Walk off the Mince Pies

SNOWDONIA

WALK

Walk off the Mince Pies

Saturday 28 December 2019

Each year there is an annual “walk off the mince pies” walk in the Snowdonia National Park organised by the Walking For Pleasure Facebook group. This year the walk started in Llanberis and took in Moel Eilio (726m), Foel Gron (629m), Foel Goch (605m) and Moel Cynghorion (674m) and Susan, and I decided we would do it!

You never know what the weather is going to be like for a December walk in Snowdonia, but you would be wise to plan for either rain or snow. On the day, it did neither of these, but it was incredibly windy all day and in made the ascent of Moel Eilio via Bryn Mawr particularly tricky because the wind was in our faces and was strong enough to blow people off the path.

The attendance for the event was exceptional with some forty-eight hikers braving the windy conditions, but such a large group is not without its downsides. On this occasion, the downside was that many of us could not squeeze into the small shelter on the summit of Moel Eilio now reserved for the speedier members of the group. The rest of us made do with lunch in the wind.

It was a small price to pay to be able to meet up with old friends while making a few new ones.

Lunch was a quick affair followed by a steep descent which was hard on the knees but easy on the eye. The views across to Y Garn, Moel Lefn, Moel yr Ogof and Moel Hebog were terrific, and Llyn y Gader, Llyn y Dywarchen and Llyn Cwellyn glistened in the first of the days sunshine.

The final push was the ascent of Moel Cynghorion, which was a first for me, followed by another steep descent down Clogwyn Llechwedd Llo. In many ways, this was easier than the last flat section from Cwm Brwynog following the Afon Arddu back to Llanberis.

The debrief was given in The Heights in Llanberis who probably didn’t know what had hit them! Still, it was an excellent place to relax after the walk, and the beer was a reasonable price.

I am quite sure that I had only eaten one mince pie over Christmas, which is nowhere near the quantity needed to complete this walk in such windy conditions.

To my mind, it means that somebody somewhere owes me some mince pies!

Ascending Moel Eilio via Bryn Mawr – very windy!

Susan and Paul outside of the summit shelter on Moel Eilio.

Heading down from Moel Eilio heading toward Foel Gron via Bwlch Cwm Cesig

Heading down Clogwyn Llechwedd Llo to Cwm Brwynog.

David Welch – View Profile

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