Saturday – Penmaen-bach Arête
By Adam Y
With Storm Claudia overhead the weekend forecast was looking dubious but we are brave and hardy mountain folk so agreed we would proceed with some backup indoor climbing if needed.
Despite rising water and road closures we all made it safely, although a couple of vehicles did endure some swimming lessons on route.
Choosing the safer option of heading coast wards instead of our original plan of doing the East Ridge of Y Garn on Saturday we headed to Penmaen-bach arête.
With weather and visibility less wet and windy at the coast and this weekend being a very mixed ability group (from very first scramble to lifelong mountain goat) we headed up the slightly slippery arête to gain good views of the sea and local area. Having gained the height and plenty of daylight left we bagged Allt Wen having been enticed by OS’ markings of an old hill fort before heading down the other side and back through the village.
We then headed back to the arête to check out the prospect of a few trad routes and were pleasantly surprised to find a sport multi pitch. I got the chance to lead my first ever multi pitch while Pawel & Vanessa got the achievement of completing a scramble, a hill walk, a sport (multi pitch) AND a trad route in one day.
We then headed back to the hut via Tesco to a great cookout from Vanessa!
Saturday – Viewing the route from our parking spot
Saturday – Start of the scramble
Saturday – Summit shot
Saturday – Group fajita cook out, cheers Ness!
Sunday’s adventure on the November hut meet
Sunday – East Ridge of Y Garn
by Ness G
Bit of an unexpected bonus with the weather on Sunday, after the torrential rainfall on Friday and a fairly damp windy Saturday. The opportunity to do the original weekend objective of Y Garn East Ridge grade 2 scramble once more presented itself. Sadly Mark B and Clive unable to join this one, but Pawel, Rob P, Ness, Adam and Mark A went out to play.
Great day out – fun terrain, lots of variation and a few interesting route choices including the official grade 3 variant, strangely appearing more straightforward than the grade 2 option but potentially due in part to a bit of leftover slipperiness from the previous rain, as well as the wildly variable nature of scrambling grades in differing conditions.
Rope out for the trickier sections – whole range of experience levels present, Mark A’s second ever mountain scramble – the first being Saturday, so a bit of a learning curve but managed bravely. Good opportunity for Adam and Ness to sharpen up the rope skills under Pawel’s experience, and with Rob P leading the way!
Beautiful conditions, albeit a bit windy and cold, but amazing far reaching views for the obligatory summit photo, before a race back down to the cars ahead of darkness. Couldn’t ask for more really.
Sunday – Mark A bravely proceeding forwards
Sunday – Awesome shot of Rob P
Sunday – Summit photo