Cwm Idwal

I had set today aside for a circumnavigation of Cwm Idwal in the heart of Snowdonia. Then, when I woke up, I started making excuses to myself that it would be too strenuous and too difficult. Finally after a lot of dithering I set out, deciding that perhaps I would make the ascent to the lake but not do the circumnavigation.

I got to the appropriate car park at 9:45 to find the last space had gone. I nearly gave up but there were spaces in the roadside car parks further away and these were free compared to £6 at the Ogwen Car Park so I parked up and walked the 10 minutes back to the start of the Cwm Idwal walk.

The first part is an uphill walk with a rise of about 500 ft. It was less arduous than I thought and my Aldi walking poles were a massive boon. I had feared looking silly with the poles but I needn't have worried, they seem to be quite the fashion item these days. I find they help a lot going uphill as some of the job can be done by my arms and they give a lot of added stability on the rough terrain.

There was a lot of activity happening along the way with a bunch of youngsters carrying some seriously expensive looking camera equipment. When I asked they said it was a shoot for a fashion advert. There was one young lady tottering in heels. Hm.

Once at the lake I had to make a decision: around or not? It was so good to be there, in the middle of such gorgeous scenery, that I decided to do the walk around the lake. The path unduates a bit but not too much and with my poles and a couple of bananas I got around with not too much trouble. A mere bagatelle to all the fit young things that were there but for an unfit oldie I was quite proud of myself.   

The descent wasn't difficult but the last 10 minutes back to the car park seemed like an eternity. I decided to reward myself with an all day breakfast at the cafe in Capel Curig.

Funnily enough although I am quite tired now I also feel quite energised. I may feel differently tomorrow when stiffness sets in.

I chose the main blip, which was one of the panoramas I took with my Lumix,  as part of Wide Wednesday. However, today's theme is something red. The only thing that was red at the time of the photograph was my face after the climb up. I love the way that the mountain (Pen Yr Ole Wen) looks like it is a smoking volcano. One of the extras shows the Idwal Slabs, which are a magnet for rock climbers. Today was no exception.