Moel Siabod, Away Dinner Meet

The day after the night before ...  slightly damp again, so we set off from the hut up Moel Siabod, along the track..  a long(ish) walk up and back before heading for home.

Tryfan, Away dinner Meet

The Away dinner meet .. the day was spent on Tryfan, Milestone West ridge and scramble, but everyone was back in the Gwydyr hut for the team dinner ...  Spag Bog as normal, made from ingredients supplied by the diners, with the added surprise of a massive trifle from Jane. I do remember whisking the cream for the topping was a real "labour of love"

Matlock, Gritstone Meet

First Wedding anniversary ... celebrated on the cliffs near Matlock.

Over to Cratcliff tor -The Bower, Oak Tree Chimney, and Owl Gully

Matlock, Gritstone Meet

Climbing near Matlock .. on Wildcat Tor - Catwalk, and Cataclysm.

Lundy, Lundy Meet

The return boat trip was early so we packed up and went for a walk around the island, before all meeting up at the jetty to catch the tender to MS Oldenburg.

Once on board, everyone crashed out on the seats below, after a bacon sandwich lunch.

The trip home was uneventful apart from arriving back late.

Lundy, Lundy Meet

Over to Flying Buttress area, to do Horseman's route, Diamond Solitaire, and Eclipse.

Lundy Meet, Lundy

There was a stack we had looked for last visit .. but the tides were not right and it had proved elusive form above ... No wonder when we eventually found it at sea level.

The climbing was fairly straight forward, mainly around the back, but sitting on the top and looking around, was atmospheric - even looking across to a tourist aircraft flying past.

Then several abseils to get back down, and  a quick diversion over to the Needle rock sticking out of the rocks with the tide out. A quick dash up the Ordinary route and then a scramble back up the cliffs to the fields above .. all before the tides came in.

The evening routine was the same as yesterday...

Lundy, Lundy Meet

We drove down to Bideford overnight and were ready for the boat at sparrow fart o'clock.

The crossing was memorable for Dave being a little under the weather and out of it on tablets supposed to control an infection in his elbow.

Soon after we "docked", or more truthfully jumped across to the motor boat to take us ashore! we headed off up the hill and across to Devil's slide ..  On our last trip over we had found this to be a good introduction to the climbing on the island.

We all made a number of climbs on the "slope" - rather like a beached aircraft carrier rising out of the sea.

Dave and I completed the slide as well as the slip and Albion - a further route up the left hand edge.

Then it was back to the village to pick up our tents and pitch them in the campsite, dinner then to the bar.

Cader Idris, Arrans Meet

The cloud was down ...  and rain in the air, so we chose to head off for Cader Idris and walk the horseshoe.

The day was memorable for a brave sheep who approached us on the top looking for food ..  Taking a whole cheese Scone, then not really being able to deal with it once it was in its mouth ... looked just like a set of comedy dentures. This was the second "Roughley" moment of the trip ..  Dave 's party trick was to chew on a whole orange - this was just the sheep's version!

Arrans, Arrans Meet

We camped just down the road. The crag is just a short distance from the car park, but everything was very damp .. Sue and I climbed Will o' the wisp, and a touch of class ... the day was more memorable for a classic "roughley" moment ...  just one more climb before dark, however he came back to the camp well after dark needing head torches to get off the hill.

Morganhorn, Switzerland

 The next morning the clouds were still there but more scattered. Dave and I decided we would make an attempt at the traverse, from Morganhorn, to the Blumesalphorn, and back to the hut.



The route follows the glacier around the Wildespitz (see previous trip for details on this one), and then over the seracs at the head of the glacier and up the obvious slope in front of you.
The overnight snow had removed all traces of tracks from previous days.
The higher up the slope the steeper it becomes, until you finally reach the summit cone. At this point it is grade 1 ice climbing.

The top was quite insignificant, but narrow and slightly congested as we got there at the same time as a couple of other parties.
The route onward was swathed in cloud, we were slightly nervous about route finding along a arrow ridge without visibility.
 Preservation senses kicked in and we decided that retreat would be the best thing. Going back down the way we had come, following our tracks back to the hut.

 Back down to the valley, as we got lower the clouds cleared, but after the long day on the Eiger and the soft snow it was still a good decision.

At the lake Dave posed for this picture!


The Morganhorn was to be the last route this year... the weather set in with high winds and lots of rain, so we headed home.

Blumesalp hutte, Switzerland

So up the lift and then down the other side to the lake, around the lake up to the head of the valley to the pass. In the heat of the sun all the way, and it is a long way, but a great position to end up.

 The route is spectacular in places with waterfalls and a spectacular lake .. no wonder it is a major tourist attraction.

The trail rises from the lake heading East, through the summer meadows sprinkled boulders appearing through the grass,

From here the track rises up some moraine to reach the higher meadows.
All the time the hut sits on the skyline seemingly still a long way off

 The hut was as I remembered it, and was worth the log walk in. Even better the Outside loo 50m down the path had been replaced with an indoor composting loo.
Unfortunately the weather was turning and some evil looking clouds came over. the next day was looking very questionable, but I fell asleep all the same.