Have a ‘magical’ New Year in 2013 – best wishes from Paul, Chris and Border Collie ‘Mist’.
Happy New Year from Paul, Chris and ‘Mist’
Text and images © Paul Shorrock
p.s. The above image was taken just before Christmas, on a walk in the Elen Valley in Powys, Mid-Wales – read all about it next week. Off now to find the right magic spell to get me ‘missus’ back to full size – or perhaps I’ll leave her like that!
What’s all this then? Shouldn’t you be doing something Christmasey instead of reading this? Well, seeing as you’re here, here’s a repeat of a blog I did a couple of years ago when I lived in Yorkshire – I’ve told this story before, but the message is still relevant. Enjoy – I’m off, Christmas stuff to do………….
Oh, have a good one – Christmas, that is!!
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Pen yr Ole Wen in summer, seen from Llyn Idwal near Ogwen
(L to R) Tryfan, the Glyderau and Y Garn, seen from near Pen yr Ole Wen (JB)
Pen yr Ole Wen isn’t exactly what I would describe as one of the ‘jewels in the crown’ of Snowdonia. It’s a lump of a hill, almost literally sitting in the shadow of Tryfan, despite the fact that it is 63 metres higher. It’s Tryfan and the hills of the Glyderau that have the drama and the soaring ridges, but Pen yr Ole Wen is a great vantage point from which to view Tryfan and the Glyderau – it’s also an ideal springboard to the hills of the Carneddau.
Looking north down the Nant Ffrancon valley at Ogwen
The Search and Rescue Dog Association of Wales (SARDA Cymru) holds two assessment weekends every year, where novice dogs demonstrate their searching abilities, and qualified dogs progress to a higher level. Originally intended to search for lost or injured people in the mountains, the members of the association are now just as likely to be searching for a lost child or a confused pensioner. Whatever the task, the training starts here in the hills and mountains of North Wales.
My wife doesn’t understand me (as the saying goes). Is it so difficult to understand that an outdoors chap needs more than one rucksack? Well, this one does anyway. I’m also a ‘label’ man – I tend to stick with brand names that have proved reliable in the past on my hill trips, and when it comes to rucksacks, Berghaus is the brand I’ve come to trust.
On the slopes of Foel Fenlli, with bad weather closing in
My local hills, the Clwydian Range, are not the highest hills in Wales by a long way, though it’s the first high ground you drive through as you enter North Wales from England. The highest summit is Moel Famau (see post #79) at 554 metres, and most of the other summits of the ridge line are only between 400 – 500 metres in altitude (see post #99). They are exposed little hills though, and can prove ‘interesting’ in bad weather.
Day 1 on the first ‘Spine Race’, January 2012 (JB)
By any stretch of the imagination, completing the Pennine Way on foot is going to be a challenge. It’s 268 miles (431 kms) of rough, boggy terrain along the backbone of England, exposed to the worst weather that an English summer can throw at you, walking for about 2 ½ weeks. Some people add to the fun by backpacking, carrying their shelter and food with them. If that sounds too easy there’s always the ‘Spine Race’ – carry all your gear, do it in 7 days and do it in winter!
The Snowdon Horseshoe looking rather wintery, seen from Plas y Brenin
It’s not often you can have a skiing day in Snowdonia in November – it’s probably such a rare event that it just doesn’t happen. It didn’t happen last weekend either, but the next best thing did – a ski-mountaineering promotion day at Plas y Brenin, organised by the British Section of the Austrian Alpine Club and free to members. Well, what’s not to like about that then?
Arenig Fach seen from the east
It seemed like a good idea. Six weeks earlier Chris and I had walked Rhinog Fawr (post #95) and after being seduced by a forecast of fine weather, I had gone out two days later and walked a much longer route based on Rhinog Fach (post #96). Then, six weeks later we had another good day on Arenig Fawr (post #101) and again a favourable weather forecast tempted me to ‘go for it’ and to return the day after for Arenig Fach.
Arenig Fawr on the right, with the ridge of Craig y Hyrddod on the left
I’ve spent most of my mountaineering life not knowing a thing about the Arenig hills of North Wales. That’s probably not unusual for those who only visit the Welsh hills a couple of times a year, and are then seduced by bigger, better known and more accessible hills. Then the Discovery Walking Guides project came along and nudged me towards these less familiar hills – we now live about forty miles from them.
Paul offers guided hillwalking in the UK through Hillcraft Guided Walking. He is also a freelance outdoor writer.
Hillcraft Guided Walking Website
Paul Shorrock - One Man's Mountains AKA One Pillock's Hillocks 