Pen Llithrig y Wrach & Pen yr Helgi Du

Nice day for a mountain walk! The weather was due to deteriorate in the afternoon, but the day started beautifully. We'd not been up into the southern Carneddeau for a while, so hiked up to Pen yr Helgi Du from the A5 near Tryfan, by heading straight up the service road, which although steep, soon gets you up into the hills.   

East face of Tryfan catching the morning sun

The last little scramble up to the summit is short lived, but steep. Unfortunately, the clouds were beginning to descend as we arrived on top 

Pen yr Helgi Du

Here come 'the weather'

Wild Carneddeau Ponies

It's a great ridge walk across to nearby Pen Llithrig y Wrach and even though the views came and went, it was worth the extra effort to get the views down to Llyn Cowlyd Reservoir. Four hours later we were back at the car, and zipping back to The Cottage feeling suitably refreshed and tired in equal parts.

Not quite the summit view we were after! 

Nice spot for a bit of lunching...

Home...

Back from the Canoe a Expedition in time for a stroll down to the Ogwen to view the sunset on the hills....

Evening clouds in the Carneddeau from near The Cottage

Llangollen Canal Expedition

I'm assessing a Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award expedition this weekend. The guys are travelling by kayak and canoe from Llangollen to near Ellesmere which is way if east in England. We were up early to get the boats packed and ready at the Trevor Basin. It's a real hive of activity, with barges and narrow boats and more than it's fair share of 'canal enthusiasts' who all came to stare at the kayaks with a mix of curiosity, wonder and disbelief!

As the group paddled, I've been leapfrogging my way downstream, checking on them during the journey. Although it feels like I've not really done anything, I've been on the go all day  and actually pretty tired! 

Viaduct at Trevor Basin

The group have just made it to camp, after crossing an aquaduct and going through a huge tunnel near Chirk!

Chirk Tunnel - 450m long!!

Kayaking on Llyn Padarn

Another beauty North Wales day and another morning spent messing about in boats!

It's been a long day though, after finishing with my kayak group, I picked up another team who are starting a canoe expedition along the canals from Llangollen. Just crawled into the tent after a 14 hour day... Alarms set for an early start as well! 

At least the weather is fantastic. No moon tonight, so the stars are super bright...

Sun Beams!

Abseiling, climbing & catching up with old friends

Spent the day with a great group of students abseiling off a cliff I'd never been to before. Great views of Conwy Castle, until the drizzle swept in and forced us into an indoor wall.

Followed by a great evening with visiting friends from Kenya that I had been to university with and kayaked with on first descents expedition in Africa back in 2001!!

Skateboarding by the seaside..

Found an ace skatepark by the seaside...

Cwm Silyn - Craig Fawr Rib

The first day of Autumn today and the first time we've seen rain in a while! Climbed up in Cwm Silyn today. There is a 'two star' Grade 3 scramble that I'd not done on a buttress called Craig Fawr. We've climbed on the neighbouring Craig yr Ogof plenty of times, but never really paid attention to the 'cliffs around the corner'. 

That's probably because getting to the 'cliffs around the corner' involves a hellish battle through steep heather, ferns and bogs. In fact, having just been there, I'm not sure that anyone has ever visited the 'crags around the corner' since the guidebook was written back in 1982... At least the route description did actually match up with the ground eventually, proving that we weren't new routing!

Cwm Silyn - Craig Fawr is the left hand buttress 

It took a staggering 1hour 50mins to get to the bottom of the route (including a few food stops, and a few discussions about whether to abort or continue). By the time we'd reached the base of the buttress, neither of us fancied re-tracing our steps, so the quickest way out, seemed to be to climb the route! By now, the clouds had rolled in and there was a drop or two of rain in the air, which did at least increase the speed of the ascent, as neither of us fancied climbing in the rain.

We soloed at first, then pitched, then moved together, and were at the top in a mere 28 minutes, and before the weather had really turned. 

Finally on the rib...

It was actually an ok climb, but the approach probably doesn't make it feel worth the effort - (unless you like that heather bashing sort of thing). From the top, it's a steady walk around the rim of the cwm, and back down easy(ish) grassy slopes to meet the track that we'd walked in on. The drizzly rain had set in by now, but luckily we were safely back in the car before it really kicked off. Currently very happy to be fire side at The Cottage as the rain continues to pour down...

On top, just as the cloud rolls in!

Slate Explorations

Coed y Parc in all it's glory this morning

Nipped out first thing along the track from The Cottage, where the autumn colours of Coed Y Parc are starting to take effect.

