A rather better turn out of people gradually arrived at the old favourite campsite just below Tryfan. James, Andy and Margaret insisted that they couldn't possibly have got there on the Friday night and had to stop at Margaret's cottage on the way.
Saturday morning started off glorious, with blue skies, but these had all but disappeared by the time Toby emerged from his tent. Whilst Jane, Tim and Jim started on their trip over Tryfan and the Glyders (apparently not the first time Jane has done that walk!), the rest of us started off up the Devil's Kitchen as the cloud descended onto the tops. By the time we reached Y Garn it was decidedly unpleasant and it was only Margaret's keenness to get to Carnedd Y Filiast that persuaded us to go on round to Elidir Fawr.
After we had stood on the top for about 15 minutes, with Andy G insisting the cloud was about to invert, we were rewarded with just that. Snowdon and Crib Goch stood beautifully out of the cloud just across the Llanberis Valley and we sat in the sun and soaked it all up.
Returning cloud brought the realisation from Pete that he had left his fleece on Y Garn, so as Toby and Margaret continued to Carnedd Y Filiast the rest of us returned to Y Garn. Again as we approached the summit the cloud inverted. The lack of a fleece was slightly compensated for by the Glyders poking out of the cloud and just two tiny rocky points of Tryfan emerging.
Strangely, nobody needed any persuasion to strike camp and move into Margaret's cottage, Jane and Tim having left and only seven remaining. Rather more persuasion was needed to make anyone sleep on the double bed, sharing with Toby giving his night-time commentary on things in general. After a session losing our money to the quiz machine in the local pub we returned to find the cottage several degrees colder than outside, but it still seemed better than a tent.
Sunday was a real Old Duffers' day as we only managed to ascend Mynydd Mawr. The sun shone all day however and we had a really enjoyable walk. Most of us sat on the summit watching Margaret doing her Julie Andrews impersonation running across to the neighbouring top, only to decide as she returned to descend that way. Margaret remained suitably aloof to this.
A descent into the large Cwm of Mynydd Mawr provided lots of opportunities for the less fit of our number to sit in comfort in the heather. 1After an interesting final stage we eventually got back to the lake shore and to Rhyd Ddu.
Last modified: Wednesday, 25 April 2007, at 19:59 (BST)