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This was a training session for the Cuillin Ridge with a couple of climbing friends from work and the novice climber (me). Our objective for the day was to get as much scrambling in as we could and some easy climbs (in walking boots). It was our third attempt at the trip - bad weather having put paid to the previous two. This time we had well broken cloud and low winds (zero at times) - although the summit of Snowdon seemed stubbornly shrouded in cloud throughout the day.
We parked at the first lay-by below Pen y pass and headed for the Cracks on Dinas Mot - the first pitch S/4a (my first roped climb other than a couple of hours on the climbing wall a few weeks earlier) was straight forward enough. Then things got difficult, the next pitch involved moving below left a slight overhang and pulling yourself up a grove. No decent foot holds and water seeping out the grove to make the rock very slippery - after several attempts, different tactics and abandoning my rucksack, I managed the first pull up, but that was as far as I was going. The grove was just too and wet and slippery and with insufficient upper body strength I was getting nowhere. So I moved back to the ledge below and my other companion went on up to finish the pitch, escape left and bring the rope back up so I could abseil off. In walking boots both my companions found this but difficult (harder than graded even accounting for walking boots), so I was happy sit and wait, answering some e-mails a posting a couple of pics of the view on facebook. Some more climbers arrived at the point my friends got back to the bottom so they were able to bring the rope up - and I had a my first outdoor abseil (about 10 times longer than the previous 3 indoor ones).
So after this bit of drama we set off around Dinas Mot and up to the base of Clogwyn y Person - scrambling - much more my scene. Having read Houdi's report
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=19820&p=128155&hilit=clogwyn+y+person#p128155 and other write-ups - I knew that routing finding was critical. So we made our way up steadily - there is a "path" marked on Open Cycle Map - so I checked this a few times on ViewRanager and we always seems reassuringly close to the markings. After everything we read it turned out to be a relatively simple affair - we did start up one short chimney - to find it was more difficult than it looked - a quick scout to the right found an alternative route - more exposed for a yard or two - but big holds. We were roped up - to practice the art of "moving together" but with big holds at the way and only a couple of exposed bits this didn't feel strictly necessary.
Once up we turned left on the ridge and headed off to an empty Crib Goch - no need to say much about that, a bit of clambering over the pinnacles - then the knife edge - with no wind so we stuck to the very top as much as the rocks would allow. Took a few photos and answered phone call from SWMBO asking for a progress update and eta at home. Great views - but you do have to stop to taken them in - as the rest of the time you are looking at your feet!
Descent was via the north ridge, down the scree to the left - then the plod back to the car.
Photos here:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/106459429880001195754/albums/6002206384765769313