Road cycling:HK-Holt-Malpas-Bangor-Holt-HK
Distance: 70k
Pushed the bike mileage a little more today, although it was a largely flat tour on pleasantly scenic and surprisingly quiet roads. Horribly cold throughout, as I started at 8am and the sun failed to peep through the clouds. It remained below freezing for the entire ride: cue agonising hot flushes in hands and feet when I returned (worse even than those typically experienced when ice climbing!). This may explain why the loop took longer than expected: 2.45. After a steeper ride (Hope Mountain x2) tomorrow, I'm hoping to at least try a short run next week.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Horseshoe Pass road ride
Road cycling: HK-Horseshoe Pass-HK
Distance: 36m
Took advantage of a weather window and a very early start to begin to push the bike mileage slightly, by way of preparation for my first Sportives in March. This went well, and was reasonably quiet (all the traffic in the opposite direction). I found the long gradual climb from HK via Treuddyn and Rhydtalog to be enjoyable and comfortable, and really enjoyed it. Slipped into the small ring just for the final push: 70 mins from home to the Ponderosa. Clear, crisp sunshine at the top of the Horseshoe. Descended the same way - it took almost as long as the climb for some reason: just under 2:15 for the ride.
Distance: 36m
Took advantage of a weather window and a very early start to begin to push the bike mileage slightly, by way of preparation for my first Sportives in March. This went well, and was reasonably quiet (all the traffic in the opposite direction). I found the long gradual climb from HK via Treuddyn and Rhydtalog to be enjoyable and comfortable, and really enjoyed it. Slipped into the small ring just for the final push: 70 mins from home to the Ponderosa. Clear, crisp sunshine at the top of the Horseshoe. Descended the same way - it took almost as long as the climb for some reason: just under 2:15 for the ride.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Clwydian MTB ride
MTB Route: Over the Top (Famau-Gellifor-Penbarras) variant
Distance: 34k
Having come to accept that I'll be away from running for some time with the injury, which now looks like a torn meniscus, it's been an easy decision to focus on the cycling. So it was nice to be able to do this circuit with Dave B and Pete this morning. Pleasant climbing from the Famau car park round the hillside to the Cilcain path. Then a predictably muddy crossing of the ridge, some drizzle, before a very enjoyable descent with a misty cloud inversion in the Vale of Clwyd. Great riding down the bridleways into the mist at Gellifor, then along to Llanbedr and up Bwlch Penbarras. I remembered to record my time for this brutal climb this time: 16m from village to Bwlch. After this, I tagged one of the easy blue loops from the car park back through the forest trails to Penbarras.
Distance: 34k
Having come to accept that I'll be away from running for some time with the injury, which now looks like a torn meniscus, it's been an easy decision to focus on the cycling. So it was nice to be able to do this circuit with Dave B and Pete this morning. Pleasant climbing from the Famau car park round the hillside to the Cilcain path. Then a predictably muddy crossing of the ridge, some drizzle, before a very enjoyable descent with a misty cloud inversion in the Vale of Clwyd. Great riding down the bridleways into the mist at Gellifor, then along to Llanbedr and up Bwlch Penbarras. I remembered to record my time for this brutal climb this time: 16m from village to Bwlch. After this, I tagged one of the easy blue loops from the car park back through the forest trails to Penbarras.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
Cwm Glas
Peak/Crag: Carnedd Ugain (Cwm Glas)
Routes: Sinister Gully (wIII:2,2,4,2,2:led p.1,2,4), Gyrn Las Ridge (wI/II:sol)
Another very enjoyable mountaineering outing, rather similar to last Monday but arguably even more varied and pseudo-Alpine in tone. Our plans were initially more ambitious, involving a route out of Cwm Glas followed by more routes on the Trinity Face. But the weather was again far worse than forecast, and my knee injury remains a real concern (tried a brief run on Friday, very painful). As a result of this surplus energy, we stormed the steep walk-in past Gyrn Las in less than an hour: moving, as so often, into a different world as we gained Cwm Glas - an Arctic bowl of snow and ice. We began up Parsley Fern, intending to do Left-Hand, but Sinister Gully looked like it had good ice (although the main pitch was in the clag) so we moved round and ploughed up the enjoyable wide slabby ice groove at the start. Superb neve led to a flake, so we tied on and I led up the next easy pitch - a series of icy steps and flakes to more good snow-ice. After another belay, I led up frozen turf to the base of the main pitch which Vic led. This was steep water ice for 10m at most, then the angle eases, although sugary snow covered all the ice on this section making for a slightly insecure finish. The route then eases but remains great fun. Two long pitches up a shallow continuation gully, superb snow-ice conditions, lead to more open slopes which lead tiringly to a little 'breche' on the Crib Goch-Crib y Ddisgyl ridge. Lovely long route, easy but interesting: very odd that there was no evidence of any recent ascents as it is normally pretty popular and was in fine nick today. A fully rimed up ridge gave interesting scrambling to the rather hostile summit of Carnedd Ugain, before a bearing north around the lip of the cwm to gain the Gyrn Las ridge in very poor viz. This didn't have thick cover, but did have a blend of old snow and verglas on the tricky chimney sections which gave good sport: an added bonus and a satisfying end to the day. Back in time for a late lunch: my knee thanking me for the short day.
