#52.Y CRIBAU and YR WYDDFA.13-10-11.

Mayaculpa and PistonPete had joined us and stayed at the Bach Bunkhouse in Waunfawr on wednesday night.The forecast was for a dry cloudy day getting better as the day wore on and my plan was to try the scramble of Y Cribau on Snowdon's east face.Leaving the bunkhouse at 8.30 we stopped at Llyn Gwynant to take a few photo's.

We then drove to the free layby to meet Julian.Moel Siabod looking moody.

A misunderstanding saw us miss our meet up with Julian.We drove up to Pen y Pass and walked up to Glaslyn on the Miner's Path.A little light drizzle saw us don our wet gear but almost immediately take it back off as the rain soon stopped.

On reaching Glaslyn we crossed the stepping stones and made for the ridge of Y Cribau.

The first section of the scramble was very easy with some big hand and foot hold's even though the rock was very slippery.You get a great view of Llyn Llydaw.

The next section of the scramble is quite difficult,the hand and foot hold's being very small and with the rock being very slippery Mike got his rope and harness out just in case one of us needed it,i'm glad to say we didn't.

This was the hardest scramble i've ever done,verging on a grade 2 in the condition's.

600 feet later and a half mile climb we were at Bwlch y Saethau and into the mist,we took a quick break here before setting off on the last 1,000 foot in half a mile climb to the summit of Yr Wyddfa via the east face keeping well away from the Watkin Path.

A visit to Hafod Eryri to sample tea and scone and to buy Julie a gift and send her a postcard prevailed.

We returned via the zig-zags to pick up the Miner's Path,once below the cloud we had some decent view's again.

A very enjoyable day saw us walk 8 miles with 3,700 feet of ascent.

MILEAGE        362.5

ASCENT         88,000

TOPS              88.

#51.DEVIL'S KITCHEN,Y GARN,BWLCH BRECAN,SHEPHERD'S PATH.12-10-11.

A 3 day trip in Snowdonia was planned by me and Micky and invites sent out to anybody who wanted to join us.The plan was to have a scramble on Bristley Ridge but the weather forecast put paid to that.A very wet morning with low cloud with the rain stopping in the afternoon was forecast and it was spot on.Micky arrived at my house at 8.30 and after a sausage butty and a cup of tea we set off to meet Howie at the walled car park below Tryfan.A change of walk saw us deciding to walk up to the Devil's Kitchen,ascend Y Garn,drop down to Bwlch Brecan and take the Shepherd's Path back to Ogwen Cottage.Parking at the free car park our wet gear was immediately put on and we were off up into Cwm Idwal.Howie and Micky on the bridge over the Afon Idwal.

We stayed to the left of Llyn Idwal and were surprised to see some climber's on Faith,Hope and Charity.We arrived at the stream that flow's down from Glyder Fawr and had difficulty crossing it,it's hard in normal condition's but with the amount of rain that had fallen,the stream was very swollen and we had to climb quite high to cross it.I suggested a break under one of the giant rock's further up that provides a bit of shelter.I slipped on a boulder nearby and slid a few metres down the slope but wasn't hurt.Me and Micky sat under the boulder out of the rain and when Howie joined us he said "there's a goat at the back",me and Micky turned to see a goat sheltering as well.

I didn't take another photo until the rain stopped which wasn't until we were coming down off Y Galan.This is the stream that flow's from Yr Esgair.

Here the rain stopped and we got our first view's on the walk.

Walking back to the car a Sea King helicopter appeared,we later found out that 2 lad's from Wrexham had fallen on Y Garn and needed airlifting to hospital.

The Ogwen Valley from the tank trap's.

Today's very wet walk was 7 miles in total with 3,000 feet of ascent.


MILEAGE       354.5
ASCENT        84,300
TOPS             87.

#50.PEN-Y-GAER HILL FORT.2-10-11.

