Snowdonia 2014

Flat Calm, Perfect for an Evening on the Shore - Llyn Tegid

If you follow any of the social media outlets we use you will have picked up the picture that the last couple of months have been way busier than we could ever have envisaged - so firstly a big thanks to everybody that we have spent time enjoying the outdoors with, its been an inspiration & a real encouragement!! We've got a couple of quieter days ahead, so hopefully amidst all the sorting of kit we'll be able to get caught up with emails, blogging, photographs & everything else in life!

This post, which is likely to be the first of a few, is a catch up on the Canoes, Mountains & Caves holiday in Snowdonia. The location was a new one - we camped on the shores of Llyn Tegid at Pant-yr-Onnen campsite which is a great facility & suited our needs very nicely. Over the course of the week a total of six folk joined us, we did catch up with one or two others & between us we ticked all the canoe, mountain & cave boxes!

Our departure from Carlisle was a hurried one as we re-scheduled travel plans in an attempt to avoid the worst of Hurricane "Bertha" so rather than travel all the way on the Sunday morning we ended up leaving Cumbria on Saturday evening & spending a night with my Mum & Dad on the way - a good start to the week!

Day one in Snowdonia saw us travel up to the familiar area of Nant Gwynant for a Gorge Walk in Afon Merch. It was a warm & windy day, the gorge didn't disappoint with its climbs; crawls and small jumps. The after activity visit to Caffi Gwynant was, as usual, most welcome!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 2 saw Andy & Sara head off to the National White Water Centre for a spot of rafting while we visited friends in the area & made a short re-visit to Cwmorthin Slate Mine (more of this later). 

 

 

On Day 3 Ian, Emma & "the kids" arrived & it was back to Nant Gwynant for another Gorge Walk - this time in Afon Cwm Llan. This is not a well used venue at all but some of the slides & jumps above the footbridge are excellent!

 

Day 4, Thursday, was Cwmorthin "for real" & we set off underground to explore the enormous voids with Ian, Emma, Tilly & Iola. Its a trip that just doesn't disappoint: big abseils; "airy" traverses; more abseils & yet more abseils all in the most vast underground caverns.

 

 

 

 

 

We ended the week with a "last night" fire on the beach alongside a flat calm Bala Lake, followed by a morning paddle & another visit to Afon Merch on the way home - what a week - non stop activity; great company & amazing Snowdonia locations!