Ty Powdwr - Wild swimming meet
The swimmers: Michelle Harvie, Mark Garrod, Laura Collier, Christine Beeston, Dave Wylie, Kate Harvey
Walkers and support team: Jo Stratford
Climbers: Colin Maddison, Andy Stratford, Gareth Williams, Lucie Crouch
Saturday was wild and wet so we adjourned the swim and climb up Snowdon until Sunday. The team entertained themselves with a variety of perfect wet Snowdonia day options:
Colin and Andy put their big boots on and climbed Sub-Cneifion Rib and Arete. Mark and Michelle put their fell shoes (calf bandages and various medical aids) to run from Llanberis up the Snowdon ranger path to Moel Eilio, followed by a choppy dip in Llyn Padarn for Michelle. Dave, Christine, Laura, and Jo put on their waterproofs to explore the peaks near Deniolen and the Caban Café. Meanwhile Gareth and Lucie were sunning themselves in Yorkshire!
Sunday. A prompt KMC start (9.00ish) let the swimming and climbing over Snowdon teams catch the bus to Pen y pass. Once the meet leader had orientated her way out of the car park the swimmers and support headed straight for Llyn Llydaw [436 metres]. The swimmers were CB (first in), LC, MG, KH, MH and DW who enjoyed a long dip which was his annual swim. There are no official water temperatures as Midge and her thermometer were missing. However my inbuilt wild water thermometer suggested Llyn Llydaw were a balmy ~ 15 0C and not quite living up to its reputation as the coldest lake in Britain (as stated in Robson Green's Wild Swimming Adventure (ITV December 2009).
We had nearly/just thawed out when we arrived at swim no 2 in the beautiful impressive Glaslyn (600 metres m (~ 13 0C) swimmers, CB (first in), LC, MG, and MH.
Meanwhile the climbing over Snowdon party (Colin and Andy) climbed on Craig Aderyn (one of the Teryn Bluffs) where Andy led Jacob’s Media (160’ Hard Severe). They met up with us at Glaslyn and managed to get ahead of many of the swimmers on the ascent to Snowdon, suggesting it may be quicker to climb than to swim up Snowdon.
After lunch on the ridge the swimmers and climbers went separate ways. The swimmers descended to the Snowdon Ranger path just below Clogwyn to the final dip in Llyn Ffynnon y glas. By now the swimmers; CB (first in), LC, MG, MH had perfected synchronised swimming, even the smiles.
A final dry off in our respective personal changing cubicles, then a descent along the Snowdon Ranger, back through Llanberis without stopping for tea and direct back to the hut.
Colin and Andy struck off from the Snowdon ridge on the Llanberis path dropping down through Cwm Glas Bach to the Llanberis Pass where Colin led Xmas Dinner (180’ V Diff) in the Gravestones area. They walked back to the hut via Nant Peris, (where a feat of willpower kept them out of the Vaynol). Gareth and Lucie had enjoyed a dry day ticking of three slate routes in Never Never land in the quarries; 362, Tomb raider, and Hawkeye.
Missing but not forgotten from the swimming team were Dave Shotton’s retro swimming trucks and Mark Ashley and his wet suit and Marigold gloves. Hope to see them back in action next year.
Thanks to all who came, swam, climbed and walked. See you next year for a 70th Anniversary special Wild Wales swim walk. Maybe we will get our president swimming instead of climbing over Snowdon next year?
Michelle Harvie
