Moelwyn Mawr and Allt Mawr, Saturday

On Saturday, I guided walking friend Craig around Moelwyn Mawr and Allt Mawr.

The Met office forecast predicted heavy snow and black clouds after 9am. Amidst these warnings, and aware that Craig is in rehabilitation after a knee operation, I planned a route that would a) avoid steep, avalanche prone slopes, and b) not be too hard on the knees. This meant choosing a route based on widely-spaced contour lines.

In the end, we had a couple of flurries of snow interspersed with broken cloud and spells of glorious sunshine. The weather threatens to be colder overnight, but I still don't think that there'll be significant snowfall in the area. And we picked off Moel Druman, Allt Mawr and Moelwyn Mawr Hewitts without any ado.



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Walking the Moelwyns

Walking Moelwyn Mawr and Bach

This weekend was a bit of an big trip for me: A wild camp in the Moelwyns/Moelwynion, with 17 miles of walking and over a mile of ascent. No matter how I try, I still don't feel able to lighten my pack enough, and the strain on my knees was really telling by the end of the trip! The adventurous route started from Blaenaeu Dolwyddelan, up Yr Arddu, detoured to Cnicht, then doubled-back to Moelwyn Mawr and Bach. after a brief camp around there somewhere, I then planned to head back as directly as possible to the start point. 

The weather in the week leading up had been a mix of cold, heavy snow and sunshine. I arrived Saturday, (23rd November) morning at Blaenau Dolwyddelan to temperatures of -4°C in the valleys and beautiful frost. I had packed crampons and ice axe in the van just in case, but on arrival the tops were clear and these obviously weren't needed, so were left behind. The low winter sun shone all day, slowly turning the firm but nicely frozen tundra on the Moelwyns into their typical boggy condition.

Allt Fawr and Moel Druman on a frosty start from Blaenau Dolwyddelan

Frosty!

Ice, formed some days earlier, on Yr Arddu

Looking over to Allt-fawr and Moel Druman from Yr Arddu, 53.032608, -3.984698

Frosty Llynau'r Cwn

I trekked over Yr Arddu, Cnicht, and just about had time to make it up Moelwyn Mawr and Bach before sunset.

A busy Cnicht

Moelwyn Bach and Trawsfynydd on the way up the east side of Moelwyn Mawr

Summit of Moelwyn Mawr - no snow.

Sunset reflecting in the sea beyond Portmadog over Moelwyn Bach.

After arriving back down at the abandoned quarries at Cwmorthin in the almost-complete darkness, I night-nav'ed to find a sufficient camp-site near Llyn Cwm-corsiog. The stars were only partly visible through the broken cloud, but still very impressive, despite a little bit of light pollution coming up Cwm Cwmorthin from Blaenaeu Ffestiniog. It was late and I wasn't particularly hungry, so I drank some more water to re-hydrate (I'm terrible at drinking enough during the day), then settled down for the night without supper, snug in my Rab Ascent 700 down sleeping bag. 

I slept on-and-off between 1930 and 2230, then only stirred thereafter for the occasional curl up until waking at 0615. The temperatures didn't drop below 0 overnight: the ground just remained damp. Dawn arrived with very little fanfare, just a brightening of the grey overcast sky. But at least it wasn't raining, or windy!

A dull overcast dawn overlooking Llyn Cwm-corsiog and Moel Druman. Not as dry as it looked...

I compensated for no supper by making a double-breakfast of freeze-dried roast veg couscous with added chicken and vegetable soup (the soup adds extra calories, fluid, and texture), followed by instant seeded porridge with fudge hot chocolate and dried blueberries. Hot chocolate single sachets are the best way to buy dried milk, in my opinion: they can be drunk alone or added to fortify your breakfast.

Soon, though, my cold, damp, FREEZING feet told me it was time to get a move on! I headed indirectly toward Moel Druman by skirting around the contours to Llyn Terfyn then along the path. After summitting Druman I continued northeast, past Allt-fawr (one peak too many!), over Moel Dyrnogydd, then along the miner's trail and across the horrible, ankle-twisting-tussocked scrub to Hendre Farm and my starting point.

Snowdon & Glyderau Conditions

Conditions in the Snowdon and Glyder massifs looked impressive from the Moelwyns this weekend:
Snow was above 600m, so both Crib Goch, and Crib y Ddysgl were covered.

There was also significant snow cover on the Glyders, although Y Foel Goch (to the southeast) and Y Garn (to the north) did not appear to have any settled frozen stuff.

Saturday's Route View Larger Map

Sunday's Route View Larger Map

Moel Siabod, by Lizzie, Mountaineer (Aged 7¾)

Candy Floss

Daddy had been saying he would take me up another mountain for ages. Today he suggested Moel Siabod.

I've been on two mountain walks before: Y Fal (Sugar Loaf) in the Brecon Beacons and Devil's Kitchen in the snow.

I hoped it would be cloudy. I've always wanted to taste the clouds. I think they will taste of candy floss. Daddy says they're just wet.

Tangfastics

Daddy parked at Bryn Glo, a free car park at the south end of the A5 just as it leaves Capel Curig. He did his jammy trick of finding the last free space again.

