Tag Archives: Plas y Brenin

Hill and Moorland:3 (result).

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6~ 8°C, light W. Sunny with only 1 shower.
it seemed to go well on the hill today. No mistakes and additional skills were cleared easily. The kit check was fine, I even showed off my water filter.
The tension of last night was relieved in this morning’s briefing. The assessor regarded my errors as repaired after I identified them.
So the day went ahead. My tension reduced. Until the hour before final debrief that is.
Last outing: north Carneddau again. Another rolling grassland, this is Hill and Moorland after all. My navigation legs were fairly easy and error free so I could relax and enjoy myself again.
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HML assessment: day 2.

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6°C, some sun to begin, snow after lunch turning heavy.

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I’m starting to enjoy myself now. My leads were ‘spot on’. Again, a couple of errors crept in while following. The Assessor thought my geology presentation was ‘enjoyable’. On the walk in, there was a fine piece of cut slate near a working quarry. On close inspection, it was peppered with iron pyrites. A nice piece.
Sunshine to start, later there were small hail stones pinging off our packs. In the last hour, snow fell. That reduced visibility as much as fog does, the grip is less too.
I have the feeling that when folks back at work ask what
I did go my holiday, they’re not going to be all that jealous.

Tonight is night walk. More micro-navigation but after dark. This rain should just about finish for an hour. I hope for no more snow, head-torches can work against you with bright reflections from larger flakes.
I can sense the possibility that I may just pass this.

Night walk…

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Hill and Moorland Assessment:1

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6°C, grey start with brisk W,
In a double room with a stranger, his name is Dave and he seems okay. I felt a little more than awkward. Kate last evening,
I introduced myself to two others in the bar. On their table saw their copy of the green book ‘Hillwalking’.
Meeting them did reduce my nerves somewhat.
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Coldest day, (annual average)

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1°C, sunny, quite nice really.
Sent home. So unwell despite driving in to work. My tutor group is upstairs and the two flights emptied my energy. Nearly at the right room, I saw their previous Form Tutor and had to ask her to register them.
One of the managers could see the state I was in and ordered me home.

Home. Sleep.

Soup for lunch and noticed birds interested in the feeders I put out on Saturday. Four Coal Tits, 2 Blue Tits and a pair of blackbirds.
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Spring is coming. Feeling grotty again after the avian excitement, Plas-y-Brenin rang. About the query yesterday, this guy was more upbeat about my question: “How do I know whether I am ready for assessment?”.
Optimism shot up after his opinion. I’m going for the easter date. It only gives a week before the Silver and Gold training.
There, I have a plan:

Practise more micro-navigation,
Read up on legislation,
Practise timing against our route cards.

There are two more stages:
1 camp skills Module,
2 Mountain Leader Qualification.
3 feel a warm satisfied glow.

Tuesday twenty.

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8°C,Clear sky, warmer.
Quick dash with MapMyRide! Distance: 22.03mi, time: 01:28:40, http://mapmyride.com/view_route?r=3382856112234561537
Very dry, dusty in places with some lumps of snow remaining. Got an idea for the weekend though- go to Wales and camp by Llyn Gwynant. If the hills are too icy to venture high, then spend time in a canoe, with low-land walks for the rest of the time. Their website says the valley floors are free of snow. I could venture up to the snowline with my main camera. That should mean that it’s easy to get up to the Watkins stone, great photos can be found up there.
Night temperatures shouldn’t be too far below freezing, but forecasts warn of ice and the need for crampons. I should do a course at Plas-y-brenin to be safe.