Nant Peris, Snowdonia

A few reminders of our weekend

- Charlie "Now I am an Audi driver" Grant
- Pete "I believe the gravy lacked depth; well, I 30% believe it anyway" Smith
- Simon "A on the river" Piercy
- Tim " " Spate
- Dave "Oil change" Noble
- Steve "If she stops fetching my 35p corn flakes then I've always got my trump card ... Me!" Barker

Friday

The journey to Wales included a NEW music quiz that, for once, wasn't made from Charlie's collection - and indeed, he led the contest all the way to the last couple of questions, when Simon pipped him at the post.

Pete tries out the dry sauna but quits before his blood temperature matches that of his cup of tea

We try playing a game Tim hasn't tried before, called 'Hearts'. In one round he didn't realise until near the end that he had forgotten to pickup his three passed cards, which meant we had to abandon the round and replay it. In another round he tried twice to play the 4 of hearts out of turn. He also 'took a gamble' which didn't pay off and he bagged an unwanted thirteen points. He also almost always had the lead-out card, the 2 of clubs. Despite all of this, when we stopped the game, it was Pete who was firmly in last place, when Dave and Steve arrived.

On the way to the pub Dave's foot narrowly avoids turning this fellow into roadkill.

Piercy Plays Pub Pool

Saturday

(Mapping courtesy of Simon Piercy)

Pete and Charlie - shiny new boots (yes, that's right - you read correctly - PETE, NEW BOOTS - FINALLY!!)

We're just about to drive up the road to a car park when Dave turns on his ignition and remembers that his engine needs oil and it must be done immediately ... (see video)

First climb of the day!

Bags of rocks (sorry Steve - they're not available at B&Q)

This pipe was spotted by Pete; large bore, a bit of a blot on the landscape, seemed to go on and on ... but the pipe was quite interesting though!

Veins of quartz

Viaduct

Derelict

Cascade

At this point the group members' desires differ so the group splinters into a team that wants to make an assault on the summit and a team that wants to attempt a challenging path called the "Pyg Track".

Here is a bit about The Pyg Track, courtesy of the Snowdonia National Park website:

"A little about the path…

Nobody knows for sure why this path is called the Pyg Track. It’s possible that it was named after the pass it leads through, Bwlch y Moch (translated Pigs’ Pass) as the path is sometimes spelled ‘Pig Track’. Or, maybe because it was used to carry ‘pyg’ (black tar) to the copper mines on Snowdon.

Another possible explanation is that the path was named after the nearby Pen y Gwryd Hotel, popular amongst the early mountain walkers. The team who conquered Everest in 1953 stayed at this hotel while training on Snowdon. When the team returned from the Himalaya a reunion was held at the hotel, accompanied by Edmund Hillary himself.

This is the most rugged and challenging of the six paths up Snowdon, which leads along the foothills of Crib Goch."

http://www.eryri-npa.gov.uk/visiting/walking/Hard-Mountain-Walks/PYG-Track

Changeable weather

Meanwhile, the summit team persevere ...

(Photo courtesy of Steven Barker)

(Photo courtesy of Steven Barker)

(Photo courtesy of Tim Spate)

(Photo courtesy of Tim Spate)

(Photo courtesy of Tim Spate)

(Photo courtesy of Steven Barker)

Back to the pub for more average food and excellent beer