We kept hearing about how crowded and busy it is up in Snowdonia so we've been apprehensive about going up into the mountains this visit. So instead of going to the normal trailheads, we went further afield to climb a peak we've never been to before. It took a really long time to get there in the first place, but we got to go past Harlech Castle and that was a treat because it sits so regally above the sea in this stretch of north Wales that we rarely go to. In fact, the last time I was here was 26 years ago in the week before I met Rhodri, when I went on a geophysics field trip with Leeds University. I remember being so awestruck by the lush green beauty of this place. And we stayed in a youth hostel in the middle of Llanbedr and walked to the pub and it was a really fun trip!
So anyway, this particular day was just really hot and sweaty, and the hike itself was kind of a slog. Not the greatest hike ever, but it was fine.
The peak we got to is at the far right of this photo below. We came up a steep gully to a saddle, and then followed the gentle slope up to the rocky summit.
We came down the other side of the peak to a lake which was perfect for swimming in! It was clear, deep and cool. Nobody else wanted to join me swimming nekkid in the tarn. No photos of that! Ha. Anyway, that was great. Then we slogged it down the path looping back to the car. In fact, we had to pay the nearby farm for parking on their land, and when Rhodri went down to pay it turns out that the lady at the farm had gone to school with Sioned. Its a very small world sometimes! Then we started teh drive back to Rowen but stopped at the Grapes Hotel beer garden for a pint and some delicious food.
A good way to spend a Friday! And it was very entertaining to sit eating our meal and listening to all the conversations going on around us (in Welsh), observing the social dramas unfolding as different groups arrived and generally enjoying the evening.
No comments:
Post a Comment