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TOPIC: The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion

The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25118

  • Ian
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The Glyders and the Inversion

7th Feb 2015


“Come for a little walk”, they said.

The plan was to walk from the Ogwen Valley to Capel Curig (seemed easy enough) so, like a naive little simpleton, I agreed – looking forward to a nice day out with friends tottering along a nice easy ramble.

Arriving we were met with two impressions;




(Looking towards Tryfan)




(Looking back down the Ogwen Valley)


As we continued, we seemed to be heading directly into the mountains and it crossed my mind that this might not be the “simple little walk” that I thought it might be …




(Heading straight at the Devils Kitchen)


It wasn’t long before we reached Llyn Ogwen and we plateaued (I thought was probably the hardest bit done and out of the way).




(Llyn Ogwen)


We made our way around the lake and it quickly became obvious we were to make for the Devil’s Kitchen. It is not named because of it’s smooth, easy ascent and as we began what was to become the tallest of tales, we took a moment to look back …




(Llyn Ogwen and Pen yr Ole Wen)


The frozen mountainside presented it’s own challenges with Mike having to take a leap of faith across a mostly frozen water fall




(The frozen falls)


Wandering upwards, Mike & Guy studied a somewhat larger frozen fall of water and discussed how to climb it. Personally, I could think of few things more stupid but they did seem to be serious. The laws of physics and my own eyesight prevented me from believing this was a course of action no less stupid that trying to ride a rabid rhinoceros ….




(The frozen fall that Mike & Guy wanted to climb)


Notwithstanding my objections to the obvious peril, Mike & Guy continued to be in high spirits




(Mike & Guy)


We continued our climb up the Devil’s Kitchen and became aware we were being chased by a moving cloud of inversion sweeping down the Ogwen Valley. It’s speed outpaced ours and as we summited the Kitchen, we looked back at Pen Yr Ole Wen which was now almost completely enveloped




(Looking back at Pen yr Ole Wen from the Kitchen top (you can just see the peak)


We realised that this inversion would stabilise but we had to attain a much greater altitude to experience it – we continued upwards towards Glyder Fawr until we drew level with the inversion.



(Drawing level with the inversion looking back at Pen yr Ole Wen)


Now we were at least even with the clouds, we continued the ascent up to Glyder Fawr



(Ascending to Glyder Fawr)


As we rose in the snow, my legs ached and my feet slipped. I did not have any cramp-ons although both Mike and Guy did. In an underwhelming act of solidarity, they had chosen not to wear their cramp-ons and suffer the same difficulties I was in. I thought this especially unsociable since, they were not wearing their cramp-ons, they could have at least given them to me so I didn’t have to suffer the trauma of slipping back every two feet. Humpf. Still, we climbed and climbed until (after about the fourth collapse of knackerness) we were high of the inversion and the spectre of magic was all around us



(The inversion from the higher flank of Glyder Fawr looking down the Ogwen Valley)




(The inversion on the opposite side (over Llanberis))


In fact, the inversion had lifted to such a degree that we were now totally surrounded ..



(The surrounding inversion)


Personally, I have never seen an inversion in the UK and always wanted to see one. Both Guy and Mike said things like “it’s no big deal, there’s loads of them”. Well, that made me feel all warm and fuzzy … being above an inversion is something that most people never actually get to experience and as many times as I had been in the mountains I had never seen one and certainly never expected to see one as strong as this …. Awesome was a feeling well down on the scale – I was in the clouds (figuratively and literally)

The rocky landscape above the could ceiling was also bending to the bright sun and created some harmonious “artwork”



(The rocky snowscape)


Nearing the peak of Glyder Fawr, we paused for reflection as the sun drove into us (burning Mikes face)



(Almost at the peak of Glyder Fawr)


In the distance, and almost unrecognisable, we saw the peak of Tryfan peeping through the inversion.



(Tryfan above the inversion (zoomed in shot))


Finally and after much whinging (all from me) we reached the plateau of Glyder Fawr



(Mike on the plateau with the Snowdon Massif in the background)


Still totally in awe of the inversion, from this point of the peak, we could see a complete vista of inversion and, wandering across the plateau, we glanced across to the Moelwyns and beyond to find only a sea of cloud below us



(The inversion over the Moelwyns and beyond)


There was just one of the Moelwyns peeping above the floor and that was Moel Siabod



(Moel Siabod peeps above the inversion)


Actually, the surrounding vista of inversion was so compelling that it grabbed us all and we remained totally rapt for some time, hypnotised by it’s very essence and spellbound. They may well have tried to tell me “it’s no big deal” but even I could see they were caught like the gaze of a medusa …



(Caught in the gaze of the inversion)


Still, it was time to move on and we headed for Glyder Fach



(Looking back as we head to Glyder Fach)


The two peaks not being so far away from each other, we quickly came on Glyder Fach (well, part of it) which looked totally splendid in the mid day sun



(The stones of Glyder Fach)


For reasons known only to Guy, he decided to (quite unnecessarily) climb all of the stones (I thought this to be a peril to be avoided since climbing rocks on the peak of a mountain seemed compellingly stupid)



(Guy summits the Glyder Fach rocks)


Still, he made it alive without falling off the mountain (fair do’s). Just a few yards away was the world famous and world reknown “Cantilever”. Of course it was covered in ice and to attempt it was nothing less than certain death but we each had to try it anyway …










After that act of brazen stupidity, it was our destiny to begin the long journey down the far side fo the Glyders towards Capel Curig taking us over the remaining lesser peaks (the highest of which was Moel y Ogof). The snow was banked up in deep drifts on each of the shoulders as we descend making the journey down a great deal of fun. More than once we sank in the snow beyond acceptable depths and both Guy and me enjoyed falling over at least once (Mike, being a smart arse, managed not to fall over at all).

We took a few moments at the peak of Moel Y Ogof to look backwards at the now burning inversion of Snowdonia …



(Nearing Journeys end at the peak of Moel y Ogof)


Around an hour or so later we were back the car where we clambered in (aching muscles and all) to go and recover Mikes vehicle – then we made our way to the pub for a few hard earned pints. Annoyingly enough for Guy, I managed to drink more than was good for me (well, I didn’t think so but it did go straight to my head and Guy began ordering Hot chocolates for himself as it became obvious he was going to have to drive us back home.

The moral of the story .. be weary of people who say “come for a little walk”

Ian
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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25120

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great day out, very drematic wording in places
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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25121

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Nice!
Would have loved to be there.

Do rhinoceroses get rabies? :P
I'm a very busy person
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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25122

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Dictionary.com

Rabid;
furious or raging; violently intense:
"a rabid hunger."


You pedantic tw*t :P
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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25124

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Nice pictures Ian, and an engaging narrative, love it. :woohoo:
Mae bradwyr ymhobman
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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25125

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a few more piccies
Last Edit: 9 years 1 month ago by mike leahy.
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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25126

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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25153

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I'm sure I've been to that Cantilever about 10yrs ago when I was in school. Will have to go again someday.
Don't judge me until you've walked in my shoes.
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The Glyders (above ground) with Inversion 9 years 1 month ago #25166

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Fantastic piccies guys
United Cavers Exploration Team
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