Winter walk in the Carneddau

‘Map reading never was my strong point’ I muttered amongst my apologies for arriving 15 minutes late at Llyn Eigiau car park. I’d followed another small track several miles in the wrong direction. But the organisers welcomed me and said I’d been saved by the risk assessment paperwork which always takes a while to complete.

bad hair day

Rob Collister led our group of 7 into Cwm Dulyn with another group heading off the other direction. Rain which had flooded the roads overnight eased off, the clouds lifted and spectacular views were there to enjoy. Wild ponies grazed in amongst the bronze age settlement, one of them staring back at us through an exceedingly long fringe. Early lunch in the bothy (thank you Mountain Bothies Association) beside Llyn Dulyn already decorated with miniature Christmas tree.

stone polygon(s)

Refreshed we walked up the left hand side (as you face the ‘black lake’) and pretty soon we were into patches of snow and onto the summit of Foel Grach. Another break inside the mountain rescue hut, with a 5 foot high snowdrift piled against the side wall, then down onto a ridge between Foel Grach and Carnedd Llewelyn with stone polygons like elaborate floor mosaics.

Standing proud of the ground a lonesome peat hag .... was this all that remained of a much larger peat covering? Has all the rest of the carbon store been blown or washed away?

Sinking sun, beautiful light, snowy flanks of deserted mountains – what perfect peace. Then mood shattered by the high pitched whine of revving trails bikes on the horizon just a few hundred metres above. When does the open season begin? Maybe I should be more tolerant but how very dare they!

Great walk – many thanks Rob and the Snowdonia Society for organising it. 

Slime molds are coming

2^nd weekend of October is walking weekend when friends from the south east come to enjoy or endure whatever the elements throw at us. One day was the Carneddau from Llyn Ogwen. Near the top of Pen yr Ole Wen we bumped into 6 other walkers and for a while followed them as they faded in and out of the clouds. Much later we heard a helicopter and the next day’s news included the rescue of 6 walkers stranded on a ledge overlooking Cwm Llafar. We saw no-one else all day - was it the same group?

On the other day we did a cross over from Ganllwyd to Barmouth via Cwm Mynach and Diffwys. For most of the ridge walk we enjoyed the inside of fast moving cloud and the partial windshelter of stone walls. Heads down views of wet upland and lots of hairy brown and orange caterpillars (were these Fox Moth - Macrothylacia rubi?) with waterproof properties superior to Goretex. 

Mucilago crustacea

But view of the day had to be the Mucilago crustacea slime mold. I won’t attempt any explanation of this but encourage you to read Natur Cymru edition 41 which will feature an article on slime molds written by Dr Bruce Ing (formerly of Mold!). He will also be describing them on the Radio Wales Country Focus programme in early November.