Saturday, October 09, 2010

Snowdonia Mountains and Coast

The mild temperatures and the promise of clearing skies inspired a trip to the hills of Snowdonia. My brother, Chris and I chose to explore the remote valley of Cwm Egiau, which lies east of the Carneddau. As soon as we left the road head the mist came down restricting the visibility to less than 30 metres at times.

There are few paths to follow in this wild valley so our combined navigation skills were put thoroughly to the test.

The summit of Foel Grach was the first peak that we had aimed for. When we arrived we were greeted with an energy sapping wintry gale and penetrating drizzle. We sheltered in the refuge where we were joined by another sodden soul. Following a brief exchange of navigation tactics, Chris and I decided to beat a hasty retreat down into the valley, back the way we had come from.

Once safely down out of the wind, the weather began to rapidly improve. Just our luck! We walked the last couple of miles to the car in warm sunshine.

So as not to feel short changed from our early retreat from the hills, we headed off to Anglesey for some coastal views. Llandwyn Island is beautiful on any day but so much the better when bathed in golden autumn sunshine.

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