What a weekend.
Had been looking at the forecast last week and it looked ok for Wales and ‘orrible everywhere else. I’d suggested looking at Cneifon arete to Martin in the week, and had mooched at the Guidebooks getting excited. Dave J had mentioned it the other year & had been really impressed – and it looked like a good objective. I’d mentioned to Caroline that we were heading over & chance had it that she & a mate were having the same thoughts – we agreed to try to meet up.
Friday came, and so did the weather forecasts. “Proper Rank” would cover it well. We decided to go over anyway had have a look – we could always find something to do there! As the day went on and the weather plot got worse, Caroline reported in to say that they may come over Sat am depending on weather – beers in Manchester provided a bigger pull.
So, got to Ogwyn in foul weather. Drove through Capel & over to the pub before the Llanberis pass to camp, but the weather was far worse here. Ran away back down to the Bryn Tuerck in Capel, put the tent up in a heavy sleet shower (instant sopping wet tent), then ran to the pub. Numerous pints followed with a stagger back to the tent.
Sat am came quite early on. The forecast showed the worst of the weather (big winds, low cloud, snow and rain etc) hitting in the afternoon, so we had agreed to get up early. We’d risen, dressed, eaten some scran, had a brew, used the facilities, peered at the mountains (Snowdon & Moel Siabod) with loads of snow on, packed the car and driven to Ogwyn Cottage by 8am. We kitted up (Martin making the occasional comment on how I hadn’t thought it was worth bringing an axe and spikes) and set off, as the weather closed in. The 20 min walk into Cwm Idwal was accompanied by a massive hail storm, low cloud and blustery winds. It brought the hangovers out quite quickly 
. We walked in, and our intended route was one of two scrambles on the Slabs (used by hoardes of climbers & Uni groups in summer times). One was on the far right in a gully (we could see the water running down it), the other was up the climbers descent from the slabs. Safer, but polished. With lots of wet, non-melting piles of hail on every ledge and hold.
We decided to give it a go, hedge our bets and be ready to bail at any point. Roped up and moved alpine style up the route. We got about 80m up before the route kicked to the right above the slabs and the line of holds got decidedly dodgier. Decided to bail to the left and get on the path proper, which we did.
We packed the rope away, and stomped up into Cwm Cneifon, overtaking a couple of parties on the way. The slippy hail was making hard going for quite a few people.
We got into the Cwm, to see the whole thing plastered in snow. About 2 foot deep at the base of the Cwm, banking quite high at the back. We also got our first view of the Arete, handily pointed out by Martin here.
We chucked some food down (it was about 11am at this point), and made our way over to the route. There was a lot of snow around, and we had no snow kit, but my logic was that the route stuck to the arete all the way up – we could see it, and it was black all the way – it was very unlikely that we’d hit snow that we’d not be able to pass. My key worry was that if we hit a patch of ice, we’d have issues. The route description made note of many spikes to protect scramblers, so we figured we’d abandon some slings and abseil down if it came to it.
We stomped up to the start, and headed up. The start 10/15m is graded at Diff climbing, and I’d go with that. An interesting chimney that I had good fun thrutching around in, and Martin managed to smash the face of his phone in. I realised that we were the first on the route – virgin snow in front of us just before the scramble proper. Fantastic!
Over the next hour (ish) I was grinning like a maniac. The route was awesome, the moves and postitions were fantastic, the weather cleared right up, the exposure was impressive – everything was ace!
After surmounting the impressive tower, the route topped out on the Gribin. We hid on the other side and Martin took some Colin Prior-esque piccies of Tryfan in the snow
We made our way down the Gribin, and dumped ropes/harnesses etc at the bottom. Within an hour we were back at the car, getting trashed on caffeine. Headed round to Capel then Pen-y-pass, to meet Caroline and her mate in Llanberis for a brew (they’d headed over to go do photo things of Wales in the ming).
We managed to miss each other somewhere up the pass – by the time we’d got to Pete’s Eats and started to eat I got a delayed txt saying that they were heading up to Snowdon way to take snowbased pics. Realised that we’d not match up as we needed to get back that night, so finished the brew, sent apologetic txt and headed home.
Well, back to Niges. The flat off Lark Lane in Aigberth, Liverpool was once again descended upon by us mingers. After drinking his coffee and beer, using his shower and talking toot, we went out with Nige to a ‘bohemian’ pub where we got fed very expensive Bourbon (whisky, not biscuits) then over to the curry house. To eat big time (it was half 10 by when we got food, but the spud from Pete’s Eats still hadn’t gone through!), and drink. Staggered back to Niges, fell asleep poking his computer several times.
Woke this morning earlyish again. Had a brew, got fed pig by Nige, then headed back. Dropped Martin off at mine to get his car, then Hung up the tent & shot over to see the Gran for 5 mins. After that swung by the gym to go for a 5km run (very motivational running whilst watching the marathon on the telly!), then back to mine for a shower and grabbed climbing kit, heading off to Manchester. Caroline reported coming down with Tonsilitis & running away home – too low for climbing today.
Picked Fitz up in town, then headed out to Stockport to check the new Awesome Walls over there. About 1.2 way there when we realised that the txt I sent her (asking to get directions) hadn’t made it to her. Drive round Stockport for a while – Nige sent a postcode which my PDA tomtom managed to think was actually Stockport station until we rebooted it and started again, when it took us to the right place. Eventually!
Big place that climbing wall. Claims it’s the biggest wall in the UK, and it really IS quite big. Think that the biggest walls at Ratho are round that height, but that’s by the by. The grades were set a bit harder than the ones at Awesome Liverpool, but se gave it a go anyway. Fitz hadn’t been climbing for about a year, so we took it easy. Seconded a bloody hard 5+, then led a variety of 5 / 5+ routes, 2nded some 6a, 6a+ and a 6b, then led a 6a+ which very nearly went pete tong at one point, but held it together. Had to have a breather at one point, but top route. Finished it off with a rambling 5+ lead working it’s way around several overhangs on stonkingly big holds to the top. Got kicked out at 6pm.
Headed back to Manchester, but decided to grab some food. Only peckish (still recovering from the curry last night), so obvsiously went to the Nawaab banquet hall in Levenshulme. £10.50 eat til you explode jobbie. Bloody, BLOODY good home-made curries. Tried not to eat too much. One plate of starter, just under two conservativly filled plates of main, and ice cream. Felt a mite fat.
Staggered back to the car, then drove Fitz home, and home from there. Now have a world of washing (which will be made easier thanks to the new Tumble drier I bought a few hours ago online), an obscenely fat gut, and a desire to sleep for years.
Urghhhhh
