An abortive attempt on the Glyderau

I tried to recover some sleep on the coach on the way to Ogwen, but that never seems to work, and got off at Ogwen bank absolutely shattered. We headed off up the public right of way through Penrhyn Slate Quarries, only to be confronted by a security guard pointing to a sign stating that the right of way would be closed for 15 years from 2002. He didnt seem too amused when we told him that we would wait. Miserable git.

On the way back I took a photograph of the weir at Ogwen bank, before we finally set off through a gate onto a track we had looked at some time ago. The rain was torrential for large parts of the day, but the new jacket performed well, the trousers did let a little rainwater through though, bugger.

We eventually came to a gate where we took to the open hillside heading up to Carnedd y Filiast. Although it was a steep hill, I was really unhappy with how it felt, the legs being very heavy, and just generally struggling. Eventually I turned back with Bob, Steve, and another gentleman that I met up at Wasdale Head, couldn’t tell you his name, but I do know that he has a dog called Henry, bizarely enough.

I had assumed that when we turned back we were about 50m. below the 721m. point on the ridge. Looking at the map, I know that on descent the scree headed inlet was to my left, which means that I was just belo Carnedd y Filiast itself, and a relatively level ridge walk. In reality I missed out on a couple of hours working away in a cloud with no views when I was already struggling. The plan had been to drop off the ridge from the Devils Kitchen, but even those who persisted dropped off after Foel-goch, and pretty much everyone else cut their walks short. I wish I had gone for Moel Siabod instead, because I think that I would have got myself up knowing that I could go straight back down again!

The only major saving point for the day is that despite the weather I have got a couple of decent photographs on descent, but I think it takes me back to my point last week about expectation, if you expect a great day it simply never happens – you can’t demand great weather in Ogwen in summer, never mind winter (If that is what you could call this). Just ignore me, I’m more miserable a git than the security guard at the quarry today, and my legs hurt, and I don’t understand why!