Arctic Moel Wnion

The mountainside above 400m has been transformed over the last two days into a frozen arctic tundra. The boggy grass has set like concrete thanks to a ferocious easterly tactic wind. The benefit of this is that it's now possible to access some of the local hills that usually involve wading through deep mud and swamp-like marshes as you can simple tramp over the frozen surfaces. 

To keep in the lee of the wind, we traversed under the northern slopes of Moel Wnion, where we discovered this little entrance to an old disused quarry. The wind had packed it full of snow inside, turning it into a miniature winter wonderland.

The snowslope at the back looked too appealing to resist and the snow was firm enough to just about get to the top.

Back on the hillside, we continued on an upward traverse across the freshly deposited snow feeling like we were in Norway or Arctic Finland.

There was no real shelter from the gusting wind, but we managed to find a nice little scoop that we dug out to give a cosy little lunch stop.

Eventually, we reached the summit plateau and took refuge inside the summit cairn. Being out of the wind was wonderful - for the descent over the other side and towards Gyrn, we put our goggles on which not only kept the pelting snow from stinging our eyes, but our faces were protected from the wind chill, which was down to double-figures below freezing.

On the windward side of the mountain, the snow has all been stripped and the paths were completely iced over.

Where snow had been driven and packed into gullies and stream beds, we were able to glide downhill on our bellies like penguins!

We passed a couple of small lakes, which were part frozen, but on the bank, where the wind had been blowing the water and spray, there were ice sculptures everywhere.

Even the thinnest blades of grass had an inch of ice encasing them.

There were some superb and unusual features.