Ash Green’s cluttered little mind

Just back from a weekend in North Wales with Caroline McCann, walking and that & trying to work out if she’s still broken from a climbing fall earlier in the year. 

 

Late off on Friday (after the advent of Pub Friday being established at work), then to the Bryn Glo Bunkhouse (humour) in Snowdonia.  A stylish, and fragrant static caravan behind the cafe.  Got there late, off to the boozer, decided on the Nantlle ridge, then boozes until 3 am talking randomness.

 

Hit the hill at about 10am Sat, and after a slow slog up the first top, we hit the ridge itself. Excellent views, greasy as hell on the rocks at the main scramble, but got into a pace and motored to the end.  Aided by Carolines flapjacks (Who was Jack, and what did he keep in his Flaps?), we stormed up the final one then turned and retraced our steps.  She was adequatly shattered by the end, but considering this is the first big day out in 11 weeks she did damn well.  Met up with a couple of mates in the pub that night, where I demolished the largest plate of weakly bonded (or slack) faggots and chips.  Mmmm.  Ended up back at the van to become trailer trash, sup posh liquor (cheers Claire!) and talk bollocks.  Bed a bit earlier, but as there was muchos whiskey in the pub it was a slow start on Sunday.

After food, getting money to pay for the trailer, a tactical cafe stop and getting to Betwys, we bimbled up the back and through the woods – the forecast was pretty rough. Definately the best idea, as it was foul higher up and the woods took the brunt of the weather.  Stopped in at a mate of Carolines in Capel who runs a bunkhouse there – complete with very complicated sauna and plunge pool.  Had a guided tour by the owners – very nice – and returned there later with cake to get presented with brews.  Finally hit off home around 5, home for 7, quick dump of stuff then out to Crew meeting for a couple of hours.  Tired now.

At bloody last, back on some Mountains.  It’s really been too long.

Hugh & I planned a series of walks about this time last year, and finally we managed to make one actually happen.  An invite out to a few people, and we had a 10 people trip.

The wet weather slowed us somewhat, but with a Free Man, a work Passatt and average speed of warp 95 for 4 hours managed to get us to the ferry terminal with 3 mins to spare … which was a little tense.  Met everyone else on the ferry, had a scoop and then after a failed chippy tea we went for the bunkhouse in Lamlash.

I can say, hand on heart, that I have had significantly less filthy bivvies in my time.  And that’s by MY standards.  The mildew in the fridge I could cope with.  We dealt with the minging oven tray’s by robbing Sean’s cake of it’s tin foil wrapper.  Bainbo was impressed by the single sheet of perspex held in the double glazed window with bits of wood. The lack of bog roll was interesting. And as for the owner … well, the £12.50 a night was worth it for the entertainment.  Needless to say, after navigating past the bust white goods, wheelbarrows and abandoned caravans in the garden to go to the pub next door, they pointed out that she was a loon. 

Up next morning, some were off to have a crack at a mountain route (VS, looks excellent but weather a bit iffy), Sean was off to beast Simon Waterworth over mountains at speed, and Hugh, me, Sarah, Bainbo, Chris Mosely and Ben headed for the Goat Fell horseshoe.

Excellent route, wind was a bit active, and the clag came in and out all day.  The witches step involved 2 uses of the rope (3 at times), some bloody exposed scrambling on teneous holds, all damp and a bit green.  Christ knows how that’s a grade 3 scramble, evan in good conditions! After that we ploughed up and over the tops, lost Ben after Cir Mhor, and me, Chris M and Sarah legged it over to Goat Fell from Goat Fell North to get the full ticks in.  Top day, a good 9 hours moving at speed all the way round.  Knackred at the bottom.  Retired for beers and curry – the climbers topped out at 18:40 in the dark but got off quick, they’d had a bit of an epic on a windy day with water pissing down the route.

 

 

 

More beers followed, with a 1950′s cover band which was an experience.  Bit goosed to dance so Si and Chris did it all for us.  Needless to say, Hugh was destroyed by the day and crashed out at about 8.30pm.

 

Sunday, bit of a late start. Escaped the bunkhouse, then bouldering at Corrie and Sannox on roadside boulders for a few hours.  Good fun, then onto the ferry, byes to all and then the mission home – back for about 11pm.  Aching -it’s been a couple of months since a big day on the hill and Christ do I know it!