Escape from the Fog!

Well I'd be a fool not to take advantage of the most settled spell of weather we've had in months. For once it's possible to plan ahead and make arrangments without having to worry. Since visiting my brother in Cardiff, the wind that plagued our walk in the Brecon Beacons has eased, giving way to calm. The downside to this has been some fog. New Years Eve started off very cold with freezing fog in Manchester..which lingered all day. Not that it bothered me one bit, because my brother Jim and I set off early to North Wales.
View from Plas Y Brenin over the frozen lake towards Snowdon

The fog stayed with us all the way through Cheshire and we didn't shake it off till we reached the coast. From then on it was dazzling...all day. We parked up by Plas Y Brenin, with a cold frosty minus 4 C down by the frozen lake. Early in the day the view towards Snowdon from here is always impressive. We spent quite a while taking snaps here and in the surrounding woodlands, which had been transformed into a bejewelled Winter wonderland.
Llyn Y Foel which sits nicely in the Cwm below Moel Siabod..iced over and rumbling!

It would have been so easy to stay in the valley along the partially frozen Ogwen. The cold air felt so clean and there was just not a breath of wind..perfect calm and serenity. Glancing up Moel Siabod, the climb for the day looked, steep and distant and totally un-necessary. However we slowly left the forest and focused on the climb.
Spectacular views and a little exposure on the ridge Daier Ddu looking back down to the lake

I really like this mountain. Moel Siabod stands alone and is quite centrally located within the park, with views from its peak possibly the best of any. It has interesting ridges with a lovely lake in the glacial Cwm, with perilously steep sides. Very impressive but easily attainable for most people. However to reach the best ridge which is approached from the East, a fearsome bog must be crossed. This bog is also possibly haunted by a friendly ghost in the form of an old woman. I was walking here previuosly with a friend whose footwear was going to be a serious issue crossing. The woman appeared suddenly and we chatted. Given her frailty and ordinary cothing, I was surprised that she'd come so high..it's a steep rocky climb. She told us that her husband had died and his ashes were scattered on the lake..she visits daily in his memory. So I asked her how she crosses the bog..daily? We followed her instructions and crossed with barely a splash. Looked back to wave, but she'd disappeared...as we climbed higher we kept looking, but there was no sight of her. She can't have moved that quickly....very mysterious!
Jim posing on the summit accompanied by a parrot!!

Which brings me back to why we decided to come this way today. The bog was frozen solid!! Ha! Even better and strangely, the air temperature was rising well above zero here. We sat by Llyn Y Foel for quite a while. The frozen surface every so often gave a resounding rumble and crack, increased and concentrated by the amphitheatre like surroundings. The water level was draining slowly below the lake and the ice was trying its best to follow, with impressive sounds.
We tried a couple of things but Jim got the best results for a quick descent on the ice!

Eventually we started the engaging climb of the East ridge, known as Daier Ddu. By staying to the right there's easy scrambling with lofty views back tothe lake below, whilst further round to the left things are easier on grassy slopes. We took our time and enjoyed the company of fellow walkers ranging from hardened mountain men to family groups spanning generations. All the time marvelling in the uniqe conditions which were making this a day to remember.
Fairytale Winter wonderland return to the valley..how are some trees white and others not touched..magic!

We found the top and admired the all round view. Which, though not disappointing, couldn't match the magic of the frozen lake and the amazing conditions of the ridge climb. The flip side of Moel Siabod is grassy and domed, with hardly a hint of the rocky ridges of the South. We did however make the most of the icy conditions in trying a few novel ways of descending. For my efforts I have a bruised elbow and had a very soggy cold bottom. Jim made good use of his pack as a makeshift tobogan! All this reminded me that it has been years since we had ice like this..and what fun!