Wales - 2014
28 December 2014 ........... Craig Cwm Silyn
A couple of days after all the snow on Boxing Day, and a fantastically cold clear day meant that it just had to be a mountain day - so I went to Craig Cwm Silyn.
Although it was only two days after the snow fall, and although there hadn`t been that much snow - it was still a bit of an unpleasant climb - the thin layer of snow has already had at least one, maybe two, thaw/freeze cycles, and it was very crusty.
Sometimes the crust would take my weight, sometimes it wouldn`t, and I would drop through it with quite a jarring, which my aging joints don`t like.
More surprising was the amount of the crust that had turned to ice - not really what I would expect after just two days.
On the way up, and looking across to the cliffs of Craig yr Ogof - as you might have guessed, I am not really into winter climbing, but I did wonder if the wide gully to the right of the picture would fill up with snow and present a good snow gully climb.
It faces north, so it might hold onto its snow for quite a long time.
The reward at the summit was worth all the effort - what an amazing view in every direction, with just about every summit in Snowdonia on show. The exception was down to the south, down the Lleyn Peninsula, where it was quite hazy.
Here is a wider view up to the northeast - it really needs a panorama type of picture to do it justice.
A closer view across to Mynydd Mawr, with Moel Eilio behind it -
Here is a view I didn`t expect to get from Craig Cwm Silyn - Elidir Fawr - and Llanberis Quarry - with the snow somewhat highlighting the terraces.
Looking up the Nanttle Ridge -
A closer view of Snowdon, the Llechog ridge, the south ridge and Yr Aran, and I guess Y Lliwedd just behind them - right at the back I think it is Moel Siabod.
A bit more round to the right, and Moel Hebog looks quite close, with the Moelwynion in the distance.
A closer view of the Moelwynion - it looks like you could have some good quality mountain time in the Moelwynion alone, never mind the rest of Snowdonia.
It was quite clear looking south down into Cardigan Bay, and I could certainly see the headland that sticks out by Tonfanau - none of my maps show a name for this headland, so I`m not sure if it has one, but if Aberystwyth was not hidden beyond this headland, I could probably have seen that as well.
Looking southwest right down the length of Craig Cwm Silyn, and in the haze, the Lleyn Peninsula in the distance.
Craig Cwm Silyn is a long broad ridge with summits at both ends - in fact the northeast end has two summits, the furthest one being the highest of all the summits.
This is at the southwest summit looking across to Mynydd Graig Goch, with Bwlch Mawr and Yr Eifil in the distance.
And so back down after quite an amazing trip despite my sore joints - it is very different seeing the mountains with the snow on, and quite an experience - but I am afraid to say that it will be even better when it has gone !
website design by ron-t
website hosting by freevirtualservers.com
© 2024 Ron Turner
