hike | camp | paint
...I emerged from the cafe blinking in the afternoon sunlight. Ahead of me lay a lot of work. A climb up to the main road from the village of Dinas Mawddwy, along that a short way and then I was heading up steeply into the woods of Coed Foeldinas. And it carried on steeply, a … Continue reading Cambrian Way #10: Dinas Mawddwy to Barmouth (Days 22-24)
Generally I try to get to Wales once a year to add a bit of variety to my walking, and I'd got to September without having done so yet this year. And after so much walking of waymarked trails in, predominantly, lowland, I was keen that my trip to Wales feature some hills. It's been … Continue reading Across the Arans to Meet my Nemesis
In need of a weekend in the hills, after much tossing up between an attempt to move my Cambrian Way marker forward by a couple of days and the idea of going somewhere new, I eventually fixed on a visit to the Arans. This came out of my research for the optimal way to get … Continue reading The Arans
And now things get serious with the most controversial section of the Cambrian Way. Rough walking over demanding terrain, nowhere to stay overnight, but in the eyes of Tony Drake the most rewarding part of the whole route. Except in my case, I don't have the accommodation issue... I know from reading George Tod's accounts … Continue reading Planning the Cambrian Way – Part 8: Barmouth to Beddgelert
Ah, a short one but a good one. Two of the best 100 (according to Trail) mountains in the country, and depending on where my main training trip before the Cambrian Way takes me, this stretch could see me pass through the halfway mark in the Trail 100. But then if it doesn't, it will … Continue reading Planning the Cambrian Way – Part 7: Dinas Mawddwy to Barmouth
I stood outside Llandudno Junction station waiting for Rich, due a few minutes after me, little realising that Lee was already there sitting in his car about 100ft away. Rich arrived and we stood around like spare parts waiting for Lee to turn up and luckily he realised we were there when, bored with the … Continue reading 2 Days in the Southern Carneddau
Our annual gathering of ex-university friends saw us take a cottage in the Hiraethog area of North Wales. Although not a primarily walking-focussed holiday, we did get out a few times: Sunday 8 April: Easter in the Hiraethog A group walk across the moor to the summit of the Marilyn Mwdwl-eithin. We walked along … Continue reading Snowdonia April 2012
Snowdon (or to give the actual summit its correct name, Yr Wyddfa) is probably Britain's most touristy mountain, but under the right conditions can also be a serious mountain on which people die or hurt themselves every year. This post is dedicated to the melting pot and mountain of contrasts that is Snowdon and the … Continue reading Snowdon from various angles
Tryfan and the Glyders are wreathed in cloud as I sit here in the cottage writing this. Patches of sunlight highlighting the yellows of the moor. Yesterday we were up there, as my legs and in particular my knees are reminding me. We picked a good day for it, although the range of weather we … Continue reading Getting Some Rock
Given the weather, which has been windy every day and wet most days, I've had a reasonably successful trip. The only slight regret was losing Sunday, but that might not have been a great success anyway given my injury - I'm sure a day's rest helped, although I'm still in pain as I write this … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Debrief
On this trip I stayed in two places: YHA Snowdon Ranger. When I found I couldn't book the B&B for all 7 nights, I went for the obvious option for the first night. It's just down the road from Beddgelert. Unlike recent experiences though, this time I had to share a room but I did … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Accommodation and Meals
The Nantlle Ridge The whole trip has been built around doing this and it's my last day so it's obvious what walk to do. I deliberately left this to last because today had the best weather forecast and it's also the hardest walk - in that it's an all or nothing walk and although there … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 7
Moel Siabod The forecast today is for wind and rain and then clearing in the afternoon (so not much change there then!). I'm not going to wait to see it improve as when I did that on Sunday, I ended up with no walk. I also have to bear in mind last bus times. So … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 6
Snowdon's south east ridge Today, I'm up, breakfasted and ready in time for the bus as I have a potentially long walk ahead of me - from Nantgwynant over Gallt y Wenallt, Y Lliwedd, Yr Wyddfa and Yr Aran. It doesn't start well with the bus driver dropping me off ¾ mile beyond where I … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 5
I'm in agony and can't sit down without wincing. I don't think I broke anything, but I must have one hell of a bruise. Unfortunately I can't see without a highly complex arrangement of mirrors. And the weather forecast isn't good. Rain and high winds for most of the day, with only a small chance … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 4