Tryfan November 2012 Trip Report! Whee!

We left Aberystwyth (late) at 5pm on Friday night in the rain and travelled to Gwern Gof Uchaf campsite in the shadow of Tryfan. We set up the tents on delightfully muddy ground and headed straight for pizza and a pint at the creatively named ‘Gallt y Glyn’ pub in Llanberis. It was too dark to see the supposedly fabulous scenery we were driving by on Pen y Pass but the sheer volume of pizza soon drove that from our minds.

Everyone managed to drag themselves up at 7.30 on Saturday morning to grey skies and drove straight back to Llanberis for breakfast at Pete’s Eats - as ordered by James Latus. This is *the* place to eat in Llanberris for all climbers and walkers, their fried breakfast is undoubtedly epic! It defeated both James Latus and Henry but all the food was neatly polished off by the other scavengers on the trip in the end. We had a nosey around the climbing shops (Look at all these things I can’t afford!) and picked out a nice matching ensemble for Rob in all shades of orange, complete with matching spade.

We zipped back to the campsite, suited up and strolled over to Little Tryfan for our first climbing experience. James L taught those of us who were inexperienced the basics of safety gear while Harriet and James J got into their matching His ‘n’ Hers harnesses. The weather was still fair at this point and we were all very excited. First we navigated Little Tryfan Scramble with a little rope support on the tricky parts, all accompanied by the unwavering advice and support from James L (despite him getting left and right repeatedly mixed up, we did all make it). Secondly, we mastered the figure 8 knot and climbed a short way up the rock face with belaying support from other members of the group. Everyone did really well.

After lunch back at the campsite we took on Tryfan’s North face, with intermittent outbreaks of ‘Gangman’ Style. Half way up we saw the first signs of SNOW! This produced a lot of excitement from Rob, who coming from Cornwall had not seen any for 2 years.

Nearing the top, snow started to fall making it much more interesting to navigate the rocky ground. On the descent, darkness arrived and after walking through a bog, climbing down the side of a waterfall and saving two lost other people who had been caught out by nightfall we made it to the road and eventually the campsite by 7pm. This meant then heading directly to the pub for another meal of epic proportions!

Being pretty exhausted, we all simultaneously and yet separately agreed to have a lie-in when the alarm went off at 7.30 the next morning, meaning nobody was up until 8.30 – although there was a little romantic staring action between James J and Rob in the tent and everybody agreed that sleeping next to Ami’s feet was the least appealing option next only to having your own feet snuggled by Ami! It had been raining through the night so we decided to modify our original plan to head up Tryfan via Bristly Ridge and across the Glyders. We packed up the muddy tents, leaving the campsite looking like the leftovers after a festival weekend (think: mud), and ate breakfast standing around the cars in clothes damp from the previous days’ excursions.

As a change from the original plan we headed over to Llanberis slate quarries to go for a wander around Dinorwic quarry in particular. James L showed us some of the hidden secrets of the quarry with some amazingly difficult climbs including a really deep hole which may or may not be named The Lost World.

Then time for our second climbing excursion of the weekend, at the Bus Stop quarry and top roping a climb of which we all (except Ami - the chicken) more or less made it to the top of. This was an afternoon of firsts for all: including James L who had never been belayed by a Tigger (played by Henry in his onesie) and Harriet, who boldly chose to forget an expensive pair of gloves at the site, only to be tracked down later by some helpful climbers who picked them up – thanks, again, to that memorable tiger onesie!

James Latus was a great teacher and taught us all a lot, and made sure nothing happened to anyone. Especially (most importantly) showing us where all the good pubs in the area are. – James J

We learned a lot and James L was an unwavering font of enthusiasm and information. He kept all our spirits up and this weekend couldn’t have happened without him! - Ami

A Week in Sunny Spain

Sun, sea and sand, that’s what’s in Spain isn’t it?? Well one of those is right... There wasn’t any mention of snow and fog when we decided that the Spanish Pyrenees for the summer expedition.

Arriving in Spain late at night, we found the really comfortable metal seats which we would attempt to sleep in that night, which included being woken up by the police at one point.

