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My summer holidays started earlier than my lady's. Same goes for my brother's and his lady's. This was my chance to introduce my brother to hillwalking and I decided to ask him to go on a hillwalking holiday together, just for a few days, before we'd both go on holiday with our mrs. We hadn't been on holiday together since we went with mum and dad, a long long time ago. I picked Snowdonia, since I'd been there twice and since it's not too far and long away from home. If you don't count the hours waiting in Dover that is.
My brother and I really enjoyed those 4 days in Wales and it's beautiful landscape. He's not quite the sporty guy though and hillwalking proofed to be not his favourite activity. Although impressed with the landscape he didn't see the added value in the higher perspective.
We did some cultural stuff, some hillwalking and some coastal walks. I'll report about them later, as I'll first wait for his photos to arrive in my inbox.
This report is about the last day of our presence in North Wales. He was going to check out Bangor, I was going to do a hillwalk and a scramble.
Starting of in Bethesda I walked alongside Afon Llafar into Cwm Pen, to scramble up on Crib Lem, to bag Carnedd Dafydd and nicely walk back via Mynydd Du.
- This is Afon Llafar, shining nice and bright in the early morning sunlight.
- Looking ahead towards the slopes of Ysgolion Duon.
- When I did a traverse of the Carneddau last year, Cwm Pen seemed to be a slightly uninteresting valley, looking at it from above. Walking through it now, proved me wrong. It is really beautiful there.
- Getting closer, the first steep section of Crib Lem becomes distinct from the background of Ysgolion Duon.
- And closer yet.
- The first steep section is a technical rockclimb.
- To avoid the rockclimb, there is a steep path to the right of the wall.
- As soon as you're above the wall, take a sharp turn to the left. This takes you to the grassy and slippery start of the scramble.
- This is looking down from the start of the scramble. The sheep seemed unbothered by the steepness of the cliff below it.
- This is the view on the slopes of Ysgolion Duon.
- And this is the scramble that still lies ahead.
- Looking down from about the same place.
- Viewing backwards along the walk in route. Bethesda and Bangor in the background.
- And this is a selfie. I'm not looking angry, I'm looking concentrated. The way the buttons are place on it, my machine doesn't really lend itself for selfies.
- Higher up on the scramble I could step aside to take a picture of the ridge. For scale: the little black arrow points out two people having lunch.
- And all too soon I reached the summit. I had already reached it before (last year), but this route definitely is worth the effort.
- Nice clouds seen from the summit.
- This is the quickest way back, via Mynydd Du. This easy way out makes this a perfect short day.
- Sheep.
- Sheep again.
Quite obious, but I just liked the pictures.
- There's is another advantage to returning via Mynydd Du: From Foel Meirch you get a good view on the Crib Lem ridge.
- And on the whole valley.
- Afon Llafar, making it's way through the valley like a snake.
More reports on our short holiday to come.