You'd never have believed it...

My first winter route of the season, and it was in Wales! Yes Wales of all places. Land of climber, slate, rhyolite and quaztite became the land of ice and snow (at least for a few days). I drove across from stoke after climbing in the peak (and in the cold) with Susie to meet Stewie in Llangollen. We left my car there save taking 2 cars all the way up to Wales.Our sleeping arrangements where pretty much as loose as they could get. We'd taken a tent, and I'd also crammed a bivi bag in and 3 sleeping bags. I think our real plan was to get drunk and hope that the Ceunant took pity on us and let us stay over in thier warm hut. Well we certainly got drunk on many pints of XB and Double Hop. I actually ate in the Vaynol for once. They do really good food. We also did manage to get a place to stay at the Ceunant. So turned in for the night there.

Oh, I've missed something. As we drove up from Llangollen to North Wales it started to rain. I think I sank start into a weather related sulk because of this, but Stewie brought me out by telling me to forget about it and we'd just ahve a good night in the pub! Thankfully the weather predictions where right and the temperature plummetted freezing everything solid. I began smiling.

We hac chosen to climb on the highest crag we could find in the vicinity, the nameless cwm. As, for our pub discussions the night before, everyone else in all of wales seemed to be climbing there we decided to head out early. Early (0640) and verg hungover as it happenend. Stuart also decided in his infinite wisdom that we'd skip breakfast to "save time". Of course it did save time, but I'll be holding it against him forever.

My camera has died by this point, having been left out in the van all night I think the lense has frozen solid. Annoyingly we had no camera at all.

The walk in was long and hard, but just the thing to sort to out a 5 pint hangover. As was walked in the weather was awesome with cold, clear skies and a little winter. Once we'd identified our route (Left Hand Gully) the weather came in. The clag descended and the wind picked up, sort of fitting for out first route. It was very atmospheric.

I took the first pitch and solo'd up on frozen turf placements and torqued axes. It was a great little bit of climbing but I was well aware that I was doing it solo was very careful. I got into the little gully and set about building a belay. Now I know pegs are a last resort in winter, and you should only really use them on "winter crags" but I got a good sling on and had nothing else. I've no doubt th sling would have held, but its not worth the risk so in went my knifeblade. There is nothing more satisfying that bashing something into the rock to make you feel safe! I brought Stewie up, handed him the gear and put on my belay mitts and jacket to settle in for a long belay.

Stewie took a very hard mixed pitch up a groove. Having seen some photos of the route in lean ice conditions it looks like we had a fight on our hands. It took him what seemed like ages so I was glad I was snuggled down in my belay jacket. I've seen Stewie scared many times on a hard lead, either thinking he can't do it or not having enough gear in. As I watched him I was honestly thinking "what is the fuss all about?, its just a little gully with a little ice and snow on it, in the dry it would be easy!". How little did I know.

As Stewie topped out of his gully, he found as much good stuff to belay off as possible, then with a shakey voice he yelled for me to climb. Off came my Dach mitts and snuggley warm belay jacket and back on went my climbing gloves which were now warm (from being stored in my arms pits), but wet none the less. I stripped out my belay losing a ice axe in the process. Annoyed at me loss of piton I climbed up anyway. As I started up the gully my hands started to chill. I was amazed at how hard I was finding this pitch. It gave me alot of admiration of Stewie's ability. I was amazed he's managed to keep a relativly cool head. I don't think I could have lead that pitch. I then got attacked by hot aches half way up. Thus ensued a bout of screaming (from me) and laughing (from Stewie) as my hands rewarmed.

My pitch next and it looked horrendous. I'd been severly brought down to earth about my winter climbing ability and was in too minds as to either keep pushing it up this gearless mixed nightmare of a pitch, and just finding an easier way or even abseiling off. As I decided what I would do, whilst wedged into a chimeny Stewie said "There's no need to be a hero". That sort of settled it for me. He was right of course. The risk was too great, too far. If we'd had to I'm sure we would have managed it but instead there we're other options. I clambered over him, took a difficult step over to the right and romped up a grade III gully instead. I brought him round the corner and then we moved together. I actually got to tackle a short pitch of ice blocking out way (3 metres of vertical solid water ice) so I got to place the screws for a belay for Stewie.

We topped out and wondered to a summit. I say wondered because now it was very claggy with visibility reduced to about 10/15 metres. I knew we where on seniors ridge, somewhere and just made our way down by the easiest path. We dropped out of the clag and could see our defiante path on the way down. We had a little trouble on some icey boulders, but in all we made it back with ease.

This ended our first winter climb of the season, in wales of all places. My head's in gear for winter routes to come and I'm going to refine my rack based on what I learnt on this day. My only annoyance is that my camera broke so theres no pictures. Here's Clogwyn Ddu anyway...