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Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Wales => Topic started by: Dyffryn Ardudwy on 18:55:36, 23/01/19

Title: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: Dyffryn Ardudwy on 18:55:36, 23/01/19
A  friend has recently purchased a pair of new Scarpa 4 Season boots, in Betws Y Coed, and he persuaded me to think of a decent jaunt, to take advantage of the recent snow.


How about Cwm Eigiau ?, Where's that he asked ?   Its pretty special and should be pretty quiet.


Quiet it certainly was, and had it not been for his Audi All Road model Avant, we would never had made the famous carpark.


Those of you who know the narrow Tal  Y Bont road, realise how steep and narrow it is, and just past the farm at the top, the road ahead disappeared under thick snow, impossible for any two wheeled vehicle to navigate, it was icey in parts as well, a real skaterink for a two wheeled drive car.


It was not cold, at around 6C, but its been many many years since ive ventured out in such heavy snow.


We only managed around 7miles, as we had intended to make for Foel Grach and the Central Carneddau ridge, but it was very slow going, with the drifts several feet deep in certain parts, and wading through thick snow, is so tiring.


Some lovely sunshine, not that cold, as there was hardly any wind, but it was very slow going.


Time was an issue, so after around a three hour walk, that in summer takes under an hour, we headed back to the car.


My Buffalo Super 6 shirt served me well, as did a seldom used pair of winter boots, but the last time i was out in such deep snow, was well over thirty years ago, in the Beacons.


I was a lot younger and fitter then, but marching through heavy snow is energy sapping, and a walk that in summer, is a straight forward outing.


Anyway, his boots had a great baptism, and proved magnificent, even though it was impossible to avoid getting the snow inside your boots, due to the depth of the white stuff.


Gaiters would have helped a bit, but most of the snow was knee deep.


It brought back great memories of when i regularly went out in such conditions, but i am desperately tired from the walk.


Only saw two people, and they had arrived in their Land Rover, so the snow was certainly heavy.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: vghikers on 20:12:11, 23/01/19
Crikey, I didn't think the snowfall had been nearly that heavy.
Quote
We only managed around 7miles, as we had intended to make for Foel Grach and the Central Carneddau ridge, but it was very slow going, with the drifts several feet deep in certain parts, and wading through thick snow, is so tiring.
Incredibly tiring. Years ago we set off up Aran Benllyn in deep snow and never made it to the top, we covered 3 miles and gave up, pitched the tent and called it a day, descending the next morning.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: Dyffryn Ardudwy on 20:21:18, 23/01/19
Its a great workout for the legs. but when its impossible to find an easier alternative route, you have just got to soldier on , and see how far you can go, in the available time.
Last year, i managed to reach the lower ridge from the car park, in just under the hour, its an easy approach to the higher Cardeddau, in good weather.
Nearly three hours for nearly the same distance, and feeling like i had walked all day.
Walking in heavy snow, wading in knee deep stuff, is very tiring work, much prefer the summer months, you can then walk until your legs drop off.

The views this afternoon were pretty good, heavy snow or rain clouds bucketing it down miles away, but little windchill and fairly mild conditions.

See you later in the year.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: richardh1905 on 07:44:06, 24/01/19

I have a soft spot for the Eastern Carneddau, particularly Llyn Cowlyd and Cwm Eigiau - my usual stomping grounds when I lived in Trefriw. Rarely saw anyone up there.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: phil1960 on 08:44:44, 24/01/19
We were up that way about 18 months ago during one of our regular weekends in Snowdonia, here’s a few pics



(https://i.postimg.cc/n9GtQ5ML/170-EE6-B4-B4-A8-445-A-9-A01-EBFD3-E07-CF3-F.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/n9GtQ5ML)


(https://i.postimg.cc/5HD1cLZf/252356-D6-F534-4-B2-F-ADF9-74-B43-E4802-C5.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/5HD1cLZf)


(https://i.postimg.cc/SnTkrwd2/2792-C170-7-E85-4333-992-D-0-CF727-FB7-FCE.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/SnTkrwd2)