Routes: Sinister Gully (wIII:2,2,4,2,2:led p.1,2,4), Gyrn Las Ridge (wI/II:sol)
Another very enjoyable mountaineering outing, rather similar to last Monday but arguably even more varied and pseudo-Alpine in tone. Our plans were initially more ambitious, involving a route out of Cwm Glas followed by more routes on the Trinity Face. But the weather was again far worse than forecast, and my knee injury remains a real concern (tried a brief run on Friday, very painful). As a result of this surplus energy, we stormed the steep walk-in past Gyrn Las in less than an hour: moving, as so often, into a different world as we gained Cwm Glas - an Arctic bowl of snow and ice. We began up Parsley Fern, intending to do Left-Hand, but Sinister Gully looked like it had good ice (although the main pitch was in the clag) so we moved round and ploughed up the enjoyable wide slabby ice groove at the start. Superb neve led to a flake, so we tied on and I led up the next easy pitch - a series of icy steps and flakes to more good snow-ice. After another belay, I led up frozen turf to the base of the main pitch which Vic led. This was steep water ice for 10m at most, then the angle eases, although sugary snow covered all the ice on this section making for a slightly insecure finish. The route then eases but remains great fun. Two long pitches up a shallow continuation gully, superb snow-ice conditions, lead to more open slopes which lead tiringly to a little 'breche' on the Crib Goch-Crib y Ddisgyl ridge. Lovely long route, easy but interesting: very odd that there was no evidence of any recent ascents as it is normally pretty popular and was in fine nick today. A fully rimed up ridge gave interesting scrambling to the rather hostile summit of Carnedd Ugain, before a bearing north around the lip of the cwm to gain the Gyrn Las ridge in very poor viz. This didn't have thick cover, but did have a blend of old snow and verglas on the tricky chimney sections which gave good sport: an added bonus and a satisfying end to the day. Back in time for a late lunch: my knee thanking me for the short day.
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Road ride
Road cycling: HK-Rhydtalog-Bwlchwyn-HK loop
Distance: 25m
After abandoning yet another attempted run last night, I was getting desperate so got the road bike out for its first proper outing. The road bike was always intended to supplement the mountain bike as security against running injury, although I never expected to get such a serious setback. Almost two weeks without running is rather strange after several years without more than two consecutive days off! This ride was shorter than intended: just over 20 miles, less than 90 mins, from HK to Rhydtalog and back via Bwlchgwyn. But it was a lot of fun, and bodes well for what may become a vital running replacement. I've entered my first cycle sportive, indeed my first ever road biking event - 100k around Cheshire in March - to at least give me a target if the cycling becomes a permanent fixture.
Distance: 25m
After abandoning yet another attempted run last night, I was getting desperate so got the road bike out for its first proper outing. The road bike was always intended to supplement the mountain bike as security against running injury, although I never expected to get such a serious setback. Almost two weeks without running is rather strange after several years without more than two consecutive days off! This ride was shorter than intended: just over 20 miles, less than 90 mins, from HK to Rhydtalog and back via Bwlchgwyn. But it was a lot of fun, and bodes well for what may become a vital running replacement. I've entered my first cycle sportive, indeed my first ever road biking event - 100k around Cheshire in March - to at least give me a target if the cycling becomes a permanent fixture.
