Off Track: 2007

North Wales, 26th-28th October 2007

A small but very select group of Off-trackers set off for Snowdonia on 26th October. Hazel, Martin, Bill and Kirstie drove up early Friday, and Cathy joined us that evening. The early birds met in Betws at about 12. After a brief stop for coffee and sustenance we set off in search of a hill to scramble up. Much umming and ahhing later, we opted for Bristly Ridge. The ridge was indeed bristly, and very foggy and damp and atmospheric into the bargain. It's classified as a grade 1 scramble - but as Bill charitably put it, it's really a 'top grade 1'. Useful to know for future reference that we consider ourselves to be fairly competent grade 0.5 scramblers!

The new Off-track uniform

A 'lovely gully' with some tricky bits but plenty of kneeholds for the desperate!

Oh dear. I don't think we were meant to come this way.

The weather was pretty good (apart from at the top, where I don't think the weather is ever good). The rain started lashing down just after we'd got back to the cars, which was immensely satisfying.

We stayed at Rhyd Ddu, in 'farmhouse 2', which is part of lots of accommodation rented out by the Cwellyn Arms. http://www.snowdoninn.co.uk/
Great location, and very comfortable accommodation, with big (albeit not very well equipped) kitchen. Went to the Cwellyn Arms for food in the evening (very nice) and were joined by Cathy there.

The next day we went for a walk on the Nantlle Ridge. We weren't so lucky with the weather this time. On the way up it was fine, but it got wetter and wetter. Thanks be to the inventor of gore-tex (although the rain got in anyway).

The calm before the storm.

Very wet people.

Cathy unfortunately slipped and sprained her ankle on the way down (luckily not at the top). She managed to hobble back to the road, while Bill went ahead and got the car.

n Sunday (minus Cathy, whose ankle was too swollen to walk), we went for a walk up Moel Hebog (which according to an online Welsh dictionary means 'bald falcon'). Weather quite nice again (apart from on the top, of course).

A great weekend, apart from Cathy's sprained ankle of course.

Kirstie 08.11.07

Dolgellau, September 2007

Report and photos from Acting Group Leader, Bill ...

On Saturday we went up Cader Idris. This was easier for Mark and Rachel to meet us coming up from Cardiff. However I decided to leave a car on the other side of the mountain so that we could do a complete linear traverse. This was OK, except I took a wrong turn out of the YHA which took a few miles to rectify, then took a narrow road which ended up being really narrow and steep with gates to open and shut and a flock of sheep dashing in front of the car! So we were 25 minutes late for Mark and Rachel with no mobile reception! So, a great start to my navigation abilities to inspire confidence.

The rest of the walk went OK, but the main peak was in cloud and a bit blustery. But everyone enjoyed the traverse and the fact that the walkers had to wait in the pub while cars were being fetched.

Next day we went to a lovely valley to do Aran Fwyddwyyywwwdd or something Welsh. Forecast not good at all. But we drove out of the rain so started off up an atmospheric gulley. At the top, the rain started up again, but optimistically we thought it might blow over. Also the gulley had lots of slippy rock to descend, and the other descent was a more gentle path. So we carried on in the rain and wind and clouds. And on in more rain. And on in yet more rain and gales. Poor Kelly had no waterproof trousers, no gaiters and new boots but kept smiling and insisting “I’m fine!”, despite the fact she must have been soaked and very uncomfortable. This was a bit of a trudge as there was no chance to stop for lunch. Also it crossed a fairly featureless bog with a lot of very slippy railway sleepers and very deep boggy mud waiting for any slip! A real obstacle course.

Fortunately the path down opened up to give great views into the valley below the clouds and was sheltered. So we all survived and didn’t put anyone off (even a bedraggled but still smiling Kelly!). It was probably one of those days that in retrospect was almost enjoyable as character building! Definitely one to do again on a nice day though as it is a beautiful and relatively remote valley.

Langdale Valley, July 2007

Day 1, starting at Dungeon Ghyll (need to add details!) ...

Day 2 Crinkle Crags (very hard work for first hour for those with short legs, then lots of fun clambering over the Crinkles, with great views) ...

Capel Curig, February 2007

Our first trip in 2007 was a very wet weekend in North Wales, based at the Capel Curig youth hostel. We had fun climbing up over the Glyders on the Saturday though, but the bog-jumping and scrambling tired us all out and it was a tough challenge to stay awake in the pub that evening! Sunday was just too wet and miserable for any proper walking, so we decided on a morning in Betws-y-Coed, with the options of walking up to Swallow Falls, running to Swallow Falls, or drinking coffee and reading the Sunday papers ... guess who opted for what?!

And thanks to Bill and Kiki for the photos - my one sunny shot was looking a bit lonely before!