Slate explorations

Went exploring today in the slate quarries. Having climbed most of the routes that we are able to, we took the new guidebook and went for a walk about to see what we've missed, or overlooked!

Relics of the slate workings at G'Day Level, Australia East, Llanberis

Ended up high above 'Australia' which was properly bathed in afternoon sunshine. Snowdon and all the mountains were cloud free and the place looked great! And, we came away with a few more routes to re-discover ready for next time...

View from the 'Far Away Level', Australia East, Llanberis Slate Quarry

Llanberis Slate Climbing - Skyline Level

It's been a busy day today and a total stunner. North Wales at it's best! Finished the D of E Assessment and afterwards, went for a cooling swim in the Ogwen. Yes, that's right, it was so hot that a swim in a river was required! Then just before the sun set, we raced around to the Llanberis slate quarries and climbed a route on the Skyline Level.

Topping out to sunset at Skyline

Our local swimming pool

Ogwen Panorama

Snowdon & Slates Panorama

Our climb is called 'Dr Ruby..(6a) and climbs a trad protected VS for about 20m, then goes up a bolted slab to the top. Really nice climbing, with plenty to hold onto, except for the final moves, which needed a bit of thought. Pulled over the top to a dazzoling sunset. Splendid.

Dr Ruby... (6a)

What a way to end a day...

Duke of Edinburgh's Award Assessment

I've been assessing some students on their Bronze DofE Expedition today. From an overcast start in the Gwdyr Forest, they've travelled on foot to a camp below Tryfan.

Evening clouds lift off Tryfan at camp

It's been overcast today with the odd rain drop, but still warm enough for shorts! For once, the day went like clock work, with all the groups at the right check points at the right times which makes it even more enjoyable (and less stressful) work! Fingers crossed for more of that tomorrow!

Climbing on sunny quartzite & wet slates!

Really humid again today, but after a bright hazy start, the clouds began to build! I spent the morning climbing with a group at Fach Wen near Llanberis. The views from the crag, across Llyn Padarn are great, and normally you get a great view of Snowdon, but today the haze just got thicker and thicker, although no rain fell.

Hazy Skies across Llyn Padarn

After lunch, we went up the hill to Bus Stop Quarry in search of some slightly harder routes on the Slate. There were some spots of rain on the windscreen as well pulled up, but decided to go for it anyway. Sadly, the gamble didn't pay off and we got a proper soaking in a heavy downpour that was virtually hail! Slate doesn't lend itself well to climbing in the wet. In fact its virtually impossible! Luckily I was only one bolt from the lower off when the heavens really opened!

Less than ideal slate climbing conditions!

We aborted from the quarries and with tails tucked firmly between our legs, beat a hasty retreat the few kilometers back down the hill, where amazingly it was still warm and bone dry!! We managed to get another climb in and try a bit of abseiling, so all was not lost.

Canoeing on Llyn Padarn

Tropicana North Wales remains! Had a splendid day today, circumnavigating the lake of Llyn Padarn at Llanberis in open canoes. Sun hats, a pair of shorts and a leisurely pace were all that were required!

Setting off for a canoe journey

Snowdon was cloud free all day, and even though the lake was glorious, I couldn't help wondering how good it must be on the mountain crags with all this warm air blowing around..

Snowdon from Llyn Padarn

The temperature was so warm, that in the afternoon, I had to dive in for a swim to cool down. Even now the sun has gone down, it's still plenty warm enough to be eating outside. Long may it continue!

Climbing at Penmaen Bach Quarry

Sundown on the rocks at Penmaen Bach Quarry

I'd heard that a new bolted climb had been put up at Penmaen Bach Quarry. It's a north west facing crag, perfect for a sunny evening, so decided to stop off on the way home and get 'em while they're fresh!

Freshly drilled bolts

I can't remember the name of the route (I'll find out later), but it was a really nice 6a+ up a thin slab. We also climbed three other good routes on the Jefferson Slab before heading home before it got dark.

Slate Climbing

Summer is back in North Wales! Blue skies, 21 degrees and a light warm wind! We've had a busy time of things recently and spent most of the morning working at The Cottage. After a lunch, productivity started to wavier, and the great outdoors was calling, so we nipped out to the Skyline area of the Llanberis slate quarries for a quick 'refresh'!