Thursday, January 06, 2011
Nant Ffrancon snow gullies
Peak/Crag: Foel Goch (East Face)
Routes: Red Gully (wI/II:sol)
Peak/Crag: Y Garn (Cwm Cywion)
Routes: No.3 Gully (wII:sol)
Red Gully is one of the most obvious winter lines in Ogwen, particularly from the A5, and it was clear that it was complete as I drove up the valley. The steep pull into Cwm Coch is always a good test of fitness, and I arrived at the base of the gully in 30 minutes. The route itself is easy but excellent, ideal for a solo day: a very deep, twisting and atmospheric gully, one of the best of its kind locally. No steps, no evidence of ascents, despite ideal neve conditions which are fairly rare on this low crag. It is very gentle initially as it climbs between high retaining walls before steepening and twisting left, up a couple of steps of frozen turf, to a splendid steep finish on superb neve. As I pulled onto the plateau, the weather (already far worse than forecast) deteriorated, wind and snow for the unavoidable trudge to the top of Foel Goch (less than an hour from the car - indeed, almost a direct line from car to summit via this route). I then dropped down into Cwm Cywion to the south, and traversed across to Gully No.2 (False Banana Gully). I remember getting blown over here in weirdly strong funnelled winds 20 years ago. It's just a gentle wide gully until the last 80m or so. I took the steeper right hand exit (No.3 gully) up mild mixed ground, some turfy steps amidst the snow slopes, to another steep finish on more superb neve. Notable cornice by Welsh standards. Terrible weather for the trudge up Y Garn, the summit no place for lunch, so I descended the NE ridge to get out of the wind. Heavy driving snow so, after lunch high on the ridge, I plunged down one of the shallow gullies overlooking Cywion and gained the grassy base of the cwm in steady rain. Minimal stress to the knee injury, but still no running (11 days off and counting!).
Routes: Red Gully (wI/II:sol)
Peak/Crag: Y Garn (Cwm Cywion)
Routes: No.3 Gully (wII:sol)
Red Gully is one of the most obvious winter lines in Ogwen, particularly from the A5, and it was clear that it was complete as I drove up the valley. The steep pull into Cwm Coch is always a good test of fitness, and I arrived at the base of the gully in 30 minutes. The route itself is easy but excellent, ideal for a solo day: a very deep, twisting and atmospheric gully, one of the best of its kind locally. No steps, no evidence of ascents, despite ideal neve conditions which are fairly rare on this low crag. It is very gentle initially as it climbs between high retaining walls before steepening and twisting left, up a couple of steps of frozen turf, to a splendid steep finish on superb neve. As I pulled onto the plateau, the weather (already far worse than forecast) deteriorated, wind and snow for the unavoidable trudge to the top of Foel Goch (less than an hour from the car - indeed, almost a direct line from car to summit via this route). I then dropped down into Cwm Cywion to the south, and traversed across to Gully No.2 (False Banana Gully). I remember getting blown over here in weirdly strong funnelled winds 20 years ago. It's just a gentle wide gully until the last 80m or so. I took the steeper right hand exit (No.3 gully) up mild mixed ground, some turfy steps amidst the snow slopes, to another steep finish on more superb neve. Notable cornice by Welsh standards. Terrible weather for the trudge up Y Garn, the summit no place for lunch, so I descended the NE ridge to get out of the wind. Heavy driving snow so, after lunch high on the ridge, I plunged down one of the shallow gullies overlooking Cywion and gained the grassy base of the cwm in steady rain. Minimal stress to the knee injury, but still no running (11 days off and counting!).
