The skies have finally started to clear, so I decided to head into Cwm Lloer to have a look around and check out how much snow and ice had been put down by the recent storms. There was a good amount of snow up high, but the temperature was hovering just above freezing, so the snow was very wet and heavy.
Without snowshoes, it was arduous work getting to the back of the Cwm, where I hoped the temperatures would be cooler and the snow firmer.
Luckily for me, my guesswork paid off and I was able to make an ascent of 'Col Gully', which is a grade one route that I'd not done before. Although it wasn't as firm as I'd have liked, it was packed full of snow and perfectly climbable and very enjoyable.
As soon as I began to climb, the clouds rolled in and I was left in a whiteout as I ascended on my own. The cloud remained as I pulled up over the Corrie rim and navigated up to the summit of Pen yr ole Wen feeling particularly pleased.
On reaching the summit, the cloud lowered and I was rewarded with breathtaking views as the sun began to set in the west.
I stayed over by the ridge and was reluctant to leave as the cloud and light was so atmospheric. Mists blew through, then the sun and the views would return.
The shadow of the ridge was also projected onto the lower cloud with a broken-spectre of me standing on the ridge. Magic.
Once the sun had dipped and the show was over, I scurried if bavk to the valley before the light faded completely. What a fantastic day.
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