We think that our BLoGs are a new venture – not so as this extract from the 30th Jubilee Edition of BootLeG shows(published in 1985).
Some of the characters may be unfamiliar to you but hopefully the account of a group hostel weekend will be interesting to read.
Some of the characters may be unfamiliar to you but hopefully the account of a group hostel weekend will be interesting to read.
FFESTINIOG
Perhaps the most dreary part of a weekend is the drive to the hostel on a Friday evening. However, as predicted at the Xmas Social by Ian McCaskill the journey was everything but dreary.
There was Dave Huddart taking his car up the Blaenau Ffestiniog pass – sideways, closely pursued by Commander Bradbury who almost had an argument with a snow-plough on the descent! Others were less fortunate and suffered casualties. Mike Lilley’s steering took a knock on the same pass but somehow or other limped in.
Further east in the same snowstorm Robin suffered a bump. It was rather noticeable that the accident-prone Alison was travelling in the same vehicle!. Others retired gracefully from the field and found the city walls of Chester a more worthwhile challenge. There is another story rumoured to this…..
There was Dave Huddart taking his car up the Blaenau Ffestiniog pass – sideways, closely pursued by Commander Bradbury who almost had an argument with a snow-plough on the descent! Others were less fortunate and suffered casualties. Mike Lilley’s steering took a knock on the same pass but somehow or other limped in.
Further east in the same snowstorm Robin suffered a bump. It was rather noticeable that the accident-prone Alison was travelling in the same vehicle!. Others retired gracefully from the field and found the city walls of Chester a more worthwhile challenge. There is another story rumoured to this…..
Meanwhile at the lodge the Wardens seemed unperturbed by this chain of events despite it was now Saturday morning….
Over an excellent hostel breakfast I noted we had suffered 11 losses the night before. I wondered how many more I could expect to lose on the walk? The walk in question was a circuit of the Moelwyns. The advance party, Edgar and Muriel left before any of us surfaced. The rest of us followed at a more sedate pace down through the woods into the vale of Ffestiniog and so up to the railway. Afte rlast night it was rather disappointing . The sun was shining and the snow was fast disappearing. It was that warm that Pickersgill Senior was spotted in his spotless Pecril-white shorts. Naturally the Huddart was seen in his summer plumage (A few weeks later another sighting was made in the Killin area, this time the species was sporting the winter plumage. Such adaptability these creatures have)
Up at the reservoir under Moelwyns Bach and Mawr we found an abandoned Muriel awaiting a bus which wasn’t due until the end of May!. We could only surmise that Herr Ernstbrunner had done the Moelwyns and was now descending Cnicht in preparation for his ascent of Snowdon!
Following lunch the expedition now attacked the Bach by a sporting gully route. Who was leading at this time?, because it certainly wasn’t me! The views from the summit were excellent and ranged from Cadair Idris in the south to Tryfan in the north. Way out to the east were the Arans but there was no sign of Ireland in the west. Reversing the acsent we contoured around the mountain and upto the Mawr. Murmurings about tea-shops were now being voiced and I suspected there mught be one at the Tanygrisiau Visitor centre. Consequently I led my whinging party clambering down steep craggy hillsides on a beeline for the centre. In true SAS fashion we scaled a four foot high barbed-wire fence into the grounds of the centre. It was closed!
Later that evening when most members had disappeared to the local, half a dozen of us fouht each other over a Monopoly board. It was rather satisfying to find that Robert was pleading for his livlehood near the end of the game!
Another fine day dawned and this time I proposed an assualt on the Rhiniogs to the south, a wilderness of rocky, heathery terrain. From a point on the A470 south of Trawsfynydd with its beautiful nuclear power station, we walked in and ascended the Bwlch Tyddiad, better known as the Roman Steps, or tried to. Yours truely got slightly disorientated in a forestry plantation. No, there were no water towers!
Leaving the security of the path we attacked Rhiniog Fawr by the direct route. We were privileged to have one of the country’s leading rock and ice climbing experts, Stella, in our company. It was certainly a desperate climb she led with such grace one would expect from her.
The views were even better than yesterday but there was still no sign of Ireland. It was a pity we didn’t have the time to continue onto Rhiniog Pach and beyond. Sadly we strolled down to the Bwlch Drws Ardudwy into the woods and so back to the main road.
Four hours later it was back to reality… but to reflect on a superb weekend.
On this point thanks should be conveyed to the Wardens of Ffestiniog Hostel for providing that homely happy go lucky atmosphere and oh those meals were just superb!
Have you guessed who the author was ?
Yes, our very own Pete Hudson.
NB: I have taken the liberty of correcting typing errors as I have the modern advantage of backspace and deletes button rather than correcting fluid!
E&OE – I don’t guarantee that I can spell all the welsh names correctly.
E&OE – I don’t guarantee that I can spell all the welsh names correctly.
Sue T
Stockport Walking & Outdoor Group 