Friday 5 December 2014

A Fine Panorama: A Walk in Wales along Creigiau Eglwyseg


'Bugger Off': I didn't have to cross the fence onto this bit of moorland but would it really have mattered? Obviously to this landowner.
Well I have been slaving over the old Remington for the last few weeks getting my thesis finished. It was bound yesterday, but not gagged, and is now ready to be taken to Milton Keynes by privatised Postman Pat as soon as I can figure out his complex pricing system.  So that job being done and almost dusted, I was able to reward myself with three or four hours in the hills today to let the eyeballs unravel or whatever it is eyeballs do when they have been ravelled up for weeks.

Not having lots of time I pootled along to the local uppy bits which are near Llangollen and parked the Model T in an old quarry at the foot of Trevor Rocks. Although it has been glorious weather all week it was now tipping it down so I pulled on the waterproofs (well the Gore Tex trousers are waterproof, the top half of me was in Paramo), made Hyperdog Moss put on his smart red coat as it was a bit nippy and we headed off. After less than thirty seconds the rain stopped and it stayed away for the whole walk which in my book is what is known as a 'result'.

Looking towards the Horseshoe Pass
 
And after a bit of up it was along the fantastic limestone edges of the Panorama Walk and passed Creigiau Eglwyseg in the super late autumn sunshine. And whatever Carol Kirkwood and her weather cronies from the Met Office say, it is still autumn until the Winter Solstice, as any well educated Druid will tell you.  Hyperdog had a lovely time, apart from when he had to go on long lead for being a bit too hyper near the vertical limestone cliffs and that’s about it really and we didn’t see a soul until we were almost back at the car. Unless fell ponies have souls because we saw a few of those.  I had the Kodac Instamatic with me so I'll leave you with a few photos.  Oh, and I should also say, for Andrew W's benefit, that I did the hoovering when I got home.











11 comments:

  1. It's good when the donning of waterproofs causes the rain to stop :)

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  2. Hi Chrissie

    It is spooky how it works. And the more hassle to put them on the shorter the period of rain.

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  3. Always, always walk with Mr Walker. He has his waterproofs on at the very first sign of a spot of drizzle, which guarantees fine weather for the rest of the period he remains so enveloped.
    Never, ever let him him remove them - because then it pisses down.

    Moss is turning out to be fine looking fellow.

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    1. The downside is Mr W's outrageously loud orange PHD Jacket. Moss is indeed fine looking. Takes after me.

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  4. A couple of years back I bought a Jack Wolfskin waterproof which, according to the advertising blurb, was guaranteed to keep the rain at bay; sure enough we never had a drop for about six weeks.

    I was mightily impressed; you have to hand it to the Germans when they put their mind to something.

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    1. My first proper / expensive jacket was a Jack Wolfskin. Leaked like a sieve. Never bought that brand again and never will.

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    2. Oddly enough, I was talking to Alan Rayner about this on his blog quite recently. My JW is properly waterproof, but the breathability, for a lightweight, has turned out to be disappointing.

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  5. On a more serious note, that corner of north-east Wales is another underrated jewel. The Berwyns, on a warm, quiet day are a little bit of heaven on earth.

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    1. It is lovely. I like the Berwyns but they can be very wet underfoot. Nice and quiet mind.

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  6. It's lovely walking around there - I did a walk similar to that when I was exceedingly depressed and it was about the only bright spot in my life around then. I didn't really notice anything apart from that walk for a long time!

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    1. Hi Carol
      It is certainly a lovely area and walking is an excellent thing to do when depressed - especuially if the sun is shining.

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