The Glyders

The weather today was going to be a bit better with a high risk of rain after 4 in the afternoon so the plan was to go through Devils Kitchen on top do both Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach and come down off the side of Tryfan. Wow that sounds magic - i had been waiting for this for a while. The walk in was gentle with a great view of Lake Idwal and we couldn't take our eyes off a large bunch of climbers on the Idwal slab looking very precarious. It then started to rise up a staircase and with head down we were at Devils Kitchen in good time and had a good look around. We continued around the side on the stair case and were soon on the first level with some great views across to Y-Garn. The clouds were intermittent and when they opened out the views were great. I then started to understand the interconnecting paths and it opens up loads more walking on the range. No time for any photos as there was a tough scree slope to the top of Glyder fawr. A bit steeper than expected but i was feeling fairly good and it wasn't long that we were on top. It was like a moonscape on top and we picked our way across the ridge. We really just sauntered as there was so much to see with views on both sides when the clods lifted and also some tricky rocks and boulders to navigate around. There were a few trickier bits and we found ourselves boulder hopping and scrambling across them. Nice to see Dave on his arse even if it was part of the scramble! Looking back to Glyder Fawr it was surprising how far we had come - good fun. We took a break at Glyder Fach to look at the summit and the cantilever stone - no i didn't! I'll leave that too others. From here it was all down and wow what a down it was. As we dropped off the top we had Tryfan in front of us all the time looking dramatic and challenging. The scree slope we were on though was challenging enough and took most of the concentration as it dropped off 800 metres at a very steep angle. It was a little loose and tricky but i was pleased to be going down rather than up. As we hopped over the style in the saddle it was just a fast walk back to the car. After a sausage roll and can of coke at 4pm on the dot we sat in the car and it chucked it down - perfect timing. What a brilliant days walking - highly recommended!

A Wet Pyg

Yes the Pyg track was so wet today that I decided to leave the camera behind. We caught the sherpa bus fro Llanberis to pen-y-pass and it was raining constantly. That may not be a good thing but the car park was empty and not many people on the hill - great. James and Chris headed off for a horseshoe not including Crib Goch which is an great walk. We on the other hand - with gale force winds and heavier rain forecast - thought this would be a challenge enough. The water coming off the hill and running down the paths was spectacular. With all the flooding just to the north of us it wasn't quite that but the waterfalls were like snow and sparkling everywhere. The bit i didn't enjoy too much is that we were walking in water most of the way up. As usual the stairs are a real pain. This time though i felt stronger and and kept on without too many stops. As i reached the top we all went forward together and wow the weather hit. I don't know how fast the winds were but it was difficult to stand up. We trudged up to the top. There were a number that didn't bother with the trig point because it was too dangerous. After some food and a drying out in the cafe we decided on a route march down the llanberis pass and with the thought of a few pints waiting at the end it was less than a couple of hours before we were in the pub. Nice!

The Zig Zag Path

Arrived in Llanberis today on a wet Thursday and thought we would re-live Kev's earlier memories and head up the slate quarry zig zag path. A route when he was younger he would do each evening to get a pint each night, tough but worth it! Well for pint it was. The area was looking damp and sultry so took a few photo's to try and convey the mood. It was good walk that got the muscles moving, got the spirits up and put us in the right frame of mind for a few beers and a curry.

Not much fun

It was badged as a Sport relief 6 miles fun run but half way round it didn't feel a bit like fun!

Dom and I had agreed to fast walk it which would have been great prep for a couple of Snowdon trips i have planned. However, as we stood there at the start and they said "walkers over here and runners over there" it suddenly dawned on me - Sh1t, I am going to have to run.

Well you can't loose face can you! A mixture of fast walk and run and Dom pushing me on and it felt a great achievement to haul myself over the line and finish whatever the time. My bit for sport relief done!

Hopefully that can kick off more training now as it is always a bit more enjoyable on the mountains the fitter you are.

The Snowdon Javelin

Trying to avoid as many tourists as we could today we climbed Snowdon via the most difficult route and walked down to llanberis the scenic way. In doing so rather than than the Snowdon horseshoe we named it the Snowdon Javelin after its trajectory of up, over and down.

