For anyone who thought that Snowdonia would be damp and misty and not worth going to, you couldn't have been more wrong. We had the best week ever - clear blue skies, beating sunshine, wonderful walking, ice-creams all round ... I hope you're jealous already.
Our first day was Monday which seemed a fine day for walking - although it was in fact the cloudiest of the trip. Claire and Mary started up the Pyg track, but ended up on Crib Goch because it 'looked nice'. Sarah, Ian, Dave and Toby also headed for Snowdon, this time for a grade three scramble up Clogwyn y Person arête which was, in Sarah's words, "stunningly scary".
For the rest of us (Mike, Bernard, Mark, Paul and myself), who felt that bravery needed working up to, the Glyderau seemed in order. After finally reaching the top of Glyder Fawr (it was a long way up on the first day, OK?) we enjoyed some scrambling along the tops. Bernard was being keen already (yes he did keep it up all week), and persuaded us to take the scenic route home - i.e. to descend the wrong side of the mountain, walk along a bit, and then re-ascend to the ridge! Very necessary I'm sure. Although Paul made it clear he didn't exactly relish this slight extension to the walk, we didn't realise how much we'd frightened him off until he disappeared the following day, leaving a (succinct) note saying, "Gone home."
On Tuesday the sun made its first proper appearance, and everyone suffered from an acute attack of keenness. Sarah lead the way with her marathon walk - starting with a scramble on Tryfan and continuing along the Glyderau, Y Garn, Foel Goch and through a large peat bog to the bunkhouse. Arriving back at around 7.30 she was somewhat surprised to find only Toby and Dave had returned by then!
They had been making the most of the sun with some climbing on Dinas Cromlech in the Llanberis pass (or maybe it was just an excuse for a lie-in while they "waited for the rock to warm up").
Mark, Bernard and I completed the Snowdon horseshoe (Crib Goch in the sun is all very nice but unfortunately it means you can see right to the bottom of the large drops on either side!) before returning via an even more scenic route than the previous day through Rhyd Ddu. Mike and Claire made for the Nantlle Ridge (recommended by the bloke we met on top of Glyder Fach) and found it lived up to all expectations.
Ian and Mary were the last back, returning well after dark from their climbing and scrambling on the Sub-Cneifion Rib and the Cneifion Arête near Idwal.
Despite the late return, we all found enough time and energy to celebrate the day's walking in traditional style at the Heights.
Wednesday was even hotter than Tuesday and the six of us (Mike, Mary, Mark, Bernard, Sarah and me) who headed for the Carneddau had the chance to improve our sunburn and fester extensively.
For those who felt that it was too good a day to waste on a 'mere walk'(!) more climbing was in order. Ian and Dave did the Grooved Arête on Tryfan, and Toby persuaded Claire to return to the Llanberis pass. (Although Claire possibly didn't need much persuading; she was later heard to remark, "it's not that I've given up hillwalking, but on the other hand...") They must have had a good day anyway, getting back to the bunkhouse as we returned from the pub!
Thursday was universally declared a fester day and Mike, Claire, Mark and Bernard went to Anglesey to admire Beaumaris Castle and wander along the Holyhead cliffs - oh sorry I forgot, they also completed an exhausting 6ft. scramble.
Dave felt that it was all a bit too energetic and stayed in Llanberis - he even decided not to try out Nicky's Leap at the Quarry.
I seem to have forgotten what I did that day, although I do remember that Toby took someone climbing on the Idwal Slabs and the Milestone Buttress. She failed to fall off but got very scared anyway and vowed to go on a nice, safe, long slog the following day!
Sarah, Mary and Ian (unwillingly) returned home to be virtuous and revise, write dissertations, etc. etc.
Mike went home; The remaining six of us squashed into Toby's car and drove round to the Ogwen valley. Dave, Toby and Claire took the Chasm Face route (grade 3) up Glyder Fach - from what I hear, it bore more resemblance to caving than anything else, but was thoroughly enjoyed.
I started on Carnedd y Filiast, as gaining 600m of height in the first 1km had seemed a really good idea when I planned the route. I then walked along the ridge, over various other summits with Welsh names, to Y Garn - even finding time for the hour's fester by Llyn y Cwn that Sarah had shunned on Tuesday.
Back at Llyn Ogwen I met Mark and Bernard who had been up the North Ridge of Tryfan, and then come down for an almost complete circuit of the lake! We joined Dave, Claire and Toby for an hour's bouldering by the car park, where Toby demonstrated why it's wise not to run down the boulders.
On Saturday we took Claire and Dave to the station - arriving at the same time as Claire's train! Then Toby drove Mark, Bernard and I to the Nantlle ridge. It was a wonderful last day - despite Toby's complaints that he'd forgotten how to walk (whose fault is that?). The ridge was wide and grassy with some easy scrambling in places. We walked from Y Garn (a different one) to Mynydd Graig Goch, returning via Cwm Pennant and an ice-cream shop.
None of us wanted to leave on Sunday, but we succeeded in clearing up the bunkhouse quickly enough to fit in brunch at Pete's Eats before the journey home.
Oops, I nearly forgot... Quotes were not abundant due to the absence of a certain Mr. Blake - but Dave gallantly stepped in with:
Previous: CUHWC Annual Dinner, 20th February 1997
Next: Upper Derwent Valley, May 1997