(https://i.postimg.cc/ZvSSnZbg/2-CAFDBAC-11-B8-4-D55-96-BF-65997-A75-A57-E.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/ZvSSnZbg)


(https://i.postimg.cc/rdDcYQZh/9078-B152-7-B3-D-4-FEF-A846-4-DBC52-E7-B955.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/rdDcYQZh)


(https://i.postimg.cc/gXRpGrW8/9169-C1-B6-BB67-4-E2-A-9-DB6-CD22-B42-EE9-F4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gXRpGrW8)


(https://i.postimg.cc/Js4Rj1NC/A11214-F6-D79-E-425-A-B7-AF-5-EF3-A39-B04-CE.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Js4Rj1NC)

Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: phil1960 on 08:50:59, 24/01/19
Of you tap or click on each photo it should show a clearer image
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: Owen on 10:19:57, 24/01/19
A special place, I've stayed on the Rugby mountaineering club cottage half way up the valley many times. It's really nice in a good winter.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: richardh1905 on 13:11:18, 24/01/19
Thanks for posting your pics, Owen.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: phil1960 on 14:15:51, 24/01/19
Thanks for posting your pics, Owen.
Actually they are mine Richard  ;)
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: richardh1905 on 15:00:11, 24/01/19
Actually they are mine Richard  ;)




Apologies, Phil!   :-[


Note to self - pay attention!
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: phil1960 on 15:33:57, 24/01/19


Apologies, Phil!   :-[


Note to self - pay attention!
Lol no probs I’m just pulling your leg  ;D
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: richardh1905 on 16:10:34, 24/01/19

Thanks for posting them anyway, phil. Brings back memories.
I was on my own one Christmas in Trefriw so headed into the hills - had my Christmas dinner cooked on a meths stove in the shelter of one of the quarry buildings!
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: phil1960 on 16:26:56, 24/01/19
It’s a lovely area and no doubt, we had our sandwiches in the Dulyn bothy out of the rain, but really need to get back there in March when we’re staying in Beddgelert again  O0
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: and101 on 21:06:25, 08/05/19
Fully agree on the beauty and solitude of Cwm Eigiau. I was fortunate to wildcamp up there last summer with a walking buddy and because I went on about it so much my SO wanted to see what all the fuss was about. So up there we went.


(http://i67.tinypic.com/34opwk0.jpg)


Bitter cold wind yet glorious sunshine views across Glyders and beyond


(http://i68.tinypic.com/2wdccar.jpg)


The boggy walk up Gledrffordd was sapping but the views kept rewarding us before reaching Foel Grach. Saw 3 people all day and the MRT helicopter over a snow dusted Llewelyn. Awesome area that didn't disappoint again. Thoroughly recommended.


(http://i66.tinypic.com/k183mp.jpg)


Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: richardh1905 on 07:55:59, 09/05/19

Lovely photos, especially the first looking up the cwm.


The northern slopes of Pen yr Helgi Du have suffered a massive landslide at some time in the distant past, according to the geological map.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: fernman on 09:17:04, 09/05/19
That sounds interesting, Richard. Can you expand on it?
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: vizzavona on 09:23:47, 09/05/19
A fine place into that coire…....on my visit to Wales I walked in from the Ogwen road and descended into this Cwm and found the very classical Amphitheatre Buttress...a really classical mainly easy climb. Well worth the visit.
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: richardh1905 on 20:27:58, 09/05/19
That sounds interesting, Richard. Can you expand on it?



Sadly, no. Just something that I spotted on the geological map years ago. If you look at the first of and101's photos, you can see the crags on the northern face of PYHD that formed the shear line of the landslip, and the slumped area of slope beneath (NE of grid ref 702632).
Title: Re: A Cwm Eigiau Special - Bead Early Totally Wrecked
Post by: richardh1905 on 20:48:18, 09/05/19

Looking on the BGS map viewer, with the 'superficial deposits" overlay, the landslip area is in grey, which is used to indicate areas of "Unknown/Unclassified entry". Other grey areas are lakes!


http://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html (http://mapapps2.bgs.ac.uk/geoindex/home.html)


But I can find nothing else about it on the internet, which is surprising, given the scale of the landslip.