Sunday best

Last weekend brought a sudden flash of snow back to North Wales, it applied itself liberally to the majority of North facing peaks and flanks starting around 500m. With the front clearing quickly, Sunday morning opened bright and crisp, perfect  for a classic winter walk. The overnight storm had left the mountains with a stark two-tone appearance, sharpening and defining the classic ridges. We opted for a hike up the Eastern buttress of Pen yr Ole Wen, with the short gully scramble onto the ridge. As we progressed towards Ffynnon Lloer, treading carefully to avoid the burgeoning frog spawn, the Northern prospect of the Glyderau & Y Gribin  revealed the pasting it had had recieved the night before. Anyone venturing onto them from the south or east unequipped, without the knowledge of the conditions of their northern aspect would have been surely caught out. The ridge up to Pen Yr Ole Wen opened up the view down into Hourglass and Broad gullies, snow had been blasted into every niche & crevice. Summiting onto Carnedd Dafydd, Ysgolion Duon (Black Ladders) had received the same treatment. After the best of the day spent in no particular rush we were short on time we headed south and down at the turn on Craig Llugwy, catching up with the familiar stone wall handrail we headed back home.