#10.CNICHT (NEARLY).11-2-12.

This weekend was a strange one alright,the week started off with me booking a hotel in Darlington for the saturday night,i was going to watch the Wrexham game while Julie went around the town and we were going to have a drive to Scarborough on the sunday.Then the game gets postponed on friday morning so i cancel the hotel.Richie had mentioned that he was offered ticket's for the Wales v Scotland R.U. International but refused them so i asked him if they were still available,a quick phone call and the middle man say's he is pretty sure they're still available and we can have them.I start to look for accomodation in Cardiff for the saturday night and find somewhere but didn't book it yet.2 hour's later and the ticket's have been sold to somebody else,dam.I now look at the weather forecast for Snowdonia and it wasn't bad,not great either so i decide to take advantage of an offer Travelodge had sent us and book their Porthmadog lodge for saturday night.
      Saturday morning we set off at 8 a.m. on a murky,frosty morning and when we reached Coedpoeth and then Bwlchgwyn i had to drive very slow as there was sheet ice everywhere,people walking to work were slipping over although the road's weren't bad thank's to be gritted.Everything was covered in ice.

It was a little brighter near Corwen and the temperature rose above freezing and we were pulling into the car park next to the Afon Croesor at 10 a.m.

This was Julie's first visit to the village so i showed her the slate carving's and lido.

We left the village walking past the capel and onto the mossy lane en route to the Cnicht.

Which way now Jue ?

We were now out into the open and the view's weren't to bad considering,we soon took our coat's off as it was quite warm lower down.Hitting the crest above Cwm Croesor we got our first view of the Cnicht.

A few patches of snow were visible higher up and mist was obscuring the view every so often.There was a lot more snow on the Moelwynion.

Gaining height i put my coat back on as it was freezing and we noticed a deterioration in condition's,ice prominent on the grass and rock's.

Julie wasn't too happy in these condition's so i stopped and put my micro-spikes on her boot's,these gave her a little more confidence and we pressed on.

We arrived at the bottom of the scramble,400 feet and 0.7 miles from the summit but it was here that i nearly went on my backside,doing a great impersonation of Michael Flatley.The whole area was covered in a thick layer of ice and it would of been stupid to carry on,it was treacherous.I made the decision to go back down.

On our descent we dropped down to our right as this was a more grassy route,i wanted to stay off the frozen rock's as much as i could.Eventually we got below the frost line and made quick progress back to Croesor.

Julie thoroughly enjoyed the walk and vowed to come back when condition's are better.We walked a total of 3.5 miles with 1,500 feet of ascent.

MILEAGE     72
ASCENT      16,150
TOPS            20.

#9.FRONCYSYLLTE-LLANGOLLEN LOOP.5-2-12.

Me and Julie were supposed to meet Julian and Deb in a lay-by near Tyn-y-Ffridd to walk a circuit in the Berwyn's taking in 10 Nuttall's at 9 a.m. We set off at 8 o'clock on a quite mild morning (plus 3 degree's),the first time the temperature has been above freezing at night for a week.The A483 and the A5 were fine,no sign of any ice or snow but as soon as we got on the B4500 and headed up the Ceiriog Valley we noticed the deterioration in condition's,there were some nasty patches of ice and i had to slow down considerably.There was a little bit of grit lying on the road but i think that was from a few night's ago.We got to Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog at 8.40 and headed up the lane beside the Hand Hotel and immediately hit sheet ice,slowing down and in second gear we carried on but as soon as we got to Grid Ref 158 318 the road steepened on the bend and i ground to a halt (0.25 miles from our rendezvous),i made a few attempt's but with wheel's spinning i stated to slide into the ditch so i rolled back down to a flat section.Looking at my map there was another lane near the hotel that lead's to Oswestry so we tried that one.Passing the hotel and then the church the road rose steeply and i decided against it with it too being very icy.Returning to the village i tried phoning Julian,no signal,Julie tried on her 2 phones and still no signal.I drove back along the B4500 and we got a signal in Glyn Ceiriog so i pulled over and phoned Julian.It went to voice mail so left a message and i texted him to say we wouldn't be making it as it was now after 9 o'clock and it would take us 1 hour to get there via Oswestry.I decided to do a walk around Llangollen so set off along the A5 when my phone rang,i pulled over and it was Julian.He told me he had made the car park on equally treacherous road's and realised we weren't going to make it so he was heading back too,so i arranged to meet him in Chirk and to take them on our favourite Froncysyllte walk.Parking near the aqueduct it was 10.20 a.m. by the time we set off.We crossed the canal and headed out of Trevor across field's which were very hard under foot with all the recent frost's we had had.We crossed the A539 and entered the wood near Trevor Hall on the Offa's Dyke foot path.

Leaving the tree's we were now out onto the rock's looking down on the Vale of Llangollen.

We walked down the "Panorama" and paid a visit to the disused limestone quarry,i abseiled here year's ago.

Returning to the road we next paid a visit to Castell Dinas Bran.

We walked down past the school to picked the canal up for our return leg.

We left the canal near Plas-yn-pentre and walked past some lovely looking properties.The Old Mill.

Another old mill on the Dee.

Crossing the river on the old stone bridge we walked up to the canal and across the aqueduct.

Me,Julian and Deb messing around.

Today we walked 10.5 miles with 2,100 feet of ascent.We were so glad we eventually met up with our very good friend's and were able to walk together,even though it wasn't the walk we had planned.


MILEAGE       68.5
ASCENT        14,650
TOPS              20.

#8.PEN-Y-LLAN-GWR.1-2-12.

A short walk this morning on a very frosty sunny day saw me and Clive parking at the Blue Bell,Ffrith and doing a shortened route up to Pen-y-Llan-gwr.Leaving the pub car park we took a minor path across the dis-used railway line to reach a green lane that brought us out near the Cae-ap-Edward farm.

A short walk along this road and we then went left up a small track near to this shelter.

This track open's out into the field's that lead's to Pen-y-Llan-gwr.

The path now enter's the Nant y Ffrith Wood's.

A short walk through the wood and we soon saw the trig point on top of Pen-y-Llan-gwr.

Me at the trig point.

Leaving Pen-y-Llan-gwr we headed down through the tree's to visit the old stone bridge above the Afon Nant y Ffrith.

We then went to see where the Nant y Ffrith Hall use to stand and what's left of it's ornamental garden's.

We followed the path along side the river all the way back to Ffrith.I was dismayed to see it had deteriorated badly in the 12 month's since i last walked it,badly eroded by mountain bikes.We walked under the railway viaduct to arrive back at the pub car park.

The distance walked today was 4 miles with 1,000 feet of ascent.


MILEAGE     58
ASCENT      12,550
TOPS            19.