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
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