lower car park at the base of the fall's we set off along the Afon Rhaeadr-fawr.

Dan had forgotten something so dashed back to the car and as i was waiting for him i saw a dipper down stream and zoomed in on him to get this photo.

Dan soon caught up with me and we headed off to see the fall's which were in spate.

The forecast was for the chance of a rogue shower,rain or snow, and for it to be 90 per cent clear at the summit's.The weather was decent for the first hour and then i received a phone call off Brian to say he would be waiting at the summit of Foel Fras,whilst talking to him i could here that it was very windy up there and i was worried that he would be cold as we were a good 1.5 hour's away.After photographing the fall's we headed up the scree traverse to arrive at the "bad step",this crossing is tricky on a dry day but today it was very wet and slippery and we had to be very careful as we inched our way across it.The view back to Anglesey was good but i could see that the cloud's were getting darker and we would catch a shower.

We hadn't reached the snow line yet and it was very wet underfoot.Below,Dan looking up the valley with Bera Mawr behind.

Crossing the Afon Goch the going get's tougher with a very steep ascent involved to reach the summit of Llwytmor,and as we made steady progress we got caught in a hail shower that lasted for 30 minutes so i quickly put my coat on and we carried on up to the summit.As we neared the summit the hail stopped and the cloud's lifted to give us some decent view's for 10 minutes.

Summit cairn just before the cloud decended and the hail/snow started again.

A quick phone call to Brian to tell him we were leaving the summit and wouldn't be long we made the short walk up to a very cold and frozen summit of Foel Fras to find Brian sheltering behind the wall.

A quick drink and a bite to eat and we headed off to Drum through some deep snow,still in the mist but at least it had stopped hailstoning.Brian had wild camped on Pen y Castell and this was his third visit to the summit of Drum in less than 24 hour's.

I guaranteed the boy's the rest of the walk we would have glorious weather as you alway's do seem to get this side of the Carneddau and sure enough by the time we had reached Carnedd y Ddelw the cloud's started to lift and the sun came out.

Below,the view from Drosgl to Pen Bryn-du and chum's.

Leaving Drosgl the walk back is a delight,this little ridge is rarely walked and people are missing out on a lovely part of the Carneddau.Below is the quartz marked summit of Pen Bryn-du.

A short walk to the next summit,Orddu where we grabbed a break.

Looking back up Cwm Anafon the summit's of Foel Fras and Llwytmor were now clear.

Next up on this mini rollercoaster of a hill walk was Foel Ganol,seen below with Brian enjoying the view.

We headed down to the large enclosure and were treated to a great sky.

Today's great walk was 9.5 mile long with 3,650 feet of ascent and we crossed 8 top's,this was rounded off with a great meal and a few cask ales in the Snowdonia Brewpub in Waunfawr.

MILEAGE    175.5
ASCENT      44,750
TOPS            52.