The weather was absolutely brilliant and got better as the day went on. It made 13 miles in just under 6 hours fly by.

By contrast team 2 headed for the tourist route across after dropping us off - Crib Goch. The weather had bought them out in there hundreds and as you queued to get across the ridge there were a good few well out of their comfort and the pace was slow. However they all made it successfully with a great buzz and some brilliant views.

Our trip started with a great walk following the river. First in the cool through the trees, up past the waterfalls and onto Gladstone rock. We then started to head up hill and as it started to get harder we were making good progress. this took us up onto the south ridge and some fantastic views across to Grib Goch.

As we walked along the ridge every time you looked up you could see the scree slope up to the top and it looked awesome. 800 feet of loose rocks at about a 75 degree incline with a greater drop below you into the valley-awesome!!

As we started up the slope there was a guy clinging for dear life to a boulder and it reminded me of my own vertigo trying to paint the upstairs windows last year. You feel an absolute idiot when you can only do a few rungs on the ladder. He had my sympathy!

A steady trudge, a few wobbles, dirty hands and a power up the last path and we were on top. What an anticlimax!!! It was like an afternoon at the Northampton carnival.

There were dogs every where, bikes, kids, ice creams, even a woman in a grass skirt and a bloke dressed up as a banana. I think that says it all!

In amongst this melle was a disabled race where groups were pushing and pulling wheelchairs to the top and back. It was like trying to walk across the saints pitch just as they were scrummaging.

Enough is enough and we couldn't even bring ourselves to queue up in the cafe.

As we headed down the Llanberis path jostling in the carnival procession we decided to take the rangers and telegraph paths instead. As we headed down with the valley opening up to us and looking back at an other snowdon horseshoe we had made a great choice.

We picked up the tricky path on to telegraph ok and from here is was a gentle stroll back into Llanberis. A

s we sat outside the hotel with nothing more than sunburned legs we reflected on a great walk it was from Nant Gwynant To Llanberis made all the better by the great weather.

Thunderstorms in the Glydr's

Photos to follow

The weather today was not looking good but we thought it would clear up later. In which case we decided to take and easier route onto the top of the Glydr range via Y-Garn then see how much walking we could do on top – hopefully it would clear.

The gentle walk into and around the lake was great, a little drizzle, but you could see the tops and it was a picturesque as ever. As we got the walk start it all changed. The rain started and out came the waterproofs. Then through the gate and wham it was steep from the start and didn’t relent. The steps up the side were great but as always with short legs like mine they are always a stretch. The further up we went the harder it rained, the colder it got and the stronger the wind got.

As we arrived at the lake it was raining hard by now and we were all soaked to the skin. We walked up on the ridge which was OK if not a little exposed but the wind was approaching gales now and the rain torrential. There seemed to be a realisation with most of us that we do this for fun and this was definitely not fun bordering on dangerous. We realised that it was not going to get any better so made the decision to turn round and head for the bar instead.

An easy 2 hour stroll

After a relaxed journey down to Llanberis in the mini bus we were all keen to get some fresh air. Kev's suggestion of a couple of hours easy stroll had everyone grabbing their walking boots. If they were there that is, as Andy realised he had left his at home, a nice easy sale for joe browns!

As we headed up the hill towards Moel Ellio we made a couple of wrong turns and we were up to our knees in bracken, heather and thistles. Persevering on we climbed a few fences over a few fields and we were back on the track.

The path up to Moel Ellio was clear heading up a grassy hillside following the fence. It was a bit longer than expected as your hopes were dashed by reaching false summits but we reached the top in a bracing wind and did a bit of posing for the camera.



It was then that we realised we had been out 2hours already and another peak to do before a long walk home.

We were split into 3 groups by now and as the first 2 made it onto the telegraph path we sat around waiting for the rest. As Kev rung Andy to work out where they were we realised they had come off the hill further up and a mile in front of us and took great delight sitting outside the pub with a drink asking "where have you boys been?"

A quick change and we just made the 8pm curry table we had booked. A great start but a tough walk!