The morning bought with it our first experience of the heat and humidity and our attempt to work out the public transport, this the start of our 5-hour bus trip to the mountains. The small village, which was supposed to be a small town with lots of shops, which would sell gas... which there wasn’t (problem number 1). Then problem number 2 arrived, getting a taxi to the start... many numbers there where, none that worked. Eventually after talking to many locals, we found a taxi and at our destination, we found a new stove and gas for it.

A short walk took us away from “civilisation” and a clearing in a forest where we all collapsed and decided to stay for the night.

The next day was an early start and a late finish with much snow and cloud to slow us all down. The many rivers on the way gave Josh his quote of the week “I’ve got wet feet!”. Once again, the end of the day came when we found a piece of flat ground with a stream next to it.

Cowbells woke us up the next morning. Our destination, Refuge Pinet, the direction we started walking in... Downhill but not the right downhill. This slight detour was good in one way, we missed to horrible decent that we should have come down which could have lead to us being very wet. But bad as the day was going to be long anyway, so a slight change of plan when on top of Port de Artigis looking over at the next valley which we would need to go up which was very steep, lead us to staying in a unmanned refuge in the valley we were already in.

 

The next morning after a much nicer nights sleep than the previous nights, we made our way down the valley and up the next never-ending valley to Refuge Pinet. Where we stayed the next night and had what seemed to be the best meal ever!

Sunday, Summit day. A day of Josh saying, “It’s just round this corner/over this ridge” and each time being wrong. The decent down and back in to Spain was long and over yet another snow slope unfortunately the most unstable of the week from the amount of people in front of us. During this decent we met one of the few people of the trip that actually spoke English, turns out that he was a Spanish bloke who for some ridiculous reason decided that moving to North Wales would be a good idea. We passed each other several times eventually meeting up again at the end of our very long day at the Refuge Vallferrera, where we would stay the night because once again, we couldn’t be bothered to move any more, and he told us that he was keeping going to where we would be finishing the next day!!

Monday morning we overslept, after saying that we would be going at 8 am and then waking up then. Having had a very slow morning, we made our way to Areu. Where once again we came across the problem of taxis being non-existent again, after Josh spending ages on the phone trying to get a taxi, when one magically appeared in front of us.

Out of 4 stoves carried with us only 1 which we had gas for.

A wet, windy, snowy and occationally sunny week in the Lakes - 2012

April the perfect time to go camping in the lake district as is commonly known for the lovely sunshine and great weather...

Therefore, the first week of the Easter holidays the four of us got on trains from various parts of the UK and descended on Penrith. A short bus ride later got us to Glenridding and, our campsite for the night, the lake at the bottom of Helvellyn. After passing many other groups who had had the same idea as us. Fortunately, there was still a nice site next to the lake for us.

Tuesday morning we woke up to wind, rain, snow, and some slightly frozen tents. Needless to say no one had any enthusiasm to make a move that morning, apart from Joe who after having a rough night decided to abandon us and go home. We got going at 10 am with a windy climb up Swirrel edge to the summit of Helvellyn, where we met some other people who had braved the crap weather of the day. A long walk after took us into worse weather at Easedale tarn. My tent was thrown up and we all dived inside it to attempt to shelter from the wind, and there we stayed for the rest of the night only braving outside to get water etc. We defiantly where not cooking inside the tent that night! We all agreed here that for once Joe had actually had a good idea in going home.

Next morning we woke up to a perfectly still day with several inches of snow around us. Having breakfast and packing up we realised that we may have left leaving a little late as the valley starting to fill up with people. We left the site as the snow started to melt in the valley leaving only what was on the mountain tops around us. A short walk took us up to High Raise and then across to Styhead tarn. Much indecisiveness later, we found a nice place to camp with great views of Great Gable and Great End.

A frosty morning greeted us on Thursday but the sun eventually came round the corner and melted our tents off. A scramble up into windy gap, which managed to fail to keep to its name, and then a short scramble up on the summit off Great Gable. We met an Irish man and his son who had been camping nearby that last night and then managed to convince him to give his dad a hug whilst we took their photo for them! From here we went to Kirk fell where we found a frozen “lake” which I decided needed help in breaking up... so I did... by throwing progressively larger rocks at it and eventually putting one through it. It was decided that walking further across the ridge and then going down was both boring and pointless so we followed the stream down the valley on the side finding some amazing ice structures. After what seemed the longest walk ever with a stupidly steep hill at the end of it (it made sense when I came up with the plan), we got to Dale Head tarn which from a distance looked like the worse campsite ever with just a bog surrounding a small lake. However, we found a lovely walled area, which fit the tents in nicely... possibly the best campsite of the week!

