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ML Training 3

By Dave Roberts   

on September 11, 2009    No ratings yet.

ML Training 3

The final section of the course was an expedition with night nav. We did a bit of rough walking and navigation to get up to our campsite in Cwm Edno. It was almost ghyll scrambling up past the Afon Edno, much more interesting than the faint footpath.

As it was due to be windy, we camped inside the sheepfolds, a very sheltered spot. Then we chilled out for a few hours until it was dark enough to do some night nav.

We were to ascend Cnicht to get a QMD in, and then navigate back in the dark. This was a pleasant walk up, past Llynnoedd Cwn and above Llyn yr Adar, following bearings and features. We did a bit of timing too, and i was far to fast once i was in the lead (i don”t understand that either?!). It was a decent sunset from Cnicht, but i didn”t take photos – i was concenred about my knee that had stiffened up completely.

As we descended, it started to get properly dark, but we were on moorland and off steep ground once it got dark. Somewhere along the line my knee pain vanished, strange.

We walked past my fave camping spot at Llyn yr Adar and counted paces and took bearings to Llynnoedd Cwn. Not much to say really, but we then looked for some ring contours, counting paces and doing doglegs and we all seemed to find our way quite accurately. I was surprised as to how accurate pace counting was. I”m also more confident in my nav as it”s never really been tested before. We ended on a 300m bearing (quite accurate) to a bend in a stream before follwing it down. It would have been easier to follow the stream down from the first, but i thought we were practicing bearings (doh!).

The tents were a welcome sight, and so was my bed as it was about midnight. It was also just about ready to rain, we”d been very lucky with the weather. Once i”d warmed up (my feet were warm, the rest of me was cold), some chocolate helped that, i was soon asleep.

The next morning was just a walk back to the cars. Over a spur to Llyn Edno and down to Gelli Iago by the path and minor road. Of course, it was raining today, so we were all a little damp by the time we got down.

Food was definately called for, and Pete”s Eats was going to be too busy (and i”d not had the best of service / food there the previous morning) so we tried the infamous cafe in Bethania. For once it was open, and we got some real food with very good service, recommended.

That was really it apart from the debriefing later in the afternoon. I”m going to need to go walking a bit further afield than Eryri, so a week in Scotland and a week in the Lakes is definately called for. I”m also going to need to buy a rope and practice rope work. I”ll probably do a bit of easy climbing, that”ll make the rope work a lot easier (i hope!).

Here”s to next summer and hopefully my Assessment.

p.s. I”d recommned Phill George to anyone, here”s his link –http://www.phillgeorge.com/

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

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