David Pickering - 477593

Ogwen Cottage to Y Garn (947) to Mynydd Perfedd (812m)and return.

Tent camped overnight at Dolgam, Capel Curig after a walk yesterday on Moel Siabod. Mud and saturated ground from rain, rain rain recently. Started today's walk from Ogwen Cottage. Headed up into Cwm Idwal, just short of Llyn Idwal (North side) turned west to Pinnacle Crag to head up to the summit ridgeline, north of Y Garn. At Cwm Idwal there were winds coming down Devils Kitchen averaging about 30mph, as tested by my Kestrel weather meter (photo below). I was about to put the wind meter away when I saw a squall line of mist coming across the Llyn Idwal just above the water. I could tell it was a singular wind gust. I set my camera to capture the wind speed, but when it hit I was knocked to a knee. I did not get a photo, but the meter read 51mph. Heading up Pinnacle Crag I was protected from the wind so I was down to a base layer and waterproofs. The temperature at the start was 11C. When I arrived at the ridgeline where there was a bit of snow field and Gale Force winds. Since I had been to Y Garn a number of times I had planned to turn northwest at the ridgeline in the direction of Foel Goch and Mynydd Perfedd. However, my Kestrel weather meter clocked steady winds at 40mph and gusts to 50+ mph. I clocked one gust at 54mph. So I turned south to make the summit of Y Garn (947m) where I knew there was a wind shelter, and I layered up. Crossing the ridge from Y Garn to Foel Goch to Mynydd Perfedd I was in continuous winds gusting between 40 and 50mph. After reaching Mynydd Perfedd summit, and lunch in the wind shelter, I headed back to the southern base of Foel Goch and dropped down the gully into Cwm Buel (off trail) to the base of Yr Esgair, where I turned southeast following the contour below the Mushroom Garden heading back towards the base of Pinnacle Crag. However, the water course that drops from Llyn Cywion, which I have crossed easily in the past, was running so high and fast I was not able to cross it without going either up or down a significant distance, so I descended and continued down to the track in the valley, and back to Ogwen Cottage

Total Time: 5 hours 34 minutes; Total Distance: 10.9km; Ascent: 1,236m

Route planning included weather tracking and review of weather reports on MWIS, Met Office Special Forecasts for Snowdonia, and specific mountains (Y Garn), as well as XC Weather for hourly forecasts. XC Weather seems very good for wind speed and direction, as well as rain volume (as apposed to Met Office which gives a percentage chance of rain). Weather reports called for high winds on summits to around 40mph, and intermittent rain.

Planning the route I used the OS OL17 1:25000 map for an overview, and then mapped it out on OS Maps app on my computer and printed and laminated an A4 sized route map. The laminator is a great new tool. I also carried a GPS to create the .gpx file for the DLog map below.

For new gear, I was wearing a new set of Rab Latok GTX bib waterproof trousers. Absolutely perfect. I have used regular waterproof trousers (no suspenders) previously, but I definitely prefer these. I wore them all day. They were comfortable, and worked well in the high winds and regular rain. They appear to be very robust as well. This will tell over time. The Kestrel hand held Weather Station is not new, but came in handy for confirming wind speeds.