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An adventure in Snowdonia

Last weekend as it seemed that most of the country basked in sunshine I was in Snowdonia in some of the worst weather I have exerienced for a while! The idea was to take a few friends and their partners up a couple of fun hills. The wind was gusting over 50mph on the summit ridge, and the glorious Snowdonia views where nowhere to be seen!

The hill chosen was Moel Siabod. The summit can be accessed viua a nice little scramble. A couple of things went round in my mind (apart from keeping track of where we were - maybe I should have given this my full attention!). The first was how busy the route was. As you can see from the photo above there where millions (OK so not quite millions, but when you're trying to get away from it all...) of people. It always suprises me that no matter what the weather does people always venture out.

Secondly I was struck by the beauty and intrigued by the history of the quarry workings in the area. I also relefcted on the fact that many of the old industrial areas where left outside of the National Park boundry. I think that maybe these areas should be included if the industrial heritage of the area could be protected. It always strikes me that humans had a huge impact on the landscape of the area - with most of the work done by hand! The photos show us scrambling up a slag heap of discarded slate and the 'lake' is in fact the flooded quarry workings.

Of course there were some fun times. The videos below shoe what conditions where like on the summit ridge and some after dinner entertainment!

Anyhow, we staye at the brilliant Caban Cusgu a bunkhouse in Bethesda. I fully reconmend staying there!




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Comments

  1. Anonymous19 March 2007 at 19:08

    Your post hand pictures have brought back a few happy memories of Snowdonia from my misspent youth! Interestingly I was up in the Cairngorms with clients this weekend. We were blown off our feet and the Cairngorm weather station measured and off the scale recording (which means that the winds on the top must have been over 120mph). Isn’t it great to be out in some real geography! OB.

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  2. Alan Parkinson23 March 2007 at 07:15

    Went up Moel Siabod via the East ridge beyond the quarry last summer. Great views of Snowdon and a nice pint and meal at the pub on the road back to Betws I can't remember the name of...

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  3. David Rogers23 March 2007 at 08:11

    Yes I am told there are great views of Snowdon but have never seen them! Hopefully when I'm up there in May there will be better weather. There are a couple of good pubs on the way back - the one with the old coach outside in Tyn y Coed.

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