28th – 30th November, Snowdonia Magic

Between Capel Curig and Betws-y-Coed, just off the A5, Bryn Brethynau Climbing Hut was our (a group of Outdoors Magic folk) home for the weekend. Little Miss Maria was the organisator – she’s good at that sort of thing.

From the Friday afternoon the place started to fill up – I gave Jim from Chapel-en-le-Frith a lift, he proved good company.

The hut was quite basic but could have done with a good clean before we moved in, the previous group staying there clearly weren’t too bothered how they left the place. The good news, for the hut owners, is that when an Outdoors Magic party use a place they always leave it in very clean condition.  Whatever, it was warm, dry and it had a hot shower – good enough for us rufty-tufty outdoorsy types.

The advance party: Jim, LMM, Cathy, Carrick and Ed

That evening some went off to the boozer down the road for a meal and some beer. Others, me included, stayed at the hut and ate there.

The Glyders

Next morning a very select group of six set off to wander over the Glyders.

Two cars were used, one parked at the start of the walk at the eastern end of Llyn Ogwen, t’other car was left at the Visitors Centre by Idwal Cottage, at the western end of the lake. Weather conditions were perfect, cool, clear and generally dry underfoot. Views improved as we climbed:

Tryfan

The hills were very busy, a group of Royal Marine Commandos were out on a jaunt:

The power of camouflage

Taz, with Tryfan in the background

There were grins all around, what a superb day to spend in the hills. The views were just so good that were moving relatively slowly – we just kept stopping to gawp and take photos.

Cathy, Chewie, Yavanna and Pete

Lunch with a view

Glyder Fach presented itself as a good lunch spot: tremendous views and nice dry rocks to sit on. Whilst munching our butties we heard the ‘waffa-waffa’ of a helicopter, a Sea King was lurking around the top of Tryfan. The helicopter flew off after a short time, only to re-appear around 10 minutes later. It was circling the tops – the winch-man (winch-person?) was giving Cathy a cheery wave.

Cathy, dead chuffed that the pillion passenger of the Sea King gave her a wave …....nobody else got a wave!

The craggy, rocky outcrops really have to be seen to be believed. My limited photography skills can’t show the area off properly, but I’ll try:

I’ve done very little walking in Snowdonia. It’s an area that I need to spend more time in, the scenery is really spectacular and it’s not too far from Manchester. I feel a backpacking trip coming on, a few days around here will really hit the spot.

Anyroadup, after the excitement of the waving helicopter pillion passenger and the scoffing of butties, we trotted off westwards-ish along the ridgy-thing to Glyder Fawr and more spectacular rocky terrain. Our route off Glyder Fawr was by the side of the Devils Kitchen, a dramatic gash in the mountainside:

 

Looking t’other way:

 Llyn Idwal with the Carnedds behind

A sometimes slippy descent in failing light slowed us down only a little and we were soon down at the car park by Idwal Cottage.

Back at the climbing hut we were surprised and more than a bit shocked to find that the helicopter we’d seen earlier in the day was on a call out. The group led by Maria had decided to go up Tryfan. Geoff (aka Major Cynic) took a tumble as he lost his grip on a bit of a scramble. A 75ft drop, punctuated by various ledges, rocks and other lumpy things had broken his fall – fortunately nothing else was broken, other than pride perhaps. Ogwen Valley MRT were out on exercise in the area and were very soon on the scene. Read all about it.

Geoff was whisked off to Bangor Hospital for his bits and pieces to be checked, X-rayed, massaged etc – all proved to be fine, if a little battered and bruised. He was kept in overnight for observation and was turfed out the following morning, stiff, sore, hungry and thirsty.

Sunday morning: Cnicht….not

Not Cnicht….but Moel Siabod from the hut on Sunday morning

By the time we’d collected Geoff from the hospital and returned him to the hut it was getting late – thoughts of a longer walk had been ruled out. Cathy had a plan: drive a few miles down the road and wander up Cnicht – a hill that has the distinction of being a HuMP, Hewitt and a Minto Nuttall.

An expedition party of three: Cathy, Jim and me, set off from Blaen Nanmor, a very minor road to the north-west of Cnicht. Following a not very clear footpath up to a group of lakelet / tarny type ponds at around the 600m contour we headed south-ish, in the general direction of Cnicht. The ground was generally good although there were some tremendously sloppy, boggy bits. My brand new, no expense spared £3.99 Aldi short gaiters did a good job of keeping the crud off the bottom of my trousers,

Llyn yr Adar

Jim and Cathy

Llyn Llagi

A mixture of failing light, yakking too much and not looking at the map properly meant that we were too late to do the ridge over Cnicht.

it was dark by the time we got back to the cars. Still, we had a nice little walklet:

5 miles and 1800’ of upness. And some boggy bits.

Apart from Geoff’s little mishap on (off?) Tryfan on the Saturday afternoon, it was a hugely successful weekend. Unfortunately not everyone was able to attend, some dropped out at the last minute, but hey-ho, that’s the way it goes sometimes. Thanks to Little Miss Maria for her efforts in making the weekend happen, and to everyone else for the entertainment  and making the weekend such a success - ‘twas great fun!