Meet Report: 6-8 August 2021.

This was our first fully accommodated meet in 18 months, so we were quite excited to get back to normal club activities. Even though the weather forecast was terrible, 11 brave souls, including Imogen and Ged Campion, who arrived 24hrs later, met up at the Torrent Walk Campsite where we stayed in a rather small bunkhouse. The weather was as expected, most of the night it rained heavily. Nevertheless, after a good night’s rest  and a hearty breakfast prepared by Tim, plans were made for making the most of the day ahead.

A sizeable party comprising Peter, Richard, Conrad, Helen, Chris and Tim, set off in torrential rain up the Fox’s Path towards Cader Idris.

The original plan of ascending the Cyfrwy Arete had long been abandoned; even the walk up looked unlikely when a raging torrent barred further progress up the path.

Some were for retreat but Richard Taylor, an old sea captain born to command would have none of it. He masterfully herded the team on a long heather and bog trot including much wading which eventually got them back on track at Llyn Gafr. Ahead the final 1000ft up the headwall was another raging torrent but steep scree alongside was manageable. The weather gods gave up in the face of such determination and the summit was reached in the dry. After lunch in the summit hovel, the descent down the Pony Path with improving views was pleasant and dry underfoot.

John and Carol Whalley caught the bus to Barmouth. They were amused that the driver wouldn’t take their bus passes even though they had worked for them in Bogota and Hong Kong (must be because Wales and England are both in the United Kingdom!). When they arrived, the weather seemed to improve slightly. Crossing the bridge, they were greeted by a lovely view of the estuary with the river spilling out into Cardigan Bay.

Soon they reached the start of the Mawddach Estuary Trail as featured in Julia Bradbury’s “Railway Walks”. This must have been a wonderful rail journey in the 1860s with fabulous views, that is until Dr. Beeching closed it down 100 years later. As the walk progressed, they caught sight of many wading birds and were able to learn about the history of the railway, it’s importance during WW2, and about the invasive Spartina grass from the many information boards en-route.

Once again, the heavens opened, just in time for shelter in  the George lll Inn. The entire walk registered just over 18 km on the Garmin.

John Sutcliffe opted for a low-level walk heading south-west from Dolgellau. His 20-mile walk took in the twin tarns of Llynau Cregennen on the National Trust’s Cregennen Estate – a wild moorland terrain overlooked by Bryn Brith, a dramatic mini-Matterhorn peak comprised of upended volcaniclastic rocks. From there, John followed the Cambrian Way down the Arthog Gorge to the hamlet of Arthog, near the southern end of the Barmouth Bridge, heading back along the Mawddach Trail to a chance meeting with Carol and John at the George III Inn, Penmaenpool, before taking on the campsite’s well-hidden treasures!  

On the Monday, in kinder weather, John climbed Cader Idris via the Pony Path.  Inspired after being overtaken by a running youngster, he dashed back down from the summit in 40 minutes, before overnighting at Llynau Cregennen, courtesy of the National Trust.         

Tim managed to provide us with a 4-course meal, even though the bunkhouse was very poorly equipped – they didn’t even have a pan! The wine and beer flowed as members chatted along as usual almost unaware of that nasty Covid business. The only excitement occurred when Imogen had to be administered smelling salts when she witnessed her father wielding a tea towel.

On the Sunday Tim, Peter, Helen, Conrad and Richard decided that further tests of the rain repelling qualities of their gear were required. They therefore headed to a valley underneath Maen Du which had been visited by Chris Hilton on the Friday (in blue sky conditions) and which he described as idyllic. They were welcomed by the impressive sight of a huge waterfall (Maesglase) descending from the plateau.

For some reason it was felt necessary to look for the source of this water and the next 3 hours were spent in an ascent and traverse in increasingly heavy rain and wind. They were welcomed back to their cars by a local who (politely) advised that we should park elsewhere should a revisit be contemplated, a highly unlikely event. Summit reached at 678m and 9.5 (wet) km.

Also on Sunday, Ged and Imogen climbed Cader Idris from the South by the  Minffordd Path. They experienced very wet and windy conditions but enjoyed what is probably the most scenic ascent.

They spent Sunday night in Llanberis then climbed several routes on the Sidings Level in the slate quarries before returning home.

It was good to get back to some kind of normalcy in our meets programme. Let’s hope this new freedom continues.

Attending: Tim Josephy, Chris Hilton, Richard Taylor, Conrad Tetley, Peter Chadwick, Helen Brewitt, Carol and John Whalley, John Sutcliffe, Ged Campion, Imogen Campion (G).