Cooling Down

There's been a shift in temperature over the last few days and you can't just head out without a fleece into the day anymore! 

After a fabulous night at the 'Outdoor Education Awards Ceremony', we were up early, out of bed and down at the river for a freshen up after the late night. The day before had seen some heavy showers and this had significantly cooled down the river temperature! I shivered all the way home!

There was time for a last minute kit check for us both as we went our separate ways. I dropped Clare at the station in Business Class travel mode, as she began the long journey to the far away skyscrapers and boardrooms of Mumbai in India, before getting myself ready for a big day of work in the mountains.

I had an alarm go off at 03:25 on Tuesday for an early ascent of Tryfan. Typically after weeks and weeks of beautiful sunrises, we were treated to a damp and drizzly start.

Still, the group and I were in good spirits and on top of the mountain by 06:30 and revelling in our achievements. The conditions felt wintery! Down jackets and hats were required!! Even gloves! Such a contrast to recent weeks of shirtless activity! A good reminder to be prepared where venturing into the mountains!

Unfortunately, the downhill section was a slow affair and it took us a while to reach the road, after our fast start. The next mountain of the day was Cader, in Mid-Wales, so I handed over to other staff to do that section and returned to The Cottage for a nap! The weather there was terrible, with strong winds and rain, so on arrival back at Snowdon later that evening, we decided to put an end to the challenge event. Disappointing, but the right decision! On the plus side, I was able to get a good nights sleep!