Clag in the Carnedds

Its been a while since I’ve done anything ‘proper’, Scotland in fact (see blog entry below).  So it was time to dust off the boots and head for ‘them-thar-hills.  The target this time was to have a look at the Northern Carnedds, Snowdonia's most northerly range of hills over 3000 feet.

The forecast was bleak, with 40mph winds and ‘extensive hill fog’, but a combination of this particular range of hills being near the coast (hence less cloud), increased experience and using technology (GPS), meant quitting wasn't an option.

So, a 7.00am start from Congleton, and the obligatory stop at Abergele’s Maccie-Dees, saw us at Aber Fall car park for 9.00am.  The route was from this book…

Recommended

The route was marked as 6+ hours (6 Hours 10 Mins according to Naismith, 13 miles including Foel Grach).  Also depending on timings and conditions we also had earmarked the additional summits of Foel Grach and maybe even Yr Elen.

So boots adorned, it was up the steep road, following the North Wales Path, which turned into a long, but pleasantly graded climb up to Drum, our first significant hill of the day….

From whence we came

Anglessey, Puffin Island and Pylons

More Pylons

Its "art", OK?

A convenient sign post (oh and a Pylon)

Wild Ponies (No pylons)

More "art"

Drum comes into view

Looking backwards

Sky and a hill

Cloud, then a hill and a Llyn (Welsh lake)

Looking back again

Drum Summit

On the approach to Drum, the view all but disappeared, clag, cloud, fog, mist, shite, call it what you will, but the ‘view’ was restricted to 100 feet or so from here on…

So having conquered Drum (tongue in cheek), next stop would be Foel Fras.  Its on this climb from Drum to Foel Fras that my lack of ‘hill time’ (and excessive ‘beer and kebab time’) really made itself known.  This, coupled with N’s noticeable increase in fitness (training for a 3 mile run ffs!) , made it not so much of a struggle, but lets just say a ‘concerted effort’ was required.



Foel Fras Summit

Anyway, that little piece of purgatory done, the views were still magnificent (not) and a bearing was required in order to point us to our next hill, Carnedd Uchaf.  Bearing in mind it was the 26^th June, full waterproofs and woolly hats were required, t’was a cold wind.

Taking shelter behind the ‘pile of stones’ (as its marked on the map), we indulged in a hearty brunch (it was about 12 noon by now) of coffee, flap jack and peanut M&M’s.  It was now decision time, do we stick to the guide and start to head down?  Or go due South and ‘bag’ Foel Grach? 

Foel Grach it was, and having looked at the photos online with good visibility, what a no-brainer that turned out to be, it was only a hop, skip and a jump away from Carnedd Uchaf



Shelter at Foel Grach



Foel Grach Summit

It was 1 O’clock now, wind still blowing, visibility still rubbish, two more summits to gain on the way down, a somewhat off-road ‘technical’ descent and tiredness creeping in, Yr Elen would have to wait for another day.  There’s nothing to see anyway, and Yr Elen is supposed to have some of the best views in Snowdonia, so what’s the point of ruining it?

So we retraced our steps back to Carnedd Uchaf and swung a left to miss out the summit (no point climbing it twice) to head for Bera Bach.  Although we were dropping height, the going was quite tough, lots of wet, lichen covered, slippy Welsh rock.

Bera Bach was quite a surprise, a massive pile of rock, about the size of a house and involving a bit of a scramble to bag the summit…

Bera Bach Summit

Again, more wet slippy rock to negotiate over to the next hill and a long yet gentle grassy climb up to our final target, Drosgl.  Dross Hill.  Dull as dishwater.  Probably more to do with the horrible ‘hernia’ type pain that was now niggling away at me but I was glad it was our last.

Bronze Age Burial Cairn on Drosgl

Drosgl Summit

Ibuprofens duly swallowed, it was time to get down proper and go due North off Dross Hill on grassy pathless terrain, until we finally dropped out of the cloud and could spot somewhere suitable to cross the 1^st stream.

A "view" at last (note the quotation marks)

Stream reached, we thought we better stop for lunch.  3.00pm now and my Ginsters was practically screaming ‘EAT ME’.

Stream crossed uneventfully, another grassy, rocky, pathless spur to be circumnavigated before dropping down to the stream at the top of Aber Falls proper.  The book recommended taking your boots and socks off here, it wasn’t wrong.  A knee deep wade was required to get across, didn’t bother taking the boots off, we were nearly home anyway!

Next obstacle was a little scramble just above the scree slope next to Aber Falls, a little reminiscent of Jacks Rake, it was a good sting in the tail.

Aber Falls

Scree Slope down to main path

Down to the tourist path at Aber Falls, N decided it would be a good idea to start jogging back to the car.  This is after 7 hours of near enough constant effort,  I’ll say again,, training for a 3 mile run ffs?!  DO IT NOW!! J  Its clearly me that needs the training (and less kebabs and beer).

Real ale pub of choice today was The Gladstone a very short diversion off the A55, so worth noting for future...

A CAMRA 2010 listed pub

Summits bagged: 6