7 and 8 April 1990 - Deepest Meirionydd

 

After spending some time today sorting through photos from 1970, this posting feels relatively recent! At least the pictures have a bit of colour. That was absent in 1970. Dave is pictured above looking rather concerned by the news headline. We adjourned for more coffee. Here's what we wrote at the time...

 

Saturday (Martin)

 

Up at 7 am and leisurely gather stuff and breakfast etc. Alone as the rest of the family is at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest. Leave Burton Road at 7:45 in the Fiesta with Dave.

Arrive Dolgellau 9:45. Doss about for an hour buying a duff Karrimat, buckle for chest strap (Martin) and water bottle (Dave), who also forgot to buy soup.

Long sojourn for two mugs of coffee in a milk bar.
 

Eventually leave just before 11 am. Cross the river and head up a hill to a golf course.

 

 

Through lanes to a track leading to 'The Precipice Walk. Lots of people on this walk, which we did in reverse. Numerous information posts - a sort of nature trail.

 

 

 

Martin's new Jaguar S65 KS100e SA1 (Karrimor) rucksack, resplendently mint and blue with a now operative chest strap, contrasted with Dave's old sack that just about clings together these days. [I still use that Jaguar rucksack. I suppose it's not surprising that the pockets are falling off! It is more durable than a series of three successors.]

We brew up in trees near the Precipice Walk car park before strolling to Llanfachreth more warmly wrapped. A sunny but chilly day.
 

 

 

 

 

Now start the planned route (about 1:30 pm) and head around lanes as far as Cors-y-garnedd. Then a long pathless walk up Rhobell Fawr (2059'). Bright sunshine soon results in disrobing. Some tricky walls are negotiated without incident. Reach a broad boggy section, then go along another, hard to climb, wall before heading up the crest to the soggy snow on the summit. A ring ouzel was seen here. Windy. Took quick self-timed photos and admired views before descending east.

 

 

Superb views to Cadair Idris though today it is disappointingly hazy. Snowdon is only just visible - there's quite a bit of snow on it from last week's cold snap.

Steep descent to a forestry track. Head north through the forest on a superb track until it ends. Then stumble through leafless larch, deep and narrow in the forest, before reaching a clearing where a path is marked.

Slosh endlessly on catching sight of a gap to the edge of the forest. Explore this and find a secluded spot, flat and sheltered, in the oxbow of a stream at about SH795276.

Tents were slowly but efficiently erected, for the first time this year. We had a disappointing view, restricted to Foel Gron in the background and a grassy bank in the foreground. However, once ensconced, our tents were sealed to keep out the wind.

 

 

It was cosy, with the gentle gurgling of the stream, which has good water. Hard to get more secluded. No one seen since Llanfachreth.

Brews are followed by snooze (Dave - deep snore) and a read of Riotous Assembly.

We enjoyed an assortment of food, but Dave forgot soup.

 

Sunday (Dave)

Dave believes some people came by in the evening. VERY COLD NIGHT. Dave woke up cold at 1:00 am. Ok once hood used and buried inside bag.

Heavy frost in evidence in the morning. Martin's water bottle and boots are frozen.

 

 

Set off downstream at 8:15, past the footpath we should have come down. Had an amusing time going through a sheep hole in a wall - lots of photos.

 

 

Down into a valley where a field contained two enormous piles of boulders - the rest of the field had no stones at all - never seen this before.

 

 

Down track / road and through Cym-hasgen farm, then up the hill to the forest. At first the forest looked like it was going to be a long slog fighting the forest, but after a few yards a very wide track appeared. Much evidence of forestry work. At one point we found our way barred by fallen trees and a 'Footpath Closed' sign which we ignored.

 

 

 

 

After a long mile and a half we left the forest and headed to the road at Ffridd y Tyllau. There we turned right, and soon took a left turn to pass Hendre-blaen-Lliw farm, where we found an excellent spot to stop - well sheltered, lots of water, very sunny most of the time.

 

 

Dave had two brews, Martin had a bacon butty. Today is sunnier, colder and less hazy than yesterday. Arrive at brew site 10:30, leave 11:10.

