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warm but overcast morning we set out for Bethesda, but not before taking
in a magnificent second breakfast of smoked salmon bagels and leaf teas
at the Alpine Café in Betws en route. The walk began as a relatively
level plod up Cwm Llafar to the Black Ladder cliffs, before climbing Carnedd
Llewelyn; from there we intended to follow the west ridge over Yr Elen,
and return directly to Bethesda. Quite soon after setting off our spaniel
Doris made a bid to escape and I had to rugby tackle her to the ground amongst
the sedge, much to everyone else’s amusement. Shortly after this we
chanced to meet a couple returning from the head of the valley; we exchanged
pleasantries, and the couple fussed over Doris, who insisted on thumping
her muddy paws on their trousers – her way of greeting people, and
testimony to our weedy dog training. I explained our route to the freshly
printed man, receiving a good-humoured lesson in Welsh pronunciation by
way of reply. Then he told us about the plane wreck: in 1950, he said, a
Lincoln bomber had crashed into the side of the mountain killing all on
board; the remains were near to stream that we were intending to follow,
and we couldn’t miss seeing them. And he was right: our path passed
right though a field of wreckage, which, despite the large number of years
that had elapsed, was still clearly visible in all directions. It was a
sombre moment, especially in that bleak place. We found a herd of wild horses
nearby, however, which had an altogether more positive effect on our spirits.
The summit of Llewelyn was misty and cold, causing us to traverse below
it straight to Yr Elen, where the top was below the clouds and the views
still good. We discussed the possibility of another Welsh 3000s run, which
seemed tempting as the peaks stretched out before us and the clouds vanished.
The sun returned for our descent and the negotiations of the sedge bog and
river rapids that our direct route entailed. A visit to Pete’s Eats
completed the day, as it so often does, with pints of tea and lashings of
feta spinach pie with chips. Fab. Return to
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