for some unfinished business you might say, but I needed to be ready for this.
The route was to leave Aber Falls, heading for Bera Mawr, then Bera Bach, which was as far as I got last year. Yr Aryg, Carnedd Gwenllian, Foel Grach and the highest summit of the day Carnedd Llewelyn at 1064m. I'd then back track to Carnedd Gwenllian, before heading to the summit of Foel-fras and finally Drum, making my way back to Aber Falls.
It would be almost 14 miles.
It sounds daft, it's just a walk, but I failed to complete this walk with strangers almost a year earlier. I had made stupid mistakes, I was embarrassed, and I felt I'd let myself down and wanted to put that right. I wanted to prove to myself I could do it.
I guess having Crohn's Disease must help give me that thinking mentality, don't be beaten.
Fitness had been a key issue last time I was here, so over the summer months I'd worked on that, and done a couple of confidence boosting walks in the Lake District.
Was I ready to take on this epic walk after my disastrous last visit ? I was blumin hoping so.
I'd parked the car in the same spot as last time I was here, and apart from a van with a camera crew in it, the only sound to be heard was the stream. the place was pretty quiet.
By the time I got kitted up it was almost 9am, time to get going.
The walk to Abber Falls along the Afon Rhaeadr Fawr
Approaching the woods after leaving the stream and lane behind me. The impressive Aber Falls clearly in view ahead and the baby summit of Bera Mawr popping up in the centre skyline.
The stile at the end of the wooded section. The route ahead in sunshine
It's an easy start to the walk, after leaving the car park, I crossed a bridge over the Afon Rhaeadr Fawr, along a lane and through tall pine trees making a pleasant woodland warm up.all easy going on a perfect walking day, dry, warm, but overcast.
Once out of the trees, the path rises onto a steep scree slope, sticking to the route taken on my previous visit, so at this point I was familiar with the route, and it took me right back to those memories.
The next two miles I would climb 2,400ft (730m)
Looking back on the steep scree
This is the treacherous rock with water flowing across it. it doesn't look much in the photo, but it's as slippy as glass, and a fall here above the waterfall could be fatal.
Crossing the fast flowing stream early, makes for a better climb up onto the ridge leading to the summit, rather than following the valley path for the steeper climb up to Bera Mawr. But crossing the stream lower down isn't easy after a lot of rainfall, or snow melt and the down side is no path once the stream is crossed, making the climb up through heather a little more challenging.
The route up to Bera Mawr. I would be taking a track to the right of the photo
Looking back at the start point, Abergwyngregyn and in the distance Beaumaris is seen to the left of photo across the Conwy Bay
Looking east over the winding waters of Afon Goch to Llwytmor.
Wild ponies roam the land
Approaching Bera Mawr 794m and I thought I could see a mounted horse made out of stone
It had taken me a couple of hours to get to this point, crossing the stream early and taking the rough route up the ridge was in my opinion the best way up to this peak.
I'd found the whole mornings experience different. No pressure walking at your own pace, stopping when you feel you need to stop, then pushing on when ready.
Looking back at Bera Mawr
My next target was Bera Bach at 807m
At the Bera Bach summit, I felt good, and so satisfying to be pushing on to Yr Aryg after a short break for food and drink. It was about 11.50am now and still a lot of ground to cover.
These guys were the first walkers I'd seen in over 3 hours, standing on Yr Aryg
Reaching Carnedd Gwenllian 926m at 1,10pm, it was time for another a break.
There's life in these hills, arriving at Carnedd Llewelyn 1,064m or 3,491ft
Some fantastic but hazy views from Carnedd Llewelyn
The one and only summit pose with Yr Elen behind, one summit too far
Walkers descending back down into the Ogwen Valley
It was now 2pm and still had a lot of ground to cover, so I was now back tracking to Foel Grach and Carnedd Gwenllian
The shelter at Foel Grach
Foel-fras trig point
The spiky summit of Foel- fras 942m
The chair
Llwytmor and the waters of Llyn Anafon below
My final stop of the day, was at the 7th summit of Drum 770m
It was another 90 minutes back to the car from Drum, arriving back at 5.15pm
A great day out in this wild landscape, I saw very few walkers out here, weather was kind with high cloud, and still felt good at the end of the day. Just the 2 hour drive home hmmm
I felt very pleased for returning, getting back out there and most importantly....enjoying.