Once again, Friday morning didn’t bring any enthusiasm to get going quickly not helped by the rain that had started again. Bringing in a nice layer of cloud once, we got on to the top of Dale Head. A small-unplanned detour brought us down scope end and in to view of an odd farmer who seemed to just be chasing his sheep around a field with no real aim to what was going on. After watching and being confused by this we decided that we should move and actually get somewhere in this crappy weather. A short walk up the road to have a look at where we might camp we found that it was a bit on the dodgy side so the decision was made that it would be a much better idea to walk to Keswick and find a proper campsite which had a shower!!! After a very long and boring walk along a never-ending road, we found what looked like the bridge over the river... but not we ended up walking around the garden of what was a very posh hotel and getting some odd looks from the people sitting in the conservatory. Finally, we found the campsite! Fortunately they had spaces and we where then sorted for the night. I went up in to Keswick to acquire fish and chips, which I thought I deserved, and most importantly to buy a towel, as I hadn’t brought one with me (woops).

Saturday morning was possibly the earliest we had been up all week and we were on the 9am bus to Penrith in the hope of catching an early train. After getting there and finding out that there wasn’t one until 11.30 we were a bit saddened. Then suddenly an earlier train magically appeared on the board (I now love virgin trains for this) and we where soon on our way home!

A very Exped Christmas

The term had nearly ended, and it being Christmas it was decided that we needed to do something different and expedy to celebrate. Thus, a plan to walk up Cadair Idris and cook a Christmas meal was concocted.

So, on the lovely Wet, windy and occasionally hailing 11th December we met at the bus station. The sensible ones had looked out of the window at 6am that morning saw the weather and decided it was a much better idea to stay in bed, and the rest had had a little bit too much fun the night before and where still in bed hung-over. So this left five of us, from now on known as the hard core ones!!!

There only being the five of us we had to make the first ascent of the day... up Penglais hill to get Harriet’s car.
A short (ish) drive later, we arrived at the bottom of Cadair and the lovely steps which we all love so much! After much effort, we arrived at Llyn Cau and the decision to go up the scree at the back was made.

When we eventually made it to the summit, we started cooking in the shelter, much to the amusement of the three other people that where there already. On the menu today: Roast chicken with mash potatoes, mixed veg and gravy, all cooked from fresh on the top of a mountain, (except the chicken we really didn’t want food poisoning). And for dessert: Christmas pudding, to be eaten with forks with three prongs as we’re sophisticated like that.

After dinner, an attempt at washing up was made and a leisurely stroll, as is traditional on Christmas day, was undertaken. During this stroll the weather made a nice turn for the worse when it started to rain once more and then the hail and snow started... yay!!! After battling through the storms and many slips from most and attempts on the presidents life we made it back to the car.

A New Year, A New Start - With Cadair Idris

Well after a tricky last year for the expeds its back on track, with the first trip of the new term. With a full minibus of 15 enthusiastic newcomers, (and a couple oldies) we set off for Cadair Idris.
On a beautiful morning with a lovely red sunrise, and after a little faff with the meeting place, we got there, and took on the notorious first steps of Cadair. After lots of huffing, and puffing, and complaining all round, we got to Llyn Cau, and had a little rest and munch, and decided to split off into two groups.

The first group, with James and Joe took the Minfordd path up to the summit, and the second group, went for a little more adrenaline, going up the scramble to the right of the Lake, and coming down the central gully. Although a little damp, and a lot more tiring than some of the committee were expecting, it was a great scramble up, culminating in some fun, and fairly tricky moves towards the top.

It was a good hike up and down, and after a leisurely summit stop and a hike down the gully, we decided to traverse the opposite side of the lake. Where we realised the others had beaten us to the bottom, so we decided to mess around with some traversing, and then meet them.