 

 

 

Set off for summit of Moel Llyfnant (2461'), which is straightforward. On top for 12:00. Martin finds a tunnel near the top but his torch battery is no good - too much reading last night.

 

 

Good views.

 

Set off down the east side. Stop for brew 12:15. Dave just had water. Down and up on to Arenig Fawr - summit reached 2:00. Again a simple slog with a stop on the subsidiary summit (2771') which was unusually windless. Then on to the 2801ft summit. Self-timed photos taken twice as Dave failed to make it for the first one as he found a long route to the trig point from the camera, blocked by a hidden wall. [Really, Dave?]
 

 

 

 

After a last look at the view, we set off down the east ridge - good views back all the way.

 

 

Quite a few walkers seen on this hill - the first since we were on the Precipice Walk. Walk around Llyn Arenig Fawr Reservoir, over the dam, and take a northerly path back to the road.

 

 

Turn left then right along the first footpath to the main A4212 road, where Martin sets off at 3:40 to hitch to Dolgellau, while Dave sits, brews up, and writes this entry. Time is now 5:10.

Martin (the walking fashion statement) [it's all relative!] arrived 5:45 (just over two hours - very good).

 

 

Here's our route - 38 km with 2000 metres ascent.

 

 

Martin wears green / blue rucksack*, matching green fluorescent gloves, Dave Kitto designed balaclava* (limited edition) snazzy duvet vest* [gilet] . [Plus one of many Dot Banfield wool shirts.]

Dave wore his worn out fibre pile jacket, clapped out rucksack, green balaclava.

Back home by 8:00. Go for a curry at 9:00 with Laurie - The Man with the Cheque Book (he still owes Martin £50 from the Kinlochewe trip).

(Continued - Martin)

The pleasant curry relaxed us after a tiring weekend. Windburn and sunburn so far. This was added to at Burton Road, where Dave and Martin were confronted by a woman with a baby, and a chip pan fire in their house. Dave entered and withdrew after a few lungfulls of smoke. The fire was then heroically extinguished by Martin using doormats. Dave's reappearance with a torch then enabled the cooker to be switched off. Fire engines arrived and treated it very seriously. After shooing us out of the way at first, they returned with threats of hospitalisation. Martin returned quickly home. Dave spluttered off to dry his tent and was later found by a wandering ambulance man and managed narrowly to avoid hospitalisation. Any future diary reference to 'The Heroes' is explained by the foregoing. [I recall this with clarity. It was very hard to find the cooker in that house as the smoke made it completely dark despite the lights being on. The doormat was applied just in time.]

 * all still in use

24 February to 3 March 1990 - A Week in Kinlochewe - Index

 

Here I am, finishing off all the food for our final Friday night meal.

 

A map showing our various excursions is shown below, and the individual days are recorded as follows:

 

Part 1 - Beinn Alligin

Part 2 - Poolewe

Part 3 - Slioch

Part 4 - Fionn Bhein

Part 5 - Around Kinlochewe

Part 6 - (not) Sgorr Ruadh

 

 

It's rather sobering to know that I was older, on this trip thirty years ago, than our cross-country skiing companion, Shane, who collapsed and died a few days ago. Our thoughts are with his partner and family. He was a lovely man, and very helpful to Sue when she was ill on our Polish trip in 2018.

24 February to 3 March 1990 - A Week in Kinlochewe - Part 6

 

Friday 2 March (Martin)

Lie in until 8 am. Get up to find Dave engrossed in a 'game'. I thought the deadline was yesterday, but apparently it's postponed until today's morning post. (Yesterday's package apparently related to another 'game'.)

Fairly mild outside, cloudy and not too windy. Snow already melting.

Dave eventually meets his 9:30 deadline. Washing up is abandoned and we set off to attempt Sgorr Ruadh, from Achnasheen, one of my missing Munros (I copped out in 1984). Unfortunately both map owners of sheet 25 have gone, so we had to rely on Donald Bennett's SMC guidebook.

The road was still snowy, but a convenient spot was found to park near Achnashellach station. The guidebook was soon out and successfully directed us up a good, if very wet with melting snow, stalkers path. It's a pretty walk through woods by the River Lair, with Fuar Tholl's precipices dominating the view.

