So, I fancied a weekend away and headed off to Snowdonia on the evening of the 22nd June.

I stopped in my van in my usual spot in Capel Curig with the intention of heading for Y Garn and Elidir Fawr on the Saturday.  Early in the morning I got into the car park at Ogwen Cottage and made my up around Llyn Idwal towards the Devils Kitchen.

This is a path I have taken numerous times before, and it was with curious mixed feelings that I came to the relatively new footbridge across one of the gully’s below the Kitchen. Previously the step across the gully had been a little challenge I enjoyed but the bridge provides a guarantee of safe passage.

I plodded on, into the craggier boulder field above the bivi spot, reaching a tricky step between two large boulders.  The route was quite clear and I knew I could do it, but my body was mis-behaving and I was struggling to persuade it to do as it was told.  I thought about waiting for other people and asking them to ‘spot me’ up, but it was early in the day and I wasn’t sure how long I’d have to wait.  Also, I would be returning by the same route and was not feeling confident about descending the step too.  I looked for another route but the alternatives were equally awkward so, frustrated, I made my way back down to the car park, descending to the west side of Llyn Ogwen.

I did not want to go home without having climbed something and as I walked down I started to contemplate driving to the Peak District for a repeat of my day on Kinder Scout, though I didn’t have my maps for the area in the van.

However, when I reached my van I had decided to head down to the southern end of the Snowdonia National Park, and Cadair Idris.

Cadair Idris is one of my favourite mountains.  I have climbed it a few times, always from the south side where it has a bit of everything from a good forest path by the stream, a nice bit of easy scrambling, ridges and boulder fields, and broad moorland around the rest of the horseshoe.  However, this time I went for the main route up the pony path from the north side.

The Pony Path may not have the sustained and varied interest of the southern ascent, but it is quick and straightforward.  I set off from the car park before 8am and was on the summit by 10am.  It was already a warm day and, with England playing Panama in the World Cup that afternoon I wanted to get back down and on the road so I could listen to the game, so I didn’t hang around and was back at the car park by 11.45am.

All in all, a good weekend that started with frustration and ended with success.

Llyn Idwall ascent:  280m / 919 feet approximately

Cadair Idris ascent: 727m / 2,384 feet

Cumulative total: 5709m / 18730ft