On the way back, a quick pub stop was required, and after resisting stealing some more pint glasses, we made it back to Aber, after a great day by all. Good company, good scrambling, and luckily, fairly good weather.

A Summer Scramble - Cadair Idris

Aside from it being a very long time since this post was updated, the term has come to an end and Expeds have to wait until September before we all get together on trips again. Which was why me and James decided to go for a scramble on Cadair Idris to tie us over for the summer.

It began at 7.30am on a Saturday morning, not exactly a good start, I mean, a sleep in would have been nice...anyway, we met at the bus stop and caught out to Minfordd, and seeing as the weather was absolutely beautiful, set off straight away up the notorious first few steps of Cadair. We quickly made it up to Llyn Cae, and sat about contemplating going for a swim, before heading off to the right of the lake, and heading directly up the large slabs of rock leading to the top.
The scrambling turned out to be pretty good, and sustained, leading directly onto (one of) the summit ridges. With some nice exposure, a few tricky moves and no-other tourists around, it was a brilliant way to ascend Cadair. Once we got to the summit, Rocky decided to start having a look at the next challenge on Cadair, the Cyfrwy Arete. (more on that another time)



Following the Minfordd route down, it didn't take us long, and with the heat of the day, I thought it was a good time to take a swim in Llyn Cae. All of which lasted for about 15 seconds, when I decided it was too cold. (However, James didn't swim at all, so he loses man points).
It was pretty refreshing, and since we had made great time, we got lazy, and lay down for a long while, before messing around on the way back down, which led to Rocky getting stranded and me having to rescue him. I think the various other hikers on the mountain were a little confused about why two grown men were with a mountian goat, but hey.


All in all, a great day, a great scramble, and a great way to end the year of Expeds and refresh this blog for all of you coming to Aber in September 2011. Look for us at freshers faire!

A Short Half Days Walk - The Story of the Summer Trip to Arctic Sweden

After a group of us visited Norway for a week long hiking expedition in the Joutenheim National Park last Summer, this year we had our minds set on a bigger and better challenge, so this year we planned a seven day expedition across Arctic Sweden, which would include an attempt at climbing Sweden’s highest mountain – Mt Kebnekaise.

After an extremely wet practise expedition in the Scottish Highlands at Easter, in June a group of seven enthusiastic members headed out to Sweden ready to complete one our most challenging and exciting expeditions yet. After a seventeen hour train Journey from Stockholm, we arrived at our starting point, a small village called Abisko which is located in northern Sweden, over 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. From there, our planned route would take us south along the Kungsleden – which in English translates as King’s Trail – heading towards Kebnekaise – before heading west towards our finishing point of Nikkaluokata.

It all started well with us making excellent progress over the first two days hiking, enjoying the beautiful scenery and wilderness that northern Sweden has to offer. Having made good progress so far, our third day was meant to be a nice and easy day, with just a relatively short distance to travel to where we intended to camp. The reality was very different. We decided to take a detour from the main path into a valley in order to get up close to some glaciers. The snow in the valley we were heading up however was much deeper than expected, and we soon found ourselves hiking through knee deep snow whilst traversing a steep slope, which was incredibly tiring and frustrating work.

Due to all the snow however we couldn’t stop and camp where we wanted, and had to keep walking though the night until 3am where we eventually found some suitable ground to camp on.

After another day hiking through deep snow we rejoined the main trail at Salka, and from there a long days walk took us to the base of Kebnekaise.

From there, a final day of hiking took us to the village of Nikkaloukata, the finish point of the expedition. After an awesome seven days in the mountains, we caught the bus back to Kiruna before boarding the train for the long journey back to Stockholm.Looking up towards the peak form where we were stood in the valley below, the route to the top looked ridiculously challenging, with steep slopes covered in snow and ice. The next morning, two of the group, Fergal and Richard, set off on their attempt to reach the summit, with the rest of the group opting to have a relaxing day at camp. Twelve hours later, they returned, feeling rather pleased to have successfully reached the summit of Sweden’s highest mountain.

From there, a final day of hiking took us to the village of Nikkaloukata, the finish point of the expedition. After an awesome seven days in the mountains, we caught the bus back to Kiruna before boarding the train for the long journey back to Stockholm.