Mountain high!

I'd finished another hard shift at work. Lots of things pointed to having the first of my four days off, just relaxing. So why was I rustling things together, late at night and setting my alarm clock for...well too early! Told myself it could all just as easily get packed away...I didn't realy have to go. Indeed I rolled over after the alarm went off. It's so much harder doing things by yourself....no one to tut tut if you're late. What made it more difficult was I hadn't even decided where I was going to go...well somewhere in the Lakes or Snowdonia. Then it dawned on me, after a short doze....I was totally free to go and do whatever I liked....now if that isn't worth doing...then what is!
Having that first lovely hot coffee helped me decide my destination. The weather has been so good for more than a week, with wall to wall sunshine forecast yet again. So it had to be somewhere spectacular...where I wouldn't go alone in marginal conditions. Crib Goch, in Snowdonia. A high knife-edge ridge walk with un-rivaled views coupled with knee trembling exposure...oh yes, a good choice.
To spice things up further I also chose to climb from the North ridge approach. One major advantage to this route is being able to park the car free and almost anytime in the village of Nant Peris. Most people scrap for a slot in the Pen Y Pass carpark and pay handsomely.
After a short walk out of the village, soon found myself at the small bridge over the Afon Nant Peris at Blaen Y Nant. Here the Afon Gennog joins from the South, draining the very slopes I was about to climb. Conveniently a wall follows the river on the East side. So following up was easy despite there being no path to speak of. Behind me now rising were the slopes of the Glyderau. I stopped and watched climbers on the lower cliffs roped impossibly, yet progressing steadily up the shear rock.
Infront the slope climbed steadily for me. I was looking for a waterfall to the right of a huge rock bluff, with the grand sounding name of Dinas Mot. Once reached I took a break and looked round admiring the view and feeling good with my effort so far. I remember mentally noting that this would be a tricky place to be in poor visibility! But not today so onwards...
Glaslyn and Snowdon from Garnedd Ugain
Soon I was on the characteristic red coloured scree of the North ridge, or in fact the whole mountain. The name Crib Goch, translates to Red Ridge. I could already make out the ant like silhouettes of walkers on the ridge proper. I also felt pleased in the fact that I was the only person approaching from this direction....where the rock is quite loose!
Jagged rock of Garnedd Ugain
The ridge itself has to be seen to be appreciated. On my first ever visit I was awe struck and quite intimidated. I crawled along, hardly daring to acknowledge the sheer drop, particularly on the left. This is like walking on the ridge of a house roof. By my third visit....despite my fear of the first time...I went up alone. Though this is no picnic walk....Crib Goch is within the reach of many people. A day never to be forgotten.
Looking back at Crib Goch
Having said all that, it's a bloody hard slog too. Without streams or lakes, it's dry as well!! So after negotiating the pinnacles, I sat in the peace of Bwlch Coch sipping the last of my water!! Soon negotiated more rock achitecture and avoided the trig point of Garnedd Ugain. Instead I dropped to a rarely visited spur, Gyrn Las, looking over the whole of my journey so far, and down to my descent route.
Unique view from Gyrn Las
I briefly joined the Llanberis path from Snowdon's summit. At Clogwyn station, I more or less dropped straight down without trace...down steeply and anonymously...descending steep scree and grass slopes. Right down into the valley. Found a lovely little stream and waterfalls, which must pound in spate...but today were quite magical and put a lovely freshness to a truely magnificent day!