In complete contrast to yesterday's weather it was a dismal day when we woke up and looked out the bedroom window.After breakfast we checked out and headed down the Conwy Valley to walk up Pen-y-Gaer.We parked in Llanbedr-y-Cennin and walked up the lane heading for Bwlch y Gaer.below is our first glimpse of Pen-y-Gaer.

And Penygadair below.

On reaching the bwlch Julie sat on the bench taking in the wonderful view's whilst i looked for and found the nearby geo-cache.Below,the hill fort from the bwlch.

We crossed the stile over the stone wall and the view's really opened up for us,Tal y Fan.

Looking down Cwm Eigiau.

Penygadair.

The hill fort's portal.

The summit cairn.

Walking back down the lane we stopped to pick some sloe berries for our gin and vodka.

Today we walked 4 miles with 1,150 feet of ascent.



MILEAGE       347.5
ASCENT        81,300
TOPS              85.

#49.GREAT ORME + COPPER MINE.1-10-11.

We had booked a 2 night break in Llandudno and it coincided with a very hot Indian summer for most of Britain.We woke up to glorious blue skies with the temperature in the high 70's and at breakfast decided to stay local and visit the copper mine and walk up the Great Orme.We have walked up the "Orme" load's of times and i thought a visit to the mine might give us some respite from the sun.
      We walked out of town and up to the Heulfre Garden's and took the path from behind the toilet block that led steeply up through the old garden's.All that is left of the garden's are ancient tree's and the terraces,a shame really,would love to have seen the garden's in all their glory.Passing the pitch and putt course we followed the waymark's up through the terrace houses to come out right by the copper mine.
    We paid our £13 pp entrance fee and watched the 2 short video's and set off into the bowel's of the mine.We were sweating in the hot weather but when we entered the mine we didn't realise how cold it was going to be,it was freezing.Below are a few photo's from inside the mine.

Back out of the mine we had a look around the upper level's of the working's.

Near the shop we came across a replica of the Moel Siabod Copper Shield.

Our visit over we took the grassy path south of the tram track up to the summit.The fine weather had brought the tourist's out in their hundred's so we didn't linger long at the summit and made our way back into town.This walk was 2.5 miles long with 650feet of ascent.


MILEAGE       343.5
ASCENT        80,150
TOPS             84.

#48.MOEL SIABOD and RHOS QUARRY.28-9-11.

With most of Britain experiencing an indian summer,Wales being no exception,i set off with Clive to climb Moel Siabod via the Ddaer Ddu ridge.Parking at Bryn-Glo it was very sunny and hot as we left the car park at 10am.Turning right out of the car park we followed the A5 for a short distance before turning left over the Pont Cyfyng rapid's.A short distance through this lovely hamlet and then turning right to pick up the steep lane.

At the top of the lane we passed the ruined house but i was pleasantly surprised to see it was now being renovated at long last.

We got our first glimpse of Moel Siabod here.

And across to the Carneddau.

I took Clive on the short detour to visit the disused Rhos Slate Quarry.

Returning back to the lane we were making slow progress as Clive was struggling in this heat.We applied sun cream when we had a stop at the nameless lake.

There was a lot of water running down the path as we made our way up to the upper part of the quarry so i decided to take the path that run's around the left hand side of Llyn y Foel.

We now had this fantastic ridge to ascend.

Finally we reached the summit after 4 hour's of walking where we took a well earned rest in the old horse shelter.

Although a little misty in the distance we still had some lovely view's all around us,Snowdon Horseshoe.

Tryfan.

And along Moel Siabod's crest.

Clive didn't fancy the walk along the crest so we dropped down to the path that comes up from PYB and skirted below the rock's.

We just had the long steep descent to contend with before we reached the lane again.

Cobden's Hotel below Clogwyn Mawr.

This very hot walk was 6 miles in lenght with 2,800 feet of ascent and took us 6 hour's.






MILEAGE        341
ASCENT         79,500
TOPS               83.