Photo Journal
31th May // Scramble in Gold
Crib Goch // N53.080 W-4.054
What has now it seems become a yearly tradition I hastily made a last minute plan to go scrambling with my Dad (who was in Wales for the weekend on his own adventures).
Perhaps my favourite unintended thing I’ve experienced from living in Wales, is my ability to predict the weather. I don’t mean in any dramatic sense like performing a rain dance. But from my extensive research of weather maps and trial and error of chasing small weather windows I had picked up this uncanny instinct.
My goal was simple, spend as much time in the sun as possible, and summit Garnedd Ugain before sunset, which as we got closer to the end of the scramble seemed like a much taller order than originally planned.
Crib Goch is an iconic ridge line in the UK, heralded as perhaps (and quite rightly so) the greatest Grade I scramble we have to offer. The traditional approach is from Pen-Y-Pass but as we did on this outing, taking the route from Llanberis Pass extends this iconic ridge line, by including the North ridge.
White Saxifrage and Moss Campion, both alpine wildflowers
Perhaps the most notable difference for me, other than the beaming golden light breaking through the haze was my caution scrambling across the ridge since spraining both ankles last summer. I couldn’t quite believe how last year I have been naively skipping across the top, now a shadow of my former self, using all 4 points of contact dare I over trust my ankles.
As we summitted Garnedd Ugain, Wales’ second tallest peak - and criminally under summited - I couldn’t help but feel gratitude for not only timing the evening to perfection and spending almost the entire hike in the sun, but for the mountains and getting to experience them like this so close to where I live.
Although I have been focusing inwards and on the smaller moments within the national park, I cant help but be left amazed every time I’m in the mountains.
