Carneddau walk

Peaks: Pen yr Olau Wen, Carnedd Dafydd, Carnedd Llywellyn
Area: Carneddau, Eryri
The classic circuit of the main Carneddau peaks in superb winter conditions. Nice to enjoy a relaxing winter hillwalk as a change from all the running. Unusual clarity of light as Rich and I approached Ogwen with the snowline at around 400m. A decent dump of snow had occurred a few hours after the walls race on Boxing Day, perfect timing, and had been followed by cold anticyclonic conditions. No ice build up yet though, and no freeze-thaw, so a ridge walk seemed better than winter climbing today. Completely windless as we negotiated the bad step to gain the east ridge of Pen, Rich clad in short-sleeved t-shirt. Truly alpine in tone: with a pleasant lunch on the summit enjoying the views over to Snowdon. Deep blue skies for the ridge traverse over Dafydd to distant Llywellyn: some mild sport on the ridge. Cold on the summit of Llywellyn as the sun began to drop: more mild winter mountaineering on the scrambly descent of the always excellent ridge to the bwlch near Craig yr Ysfa. Back to Ogwen via the Llugwy track. I've probably done this route 20 times over the years, often in fine conditions of sun and snow, but this matched the best of them.