That was fun!

The June 2005 weekend was a great success.

The final count for the weekend was:

• Me
• Pete
• Phil
• Alice
• Doug
• Patrick
• Dave
• Andy

Take a look at Jell's Photos and at Alice's

Friday - Traveling and Climbing

Most of the team arrived by Friday lunchtime, with Dave and Andy joining us that evening.

On Friday afternoon we did some climbing training and practice for the Rock Virgins (Pete, Phil and Doug), practicing placing gear and then climbing three parallel routes on Alice's Slab (it's called Dinas Mot Outcrop in the guidebooks for some reason!), and abseiling down. This was followed by a session of bouldering on either side of the river by the Cromlech Boulders, and then a trip to Pete's Eats to sip a pint of tea before supper.

Back at the campsite we wokked (?) some chicken and noodles in stir fry sauce and sank a couple of beers. Dave and Andy arrived and erected their warehouse tent and then had time for a quick bite of (coldish) chicken and noodles before the hordes of midges forced us over to the pub.

Some came back for an early night - and some didn't and maybe regretted it in the morning!

Saturday - Snowdon Horseshoe and Running

Walkers: (Jell, Pete, Doug, Alice, Patrick and Phil)

We didn't quite make the 0700 start at Pen y Pass, but were there just before 8 (and took the last parking space in the car park - maybe we'll park and ride next time!). 

A grand day for walking the Horseshoe. Warm, but with a breeze that piled cloud up against the North Face of Crib Goch, giving us the rare sight of Brocken Spectres as we went along the ridge.

We soon split into two groups, walking at our natural paces. Pete, Phil and Doug shot off up the ridge, with Jell, Patrick and Alice following up behind. The fast team were good enough to hang around at the top for the rest, and we spent half an hour together in the hustle and bustle of the summit, before we set off again for the welcoming calm of the Lliwedd Ridge.

Back at the car park at 1800ish we took the obligatory group phot before heading back to the campsite for a beer (and for some a shower) , and then to Pete's Eats for a fat boy's supper.

Runners (Andy and Dave)

Andy and Dave spent their day fell running around the Glyders, Devil's Kitchen and over the other side of Ogwen Valley. When the main team got back they were already in the pub replenishing lost fluids, where they stayed until chucking out time... just to make sure they had enough fluids for the next day no doubt.

Sunday - Rain, Drizzle and Home

Sunday dawned grey and threatening. 

Pete and Phil decided to get going early and wander home.

Patrick, Jell, Doug and Alice reckoned a climb would be good, but Jell and Alice had a better laziness exploitation plan, and left the campsite late enough that they didn't start climbing before the rain arrived. Patrick and Doug slogged up to Flying Buttress only for the rain to come in, and they abandoned their epic ascent after the first pitch.

Dave and Andy disappeared into the hill fog behind the campsite for a run.

 More by luck than judgement we were all back to the campsite together at about 1400, and set off for Capel Curig and Joe Brown's, before making our way back home (uneventfully, apart from an incident on a roundabout that I am not going to discuss further).