Carneddau run

Peaks: Tal y Fan
Area: Carneddau, Eryri
A week on, and another attempt to maximise the difficulty of a small peak! This time, it was Tal y Fan, a hill I have been up dozens of times from every conceivable starting point - except one. So today I left the coast at Aber, another sea level start, and plotted a course for the top: quite some distance away. I felt tired throughout, and the initial climb up the old Foel Fras race route is never fun in these circumstances. It was a case of grinding it out, as heavy showers swept in from the west. Some fine sunbursts from the track, and it cleared briefly as I crested Bwlch y Ddaefaen. Then a very heavy shower, snowing higher up on Foel Fras, for a long and wet run down the road taken by the Pen fell race. Then, another change: sunshine briefly for the climb up to the ridge - which was cold and blustery (sleet) but entertaining with its rocky dips and hollows. I descended to the quarry and had intended to go all the way down to Sychnant, but changed my mind - motivated by cold hands and feet - and instead ran west along the maze of ancient tracks that spread across the northern slopes. These rarely go where you want them to (they presumably link sheepfolds and shelters together?) and it was therefore a long slog west back to Bwlch y Ddaefaen and a long descent to Aber for lunch at yr Hen Felin. Later, a six miler from the Collie - another tiring Wednesday.