Sue and I were in a room at Plas y Brenin (the national centre in Snowdonia) for the AAC autumn gathering, however due to her knee replacement rehabilitation we had not signed up for any particular activities, instead planning to do short day walks.
For today I thought it would be good to walk up the path to Moel Siabod, but then curve around to Capel Curig around the plantation avoiding the climb to the top.
The weather was clear with sunny periods between the clouds, and some snow lying on the ground from the last two nights. To compliment this there was a viciously cold wind (well only because we had been used to the warmer recent weather!)
We left the buildings and dropped through the car park to the bridge over the stream, and across to the edge of the woods on the far side.
The view across to Y wifra and Crib Goch looked good in the morning light.
We passed a group doing their initial briefing and started up the stony track into the woods.
The path continued to rise through the trees with the rolling slopes ahead.
Climbing across a clearing and looking back towards the Glyders.
Further ascent to the edge of the trees at a stile.
This section was heather and reed grass with a stream running down the path.
Continuing up - by now I was searching for the path to traverse our left - then a few more trees.
A slight sleet squall passed over with a rainbow in the valley below.
Now completely out of the trees we continued on the path -Siabod ahead still, and views of the Glyders behind.
Finally over a stile and fence - this was now into the upper fell area, and where we should turn along the fence.
Kind of off-piste and following sheep trails we followed the fence line traversing across the slopes coming down from Siabod.
A tricky part of the traverse as we crossed a depression with sheep folds and broken walls, to combine with the endless boggy bits.
A short climb to the edge of the trees and the open slope.
We passed a small waterfall here before we reached the skyline point.
Over the skyline and our first views down to the valley below with the A5 running through it.
We crossed a fence via a stile, however the path on the far side did not really go where we wanted so we crossed totally off-piste to a larger track.
Onto the larger track - much more sensible than the tundra one. The wind was a lot stronger here - we had been sheltered in the shadow of Siabod so far.
This was the main path up to Siabod from Capel Curig, and we descended down to the first cottages.
A diversion around the farm yard, and back onto the driveway.
we stopped here for a short break for some lunch - unfortunately I had not sorted out a flask so nothing warm.
Just before the drive reached the A5 there were a number of falls in the river. We were now getting occasional sleet flurries in-between the sunny periods.
However we did not cross the river instead picked up the path that followed the edge of the river upstream.
The path crossed a meadow as the river snaked aroudn, and headed for the ridge ahead.
Along the river there were a few police exercising, then the path climbed up over the ridge slightly away from the river.
Over the ridge and down the far side into the plantation and joining a path coming from Capel Curig.
The path merged into a driveway and this led to a B&B and then onward to the end of the lake below Plas y Brenin.
Up the path and dropping off our boots in the drying room, then a warming cup of tea.
