Type 2

Feed from Type 2

With an OWL!

I seem to have developed a habit of finding the bad weather lately. Extreme dampness in Llanberis a couple of weeks ago resulted in gear shopping, and last weekend in Dolgellau looked likely to go the same way.

A very, very wet Saturday in the Rhinogs resulted in limited motivation and a low probability of climbing. Fortunately the evenings beer consumption was limited enough that when an opportunity did arise we were just about capable of taking it.

Saturday morning was foggy but dry, so after a leisurely fry up we decided to wander up to Cyfrwy to see what we could find.

Cyfrwy is a large microgranite crag on the north side of Cadair Idris. Normally it looms imposingly above a scree slope and invites people to pick out lines as they approach.

This time it was different. This time it lurked in the fog and dared us to approach. Occasionally a corner would poke out for a few seconds before sidling back into hiding. Unsurprisingly there were no other climbers to be seen.

Maybe the crag had eaten them.

As we ascended the scree I practiced my excuses under my breath. Words like "Greasy", "Dodgy", "Loose" and "Tea Shop" all briefly surfaced and swam around for a bit before I reminded them that this was fun and they went away again.

A quick look around revealed some surprisingly dry rock and no excuses, so we decided to take a look at the "Table Direct" start to the Cyfrwy Arete.

The climbing was pretty good if easy, and the top half of the Cyfrwy Arete is always good value but the real standout feature of the day was the atmosphere. Quiet and slightly eerie, with occasional glimpses of the view below having far more impact than on a clear day.

The experience reminded me that I don't climb in clag anything like as often as I used to. It is something that everyone should do from time to time.

And I didn't even get stuck down an 'ole.

Posted by upwardlymisanthropic