3:00
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I arrive at Pen-y-Pass car park. I am lucky that
I took some cash since it is a pay and display parking. Positioning the
ticket in the car is next to impossible because of the storm. I finally
manage ...
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3:15
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359m
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I set off walking. It is still dark but the fullmoon
- though covered by clouds - gives enough light to walk without switching
my head torch.
The path starts off as a wide easy trail. Getting
closer to the ridge of the first 3000ft hill the walk turns into a scramble
which finally requires my head torch. It is still horribly windy ... on
the way up to Crib Goch I get lost at one point and finally decide to
just climb straight up after wasting time in order to find the "right"
path ... On the ridge it is foggy and stormy but at least the path is
obvious!
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4:20
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923m
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CRIB GOCH -
This is what it looks like with
daylight. Quite impressive I think. I took this picture the previous weekend.
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858m
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On the way down to the Bwlch Coch I really get
lost - cannot find the spot from where it goes down. I finally lose my
orientation completely and I am neither sure where I came from nor where
to scramble to, I climb down a bit, back up, look around, even considering
taking my bivi-bag out and wait for the sunrise ... rocks and rock-towers
around me - no clear arete or path ... but then finally with the help
of my compass I can figure out that I have been heading north instead
of west. I scramble around a corner and down to a grassy slope. From there
a little bit uphill to reach the saddle (bwlch). Finally! That cost me
some nerves and energy, and time ...!
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5:50
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1065m
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A never ending traverse up to GARNEDD
UGAIN. It is very foggy and still completely dark, I climb
up every rockpile, thinking that this might be the peak. If I had had
a proper look on the map I would have known that it is a long arete to
get there. Around 5ish I meet two English guys with headlights - they
were as suprised as me to meet someone at that point of the night in these
stormy conditions...
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998m
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From now on it's easy, I am on known grounds ...
From Bwlch Glas I walk up Snowdon, the wind is still blowing but at least
it's easy grounds.
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6:50
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1085m
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The SNOWDON
summit is easily reached but then I thought I heard a voice and there
is some funny noise (probably from the scafolding and the construction
works they are doing on the train station on Snowdon) - I get scared ...
I hurry down to leave this spooky place. On the way down along the railway
I eat a banana and a musli bar - first snack this morning.
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110m
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I reach Clogwyn Station but cannot find the path
down to the valley. It is pitching dark. Damn it! Straight down or the
safe long way around? - Straight down - grassy, slippery rock ... It starts
to get brighter, the sun is on its way! - I end up scrambling down a creek,
muddy and wet, hopefully I do not get stuck on a terrasse on top of a
rockwall, but somehow I find my way around, jump down or scramble down
some slippery bits of rock... What a relief to get finally on less steep
grassy grounds. And the sun is out as well!
In Gwastadant I reach the road and walk down to
Nant Peris.
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9:07
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924m
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Easy way up to ELIDIR
FAWR, comfortable and homogenous walk uphill. On the top suddenly
the sun breaks through the fog and gives me a fantastic view on the sea
and the hills around me!
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710m
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I eat some bread and cheese on the way down. And
continue along Bwich y Brecan.
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10:05
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947m
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Y GARN is
easily reached. Fantastic view of Tryfan and the Glyders! - Tryfan seems
so close! (Below a picture of Y Garn viewed from Tryfan south ridge.)
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711m
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But actually it is quite some time to walk ...
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10:54
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999m
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GLYDER FAWR
- I never liked this one. Again I find it hard to find a good path up
from Llyn y Cwn. I just walk on "would-like-to-be" paths on
uncomforable screes and blocks. - On Glyder Fawr I meet the first person
after the two men during the night.
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919m
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Bwlch y Ddwy Glyder
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11:26
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994m
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GLYDER FACH
- Quite busy up here but nice views. I eat some banana bread.
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700m
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From Bwlch Tryfan an easy scramble up Tryfan,
it's a change to the walking.
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12:15
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915m
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TRYFAN - What
a horror - this one is really busy - I try to avoid the crowds as good
as possible and scramble down the famous North Ridge of Tryfan (pictures
below). On the way down my knees start to hurt - I am concerned, also
I know my tent is close by ... I could just go there and end the day.
I have already walked for 9 hours anyways ... I eat an apple and refill
my water - I have finished the three liters I had taken.
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13:17
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Finally I reach Llyn Ogwen (lake above) and of
course I walk on - uphill is always easier. So my legs can recover before
the next down hill passage. The walk up is the most beautiful ever. Few
people and beautiful country-side.
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14:37
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978m
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PEN YR OLE WEN
- Windy summit.
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900m
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Musli bar on the way down from the summit. Some
walkers wonder about my pace.
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15:02
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1044m
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CARNEDD DAFYDD
(right picture)
The view to the other side - a part of the North
Wales hills I have not seen yet - it is incredibly beautiful. The greenish
hills and the ridge to Yr Elen look impressive! (picture below Yr Elen)
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950m
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Cefn Ysgolion Duon - I start thinking about putting
waypoints into my GPS, for the way back.
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I put down a waypoint and memorise the way down
- which is not on my map.
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Ridiculous walk down and up to Yr Elen. Why must
this thing be a 3000? It is becoming quite cool, I put on my gloves and
Gore Tex.
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16:05
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962m
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YR ELEN (peak
on the right viewed from Foel Grach) Finallly there, quick picture and
hurry to get the three resting ones done.
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910m
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I am starting to feel a bit tired - the wind is
getting stronger and is blowing heavyly from the side. I realize that
I will probably have enough daylight to get to Foel Fras and back and
for the first bit of walking down.
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1020m
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Green slopes with sheep and slippery rocks.
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935m
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Muddy and wet zones. I am glad that I took my
gaitors!
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16:35
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976m
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FOEL GRACH
I take my time to walk down to Foel Gach and the other two peaks. It is
quite muddy around here. The wind is a real pain by now! I can also see
darker clouds coming up. Please wait for me to finish!
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894m
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926m
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GARNEDD UCHAF
is a little bump in the country-side.
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900m
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17:15
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942m
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FOEL GRAS
Yes! Done! I can see the sea from its top. What a great place, so different
from the Glyders and Snowdon area. A quick text to Peter, Mike and Giles.
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900m
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976m
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Back on Foel Grach, it start to rain and the fog
gets thicker.
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936m
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I cannot find the way down, then realize it is
the wrong cairn, I walk on, here we go, but again it is the wrong cairn,
I am getting annoyed, I cannot see if there are other hills coming up
since it is so foggy.
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1064m
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I take my GPS with the waypoint I had saved earlier
on and quickly find the right cairn - Carnedd Llewelyn again - and down!
Bit of a pain the wind, rain and tired feet - I can feel that my coordination
has changed. I have to be careful in putting down my feet. It has been
15 hours since I left Pen-y-pass and I have not slept in almost 48 hours.
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19:55
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283m
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The lake is easily reached (left picture), the
walk down on the road (right picture) is a "painful pain". My
feet finally decided to hurt. But I am glad that I reached the road just
when it got pitching dark. Soaked, happy and tired I retrieve my tent
(right picture). A quick hot shower, some peanuts and raisins and good
night.
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On Sunday I walk back to the car on Pen-y-Pass.
Two hours of relaxed walking over a nice little pass ... finally I have
got some time to really enjoy the wonderful hills, lakes, meadows, plateaus
and what-so-else beautiful Wales has to offer!
When I got back to the campsite and paid the two
nights there the owner asked me what I did and then simply asked "Which
charity did you do it for?" It seems, what ever you do in this country
has to be for some charity purposes. You cannot just climb a mountain
for your own selfish reasons ...
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