Cadair Idris

Believe me, I was much happier than I look on this photo today - the weather was fabulous all day, hot, sunny, perfect really and the walking, the scenery, simply breathtaking. Cadair Idris, which literally translates to the 'chair of Idris' is, if you've never been, one for anyone's bucket list - take my word for it, it is the first step on the stairway to heaven. 

We were up at the usual 0630, breakfasted on sausage, bacon and scrambled eggs and were on the road by 9. Cadair Idris is about a 75 minute drive from the cottage but well worth it. So, by the time we parked up near the banks of Tal-y-llyn and got the walking gear on, it was a little after 1030 when we set off. Tal-y-Llyn is a glacial ribbon lake which was introduced to millions of people in 2009 when Microsoft released a photo of it as it's official wallpaper. Here's a few photos from today, although I actually took these during our descent. 

We took the Minffordd path which immediately climbs steeply via wooden steps first and then stone steps all the while keeping pace with a beautiful woodland stream which runs fiercely in the opposite direction. 

Within 45 minutes we had climbed over 450 metres (almost 1500 ft) and whilst the scenery was stunning, nothing prepares you for the site of Llyn Cau. 

Tim took a load off and chilled in the sunshine whilst Jacko and I circumnavigated the lake. It took less than an hour and the different aspects were simply gorgeous. 

Once reunited with Tim we started the climb up the first of three mountains, Craig Cwm Amarch, the sheer-faced, beautifully peaked mountain you can see immediately behind Llyn Cau. It stands at an impressive 791 metres (2595 ft) and was a punishingly steep climb in the hot sun. But worth the toil. Here's the views from the top. 

We decided to have lunch at the top because the view was so fab. 20 minutes later we descended Craig Cwm Amarch and then immediately started another punishing climb up to the summit of Cadair Idris itself, a Snowdonian giant at 893 metres above sea level (2930 ft).There  were a few other hardy climbers up there enjoying the views and the sunshine. Another 3 lakes are also visible from the north side of the summit, Llyn y Gadair, Llyn Gafr and Llyn Arran. 

We sat for a while taking photos, chatting to fellow climbers and watching a couple of RAF Typhoons jousting in the skies above us. Then we set off again to climb the last of our 3 mountains for today, Mynydd Moel which is only 30 metres lower than Cadair Idris at 863 metres. Again, the sheer drops and sheer beauty were outstanding. 

Although I have to say that after getting a bit of peace and quiet to ponder and take photos, I did feel like a bit of a gooseberry when I turned back to Tim and Jacko - not sure what I interrupted here but it was all a bit awks - clearly their cosying up watching Pacific in the evenings has developed.  :-D

So that was the climbing out of the way and by now it was about 3.30 in the afternoon so we set off for the 2500 ft descent, which surprisingly only took just over an hour. 

So that was today's adventure. As I said earlier, if you've never been to Cadair Idris then do everything you can to get there at least once in your life - it brought back many fond childhood memories for me having visited a number of times on school trips, but it's plentiful and diverse scenery always promises something new for each and every visit. 

We're back at Camp Talysarn now, I've cooked and we've ate a roast dinner, I'm sat blogging with a wine and Tim and Jacko are......yep you've guessed it, snuggled up on the sofa watching TV. I'd tell them to get a room but the problem is it will be the one next to mine. Wow!!

Hope you enjoyed the photos, tomorrow's forecast heavy rain may provide us with a day off and a trip to Caernarfon Castle and possibly Portmeirion, we'll just have to wait and see. 

Goodnight

Russ