The weather was Sunny, clear and warm. Not too hot or humid, nor too cold: just right.

First we walked carefully along the busy road, then over a very old bridge called Pont Cyfyng. Daddy says "pont" is Welsh for "bridge". He doesn't know what "Cyfyng" means. We watched the water pouring over the waterfalls for a bit and played Pooh Sticks.

A little way along the road, we turned up a track that became a path. This was a bit steep and I was soon tired. Daddy bribed me with Haribo Tangfastics, and this kept me going until we reached the old quarry. We stopped here for a little snack (it was lunchtime). Daddy showed me a special place where you can look right along the surface of the quarry pool. We found a geocache near here, almost without looking! There was a small doll travel bug in it that had buttons for eyes. I didn't like it because it reminded me of "Coraline".

Exploding Volcanoes

Llyn Y Foel, a Caldera, Moel Siabod.

We carried along the path toward the big lake called Llyn y Foel. Daddy said that this is a caldera, which is a hole left when a volcano explodes. This one was made when the side of Siabod blew up, millions of years ago.
About now, a big cloud formed over Siabod. I might get to taste cloud! It did keep us cool though, and kindly didn't rain on us at all. We headed across the boggy paths past the lake. I was so light I didn't leave any footprints in the bogs. Sometimes Daddy sunk in to his ankles!

Walk, or Climb?

Now we reached the Daear Ddu (Daddy's translation: "Black Earth") ridge. It is a big rocky ridge, with an easy path up the back of it.

Daddy asked: "Walk? Or climb?" I wasn't sure.
Daddy said, "When you're back at school, and someone asks, 'what did you do this weekend?', your friends will say: 'we went shopping'; or 'visited granny'; or 'played in the park.'
"You can say: 'I climbed a MOUNTAIN!' "
Then Daddy asked again: "Walk? Or climb?" I said: "CLIMB!"

At the top of my first pitch! Daear Ddu, Moel Siabod

And so we put our climbing harnesses on. Daddy shortened the rope, so that I was always in view and didn't have too much distance to climb to him. Before we started, Daddy taught me the commands: "Safe!"; "Climb when Ready!"; "Climbing!" And then we were ready. Daddy went up a bouldery but grippy rock slab a little way and made himself safe. Then I climbed up to Daddy while he body-belayed me, and when I reached him he made me stand in a safe place.

We did this for the whole ridge. After each climb, Daddy asked, "the same or harder?". I kept saying harder! But we reached one section that I just couldn't climb. Daddy had already climbed it and tried to "climb like a small person", keeping his arms short and taking very little steps. But he didn't climb it small enough, so had to winch me up! Daddy said, "Are you ready? One, two, three..." then pulled. I half-climbed, and was half-pulled a little way up. He said it again, and I moved up a little bit further. He said it a few more times. Each time I moved up a little more, until I could see him and easily climb over the top of the big rocks. After that, Daddy didn't make it any harder. At first I had been scared, but afterwards I decided that this bit had been fun!

Seconding like a professional, Daear Ddu, Moel Siabod.

Near the top of the path, the ground became flatter. Daddy decided to use the whole 35m rope length to cover the ground more quickly, but he was worried about leaving me standing on my own. Daddy decided that I should "belay" him, like a proper climber. Daddy put a big sling around a rock, then attached me to it on a carabiner: I was going nowhere. As Daddy climbed, I "belayed" him, paying out the rope bit by bit and making sure it didn't get tangled. When Daddy reached the top, he set up a belay where he was, then I "seconded", dismantling the belay and collecting the sling and other gear as I went.

On Top Of The World Mountain

On the top, YAY! Moel Siabod.

The last little bit to the top was an easy scramble/walk so we didn't need the rope any more. I made it! YAY! At the very top of Moel Siabod is a trig point: a little stone tower that Daddy said they used in the olden days to measure how big all the mountains were. I had to stand on the trig point because it was the highest place on the mountain and Daddy said it didn't count unless I did. Daddy rewarded me with some more Tangfastics.

Left to right: Glyder Fach, me, Y Garn, Tryfan, Pen Yr Ole Wen.

The views from here were brilliant. It was a bit hazy, but we could see all of Snowdon and Tryfan and the Glyders, and even the Carneddau. All we then had to do was walk down the path on the other side of the mountain. I found this difficult because my legs were getting tired, but we did it carefully and actually very quickly.

Heading down the north path toward Capel Curig, Snowdon in the background

Soon we were walking back through the shade of the trees in the woods and along the stream. Daddy couldn't resist stopping to skim stones, and we both had a little paddle! The last bit of the walk was through flat fields and nice soft grass. Soon we crossed back over the bridge to the car park. When we got back I had a whole extra bag of crisps and daddy had a big flapjack. While we sat there a cheeky robin came toward us. Daddy threw some of the flapjack on the floor, which the robin ate and then it flew away.

What Next?

We drove back home along the Ogwen Valley toward Bethesda. Passing its most imposing resident, Daddy pointed to the mountain and asked, "Tryfan next?" Without hesitating, I said, "Aw, go on then!". I hope it will be cloudy...


Moel Siabod via Bryn Glo and Daear Ddu Ridge View Larger Map