Photo Journal
30th January // Nantlle Ridge
Nantlle Ridge // N53.0511 W-4.162
If you’ve read my previous entries you would know that often the weather forecast seems to be on my side, or at least I have gained some sort of sense to know when the prediction will come true. Well today threw this theory out the window.
My intention really was to film a reel for Instagram about the Nantlle Ridge, so I had planned to walk it in a there-and-back, but between the weather and an injury my plan was altered.
Stupidly isn’t the word, but something close to it is how I would describe the previous weekends activity which was to run an out-the-blue 18K. This has wrecked my legs and even a week later I am feeling the effects of an over strained IT band. It wasn’t until the first descent of the hike where I felt this, and I knew it would be silly to continue any further.
What also didn’t help was the forecast of clear skies despite the fact that it was cloudy, windy and bitterly cold on the summits.
As I hid behind an obelisk of stone waiting for the clouds to pass there were fleeting moments of light on the mountainside, mostly on Moel Hebog to which I wished I had chosen to hike instead of the Nantlle Ridge. When I’m hiking in the clouds all I crave is the sunshine and I was regretting my choice here.
Finally after an hour of stalling the sun looked like it was making an appearance, so in order to be back near the start of the ridge to watch the sunset, I began the walk back.
As I walked the light now seemed to light up every other mountain except where I was, so my walk was slow, taking in and capturing photos of every neighbouring mountain, who’s rocky terrain was accentuated by the low hanging sun’s light.
The light changed so suddenly, at one moment it felt like it was midday, the next the light was golden and felt like late evening, then as soon as I reached where the distant light had been illuminating the mountainside so brightly, it was dark. The sun’s light had all but faded from view, and it passed behind a thin veil of cloud before disappearing out of sight completely.
This was when I knew it was time to leave, making my way tentatively down the hillside with painful knees through the darkness to my van.