 

 

It's a long climb up to the plateau at 370 metres. We try to keep on high ground, avoiding deep snow. I start to employ a crawling technique on really deep bits, thus not sinking so far. Dave finds these 'crawls' rather harder to follow than the usual footprints!

 

 

Occasional snow showers. Cross the river without much trouble (except Dave, who hesitates and falls. We continue onwards, approximately along the stalkers path below Fuar Tholl, keeping to high ground as far as possible to avoid deep drifts. Slog on up, stopping for a sandwich.

 

 

 

Views of fearsome cliffs, and Fuar Tholl's summit high above. Eventually reach another plateau, high above the ice covered Loch Coire Lair. Traverse across to the foot of the south east spur of Sgorr Ruadh. This involves ups and downs and exhausting wading through snow drifts.

Enter the blizzard. A violent storm halts progress. The mountain clearly won't become clear, we have no map, visibility ahead is dubious, and there is more steep wading to come.

 

 

 

Dave has had enough. I concur. We descend, retracing steps made minutes earlier, some of which have been obliterated by the blizzard, which passes.

 

 

Welcome coffee and butty stop before steady stroll back to the car by 4 pm. A 5 hour walk. Quite enjoyable descent, with the deep snow not such a problem going down.

 

 

  Here's our route - 13 km with 750 metres ascent.

 

Scenic drive back via Lochcarron, Kishorn, and Shieldaig. Sunny, but only Beinn Damh's summit is visible.

Washing up, postcards, diary writing, lethargy (Dave), reading, packing, etc, conclude the holiday.

A final substantial meal. Plans for 6 am departure tomorrow as both of us wish to get home as early as possible. Decide on alternative route via Beauly and Drumnadrochit, as the Radio 4 road report claims a landslide has blocked our road at Attadale (the same slide as blocked John's train). More reading of Stephen Venables' Everest book; asleep by midnight.

 

Saturday 3 March (Martin)

Early rise. Tea from Dave at 5:45. Up and away at 6:03. Intended to breakfast / buy presents, etc at Fort Bill, but got there too early. Had to queue at Tyndrum's Little Chef (9.20). Left at 10:00 after a good breakfast. Had a swift trip back but got in an M63 traffic jam at 2:30 (330 miles later). Home soon after 3 pm. No disasters.

 

Index

Part 5

24 February to 3 March 1990 - A Week in Kinlochewe - Part 5

 

Thursday 1 March (Dave)

Superb views when I woke up, were quickly obscured by snowstorm.

As John needs to rest anyway (due to High Peak Marathon on Friday and Saturday), we decide to go for a local walk and set out at about 11:00.

 

 

We walked from the chalet down the road to the east and took the path on other side of the river. We were all dressed in full waterproofs, which began to come off in the good weather. There were good views of Beinn Eighe. Much photographed. Even John took a photo.

 

 

We carried along the path into the forest, where the weather turned worse and cags were put back on.

 

 

Path shown as going through forest (very thin dotted line on 1:25,000 map) Eventually found path - a sort of tunnel in the forest. Necessitated hoods up. Hard work. Occasional cairns and a few open clearings with tracks down them. Finally make it to the edge of the forest. Carry on to the far end and then down (west) to the river and along to a bridge where we stop to eat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Post bus going over the bridge dislodges snow down Dave's neck.

Walk back to chalet along road in swirling snow for most of the way. Back for a cup of tea and early meal.

 

 

 

  

 Here's our route, if I remember correctly - 12 km with 200 metres ascent.

 

Leave at 5:30 for Achnasheen station, for John's 6:18 train. John has a punishing schedule - overnight to Edinburgh, then to Darlington for food, wash, sleep. Then public transport to Edale for 11 pm for the start of the overnight High Peak Marathon (42 miles). His train was delayed by a landslide and arrived at 8:15. We were therefore forced to have several pints at the hotel. Men manning gritting lorries were also in the bar. Including an Englishman who has settled here. Martin and Dave eventually return to chalet following the tracks of the gritter lorry, in almost zero visibility at the high point - not very pleasant. Decide to abandon 1000 piece jigsaw which we started just before tea. There's no chance of completing it.

Early to bed.

Index
Part 4
Part 6