Enjoying a late summer scorcher in the Llanberis slate quarry

We climbed 'Clash of the Titans' (6a) - all bolted, but take plenty of quickdraws! I didn't take long to climb, so we went back down and then climbed 'Mad Dogs of the West' HVS (5a). It's a great route, which could do with being loads longer. Follow the crack line, placing cams when you fancy feeling safer..

Trad Crack Climbing - Mad Dogs of the West HVS (5a)

Llanberis Slate

Before escaping through the short tunnel and heading back to The Cottage, we took a few minutes to enjoy the view and soak up the sunshine. Snowdon was cloud free and fully in view. Nice place North Wales, when the weathers nice!

Tunnel Exits..

The Waved Slab - Carnedd y Filiast

Got on a different kind of wave today! I've been eyeing up this slab of rock for years. Every time I drive down the Nant Ffrancon from Ogwen Cottage, I can't help but notice the huge slabs of Atlantic Slabs up on the side of Carnedd y Filiast. I've been up there plenty of times, but never got round to climbing the most striking and cleanest slab of rock up there - The Waved Slab. Until today!

Adrift on the waves

The slab is an amazing geological feature of course gritstone that features hundreds of wave ripples. It has a reputation of having no gear or belays (although I don't know anyone who's actually climbed it!). The guidebook gives it a Mod/Diff grade and suggests that belays are non-existant.  We thought we'd head up and check it out for ourselves.

The Waved Slab

It's a steep, sweaty walk up to the slab, but all over in 45minutes. There turned out to be plenty of good protection as well. Some of it was a bit spaced out, but the friction was great and the rock really solid. We climbed it in 4 x 55m pitches. Our first belay, was solid, although a bit uncomfortable, but after that, we had good stances, with solid protection. The climbing is all easy slab padding on the most grippy rock you're likely to find in all of North Wales, but I suspect that to solo it would be a lonely prospect.

Geological Climbing

We had a few threatening drops of rain half way up, but by the time we neared the top, (around 14:30) we were bathed in afternoon sunshine. Super pleased to have finally climbed the Waved Slab!

View down the Waved Slab

Escaping the slab

Clouds lift to show the view into the Nant Ffrancon from the top of the slabs

Day 3 in the surf!

Another day, and another session in the water! This time, the surf had really picked up into something pretty feisty. Word had obviously got out that there was a swell on the way, as I've rarely seen the beach at Rhosnigr so busy! We surfed at Broad Beach, which luckily enough (as the name suggests), is big enough to accommodate a crowd (well, an Anglesey sized crowd at least).

A bit of local knowledge got us to the beach at the optimum state of tide, so as we surfed, the waves got bigger and bigger, up to about 3 foot in height. A light off shore wind helped to shape things up nicely and the clouds even burnt off as the day progressed. What better way to spend a Sunday! It looks like it's starting to drop off now, which is fine by me as my arms are tired! 

Let's Surf! - Unwrapping my birthday presents!

Double Dip Day

The northern lights were spotted over the UK last night! We had a look out around midnight, but couldn't see anything except for moonlight on the clouds. Pretty all the same...

A bit of coasteering today at Angel Bay. Pretty choppy conditions and a spring tide, made it quite a tricky one to manage, but found some good jumps and caves to swim through.

Went straight back out to Rhosnigr in the evening to catch another wave or two. Bigger waves tonight, but with a longer gap between sets. Very glad to have had a dry wetsuit to put on having spent the afternoon in the sea! A few other surfers about this evening, but we went to an empty part of the beach and had each wave to ourselves! Spoilt!

Birthday Surf!

What's my age again? Birthday Waves!

Riding in the last of the light

What a great way to celebrate my birthday! Birthday cards and a few pressies with breakfast, then after spending a sunny day messing about in boats on Llyn Padarn, I arrived home for a coffee and birthday cake session outside in the cottage garden.
This was followed by a surf session on the west coast of Anglesey, where we both caught some tiny, but super glassy waves in the last of the light. There was no-one else at the beach - just us and the ocean, until we had a Heron flyby just before we got out! Magic!

To continue the celebrations, we stopped for drinks at a beach bar, then carried on back to the cottage for champagne and fire side home made sesame seed burgers! Happy Birthday!

Cheers!

Birthday Feast

Climbing at Union Rock

Spent a lovely day rock climbing with a beginner group at Union Rock near Llanberis today. It's been hazy, but bright all day long with very light winds. Perfect conditions to be working in the great outdoors! 

We're getting spoilt for great sunsets at the moment, and tonight's show didn't disappoint! 

We walked up onto Moel y Ci to catch the last of the light. The heather and gorse still look great and the hazy view from the top was special...