Next Event: Day trip and social combo!
If you can feel your hands, you’re not climbing hard enough! Despite the cold and wet, the club’s second trip of the year was a great success, with members enjoying two full days out climbing on the hills.
Friday started with the usual challenge of fitting 18 people plus kit into cars, once accomplished, we set off for t’North. After a four hour journey, and a stop for a traditional (for the club) tea at KFC, we arrived at the Snowdon Inn, which compared to previous visits was pretty quiet. With the prospect of an early start, everybody settled down to an early(ish!) night.
Saturday morning proved to be as forecast; misty and cold, but dry! The majority of the club headed off to Ogwen to climb at Milestone Buttress, while a few went sport climbing on the coast. Upon arriving at the crag, the weather had began to clear, and after a pitch or so of climbing, there were wonderful views across the valley. Myself and a few others climbed [i]Rowan Route (Diff)[/i], which for some was their first multipitch climb, whilst others climbed [i]Direct Route (V.Diff)[/i] and [i]Pulpit Route (V.Diff)[/i]. Depsite the cold conditions, everyone enjoyed their routes and the abseil down a gully (which was more like a waterfall!). After a full day climbing, we were glad to get to Pete’s Eats in Llanberis for a well earned meal. The evening promised to be an interesting experience, with the Snowdon Inn putting on a ‘Techno’ night. This wasn’t as bad as expected, with the highlight being having a chat with one Johnny Dawes, whose line of “having a better sounding washing machine” perfectly described the music. Stephen must’ve thought otherwise, as he stayed up long after everyone else dancing the night away…
With a damp night, we treated ourselves to a lie in on Sunday morning, and got up at 0630. Once we’d helped Johnny Dawes push start his car (and left him a James Pearson leaflet by his caravan), we headed for Ogwen again, where most people went climbing on Idwal Slabs. Myself and a few others went walking up Snowdon, which proved to be more of a mountaineering trip than expected, with light snow near the summit making the walk more interesting. It was many people’s first time up Snowdon, so the amazing views of the mountain’s crags under a light snow made it extra special, and I’m sure more memorable.
Everyone who went trad climbing at Idwal Slabs seemed to have enjoyed themselves, with groups climbing the classic routes there including [i]Tennis Shoe (Severe), Ordinary Route (Diff)[/i] and [i]Charity (V.Diff)[/i]. It was again some people’s first experience of multipitch climbing, so an exciting day for them. We eventually all met up again at Pen y Pass, and set off ‘Due South’ for Swansea. After yet more KFC on the way, we arrived home late in the evening.
The weekend was a great success, and everyone had a good weekend away. Thanks to everyone who drove on the trip, without whom it wouldn’t have been possible, and also to everyone who helped teach the beginners.