Friday 10 March 2023

On Skis from The Cottage

I was due to be taking a group of students to the Yorkshire Dales today, but couldn't even get the van off the driveway! Woke to find much more snow than expected! I've always fancied skiing the hill outside The Cottage, so on finding that no vehicles had dared to try and come down it, we jumped out of bed, grabbed the skis from the store and skied right out the back door! 


It was a real winter wonderland outside. With no wind, but heavy snowfall, the trees were laden.


There were no tyre tracks on the road, only bird ones!



And some squirrels!


It didn't take long to skin up to the top of the hill. Snow was still falling and we didn't hang about in case a land rover came up the road and ruined the piste!



We whooped for joy as we glided back down to the waiting breakfast!



Although we couldn't drive away, there was still plenty of work to be getting on with for us both, so after a hearty breakfast, we spent the day working, but with a couple of little walks to see the snowy local sights.



By evening the roads had cleared and I'd shovelled the drive clear of snow. I decided to nip up the valley to see the sunset and see what conditions were like, ready for my weekend group.


It was minus three and stunningly clear.


There was ice forming on the cliffs in Cwm Idwal.



I had hoped to climb Banana Gully on Y Garn, but I was too heavy for the crust on the snow to hold me and I constantly broke through and sank into the deep snow - sometimes upto my thighs! Much too hard work - reatreated back to The Cottage in the dark. Magic.


Left the campers to it and returned to the fireside!


What a day!

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