Monday, January 03, 2011
Black Ladders
Crag: Ysgolion Duon/Black Ladders
Routes: Eastern Gully (wIII 3+,3,1,1,2,2+:led p.2,4,6)
Peaks: Carnedd Llewellyn, Yr Elen
Area: Carneddau
A complete contrast with the last big day out on Christmas Eve. If that was the ice-cragging trip, this was the archetypal full winter mountain day, almost exactly one year since our ascent of Central Gully on the same crag. That day was memorable because of the appalling conditions, whereas today was a delightfully benign contrast. Warm weather after Christmas has stripped most of the snow, but a recent re-freeze has bought easy high routes dependent on consolidated snow into fine condition. It was obvious even from the A55 that Eastern Gully was the most complete line on the crag. Given my injury, ski-poles were vital for the long walk-in, which was virtually snow-free. Surprisingly, we found that the initial icefall was quite well formed, so Vic led it. The ice was new, rather brittle and thin, and it gave a tricky pitch for the lowly grade - in many ways harder than Idwal's South Gully in December. Good snow-ice led to a ramp below a rock wall, then thin front-pointing on dinner-plating ice led to easier shelves and frozen turf. I then led up an almost bare rock wall, awkward moves up an iced crack to frozen turf, then up some of Eastern arete before we traversed into the main gully bed and romped up superb easy-angled neve for two long pitches. Great mountain atmosphere on this most rewarding of Welsh crags, and excellent gully scenery. The route was in great condition, its leanness only made it more interesting. Vic led over a tight constriction to more good neve and a mini cave belay. This gave me a great little pitch up the steeper right-hand exit, on fantastic frozen turf to steeper snow - more perfect neve led to the final snow fan and exit. Just a really enjoyable straitforward mountaineering route - perfect, given my injury. We lunched on the ridge with the sun trying to peep through a high layer of cloud. All the lines on the Ladders perfectly exposed by the thin conditions. A superb walk followed, along the ridge to Llywellyn on a potentially hazardous mixture of new snow and iron-hard neve. A quick dram of schnapps, and along the ridge to Yr Elen - one of my favourite corners of Snowdonia. Superb views to Cwm Caseg (see Feb 2010) and the Ladders. I was dreading the descent, given my injury, but it went OK with the poles, following the spur all the way to the end before a wet river crossing gained the path to Bethesda. A great way to end the holiday, and start the year, but the injury is still an issue.
Routes: Eastern Gully (wIII 3+,3,1,1,2,2+:led p.2,4,6)
Peaks: Carnedd Llewellyn, Yr Elen
Area: Carneddau
A complete contrast with the last big day out on Christmas Eve. If that was the ice-cragging trip, this was the archetypal full winter mountain day, almost exactly one year since our ascent of Central Gully on the same crag. That day was memorable because of the appalling conditions, whereas today was a delightfully benign contrast. Warm weather after Christmas has stripped most of the snow, but a recent re-freeze has bought easy high routes dependent on consolidated snow into fine condition. It was obvious even from the A55 that Eastern Gully was the most complete line on the crag. Given my injury, ski-poles were vital for the long walk-in, which was virtually snow-free. Surprisingly, we found that the initial icefall was quite well formed, so Vic led it. The ice was new, rather brittle and thin, and it gave a tricky pitch for the lowly grade - in many ways harder than Idwal's South Gully in December. Good snow-ice led to a ramp below a rock wall, then thin front-pointing on dinner-plating ice led to easier shelves and frozen turf. I then led up an almost bare rock wall, awkward moves up an iced crack to frozen turf, then up some of Eastern arete before we traversed into the main gully bed and romped up superb easy-angled neve for two long pitches. Great mountain atmosphere on this most rewarding of Welsh crags, and excellent gully scenery. The route was in great condition, its leanness only made it more interesting. Vic led over a tight constriction to more good neve and a mini cave belay. This gave me a great little pitch up the steeper right-hand exit, on fantastic frozen turf to steeper snow - more perfect neve led to the final snow fan and exit. Just a really enjoyable straitforward mountaineering route - perfect, given my injury. We lunched on the ridge with the sun trying to peep through a high layer of cloud. All the lines on the Ladders perfectly exposed by the thin conditions. A superb walk followed, along the ridge to Llywellyn on a potentially hazardous mixture of new snow and iron-hard neve. A quick dram of schnapps, and along the ridge to Yr Elen - one of my favourite corners of Snowdonia. Superb views to Cwm Caseg (see Feb 2010) and the Ladders. I was dreading the descent, given my injury, but it went OK with the poles, following the spur all the way to the end before a wet river crossing gained the path to Bethesda. A great way to end the holiday, and start the year, but the injury is still an issue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)