Pen-y-Fan: 2, Moses: 2

(Our route starts from a point North of this map, a km or so beyond Twyn-Cil-rehew.)


This weekend, we climbed Pen-y-fan again, Moonface and I.

It's only 880M high, and 600M of climbing using the Northern approach, but the mountain seems to attract bad weather. We have twice tried to climb it before in bad conditions, both times in larger group of friends, and both times we decided that the risks were not worth the satisfaction of making it to the top. Once, this New Year, we turned back after half a mile or so because the driving rain and sleet and gales made the walk to the summit just plain unpleasant. There's no fun in being cold and wet and miserable, when there isn't a view to look at. The first time we attempted the walk was about three years ago. On that occasion, we also had rain, but there was also dense fog which reduced visibility to about 10 metres. That time, we walked about two-thirds of the way before deciding that continuing would be stupid and dangerous.

Yesterday's climb wasn't easy, either. There was a very strong wind in our faces, so much so that Moonface wanted to turn back after half way, but we decided to keep going. It's a trudge under those conditions in spite of the magnificent views, all one can do is to keep going, with head down and steady paces. At the summit, the wind was so strong that standing was difficult, so we and the other walkers were huddled together on the rocks in the lee of the wind, for shelter. But although it's not an easy walk up, one feels such a fraud for getting there by the Northern route, because it's so easy to approach from the West. On that side, there's a gentle climb and the start point is so much higher. Instead of serious walkers (do we count?) there are teenagers in groups, wearing trainers and jeans. Many of them were shivering, though.

Instead of returning the route we had taken up, we made a huge loop via the Western edge of the cwm down to the tarn below, then following the streams to the shoulder of the hills separating us from our starting point. Once we were sheltered from the howling winds above, we crossed beautiful streams and waterfalls, walked through gentle fields, and made it back to the van in about four hours.