Its back on the Menu and was 5 star today

It always amazes me how suddenly the winter just comes back. Well I suppose it does not just come back, but it often feels this way.

Today we were blessed with a perfect winter day. Low temps, clear sky, light wind and great turf and what about all that neve which is covering many parts of the hills. It is top notch. Oh what joy.

I ventured into the Black Ladders today with Greg Cain and climbed Birdsong. This route was put up early Jan 010 by Adam Wainwright. Having recived a few repeats it has gained a reputation for good climbing. I would agree with this, the crux pitch does cover some steep rocky terrain at a grade which would seen unlikey from below and gives really good climbing. Good find that pitch. The route is 5 pitches once you reach the base of the difficulties of western Gully.

Steve Long and Paul Platt added a more direct start to pitch 1 a few weeks ago


We topped out to sunshine and great views. Days like this you need to make the most of. Needing to be home for 5, certain routes were out. However, we went and soloed Playschool III-3 and then Eastern Arete II-III, what a craking route that is. Need a grade 2, with the odd step of 3,mixed, then this is for you.

I spied 14 climbers, on routes such as Pyramind Gully ( good ice in there ), Western, and Eastern Gully

Pics below all of Birdsong

Greg topping out on first pitch



Greg Starting 2nd pitch



Me on crux pitch near the end of the difficulties



Greg at top of 4th pitch



Greg starting pitch 5



Greg on Eastern Arete




Hey Baggy,

Yet another stunning day in Snowdonia. Climbed 'C' Gully (II) in Cwm Clyd in good condition, excellent mix of neve, ice, frozen turf, along with a few patches of not-so-nice graupel. Fair few folk climbing 'B' Gully (I/II) which also looked in good condition.

Cheers Chris

Cwm Clyd below summit of Y Garn



From Tim Jepson

Cwm Cneifion, Saturday 30 January

Cwm Cneifion (The Nameless Cwm) was doing an excellent impersonation of the Alps again today with acres of rock hard neve, ice in abundance and sunny top-outs! A steady stream of climbers arrived in the cwm from 8.00am to midday, chose their grade and ensured that ascents were made of most classics from Tower Gully to El Mancho. Clogwyn Ddu Left hand, so often short of ice this year, had a continuous run from bottom to top and looked eminently climbable, but when we left, around mid-afternoon, it was still under siege by the first party to try it. Despite a biting northerly wind the summit plateau of the Glyders was as beautiful as we have ever seen it. Another great day!

Tim Jepson
Dodi Palmer


Clogwyn Ddu




Dodi on R/H Branch



Summit of Glyders