After cycling uphill for as far as the tarmac would allow above Bethesda, we continued on foot around the base of Gyrn Wigau, a peak that we can see from the bedroom window. After a boggy start, we hot the south-facing snowfield and began kicking steps up towards the summit in untracked snow.
The summit view, at a modest 643m was outstanding.
Skis would have been ideal, but the massive carry in that would have been required meant that it was more appealing to kick steps.
On the distant horizon, past the shores of Anglesy, we could clearly see the outline of the Isle of Man.
As we were marveling at the summit view, the sun began to set in the west.
The sun was actually warming on our faces as we descended towards it.
On reaching the steeper west-facing section, having not got skis with us, we pulled out our secret weapon - a heavy-duty orange bivi bag and sledded down the snowfields at high speeds through the soft snow.
It was a hilarious descent, with the two of us hugging together with snow spraying overhead. Eventually, we ground to a halt as the angle eased laughing our heads off.
By now the sun was getting very low in the sky, so we carried on with a brisk pace back to where we'd left the bikes.
We flew downhill on the bikes with gravity and made it back to The Cottage, exhausted, in the last remaining light. Splendid.
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