Capel Curig - November 20-22 1998

[Mick]

This is a UBU Hiking trip, but owing to the lack of Smeggie activity we're hijacking it for appearance purposes.

SMEGGIE TURNOUT:
Mick
Martin
God
Dean
Dave
Tom
Gwyn

We're staying at an educational centre, which makes me feel right at home, in Capel Curig. Had chips bought for us in Quensferry - hurrah!

NOTE: - Ewen's housewarming is last Saturday in January apparantly. Will he be there we wonder......

SATURDAY - THE SOGGY SMEGGIE STROLL
Up the Devil's Kitchen, wiggle across the top heading for beer in Capel Curig.

WHAT HAPPENED
13 of us set off in windy rain with an air of anticipation heightened by a photograph of the views we would have seen had it not been so cloudy. The scramble up the devil's kitchen was excellent, although the strength of the wind at the bottom had some wondering what it would be like at the top (it was nothing like the strength of the wind at God's bottom however). As we ascended it got colder and windier, and steeper, until the moment of truth arrived and the decision was made by the majority to turn back.
HOWEVER...... I was in a particularly obstinate mood and wanted to try my chances on the ridges of Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr, so with Dave Berry, Neil, Annette and Connie we continued upwards.

[Martin]
THE SOFTIES DESCENT....

After freezing our nuts off while the new routes were planned, we dropped back down the route as fast as possible. Stopping briefly for lunch in a sheltered spot we arrived back at the bus by 1400 and then back to the hostel for a change of pants. Suitably warmed we drove to Betws for coffee and cakes in the Royal Oak, before returning to the hostel. After dropping the party off, Martin and Phillip drove along the road towards the returning party, picking them up about 1 mile from the hostel.

[Mick]
THE HARDIES ASCENT
Luckily we were nearly at the top so we followed 3 people who seemed to know where they were going before losing them in the mist when they moved over 5 metres in front of us.
Navigation was generally by way of heading NE until we nearly fell off the cliff (helped by the southerly gale) and then heading due east along the ridge. It was impossible to navigate using paths as we kept losing them in the zero visability. From Glyder Fach onwards we navigated solely on an easterly bearing due firstly to the soggy nature of the map and secondly by not having the double sided map we thought we had and thus having no map to follow at all...

After huge amounts of squelching, a tricky negotiation of barbed wire fence and a descent (still in zero visability) of a very steep, wet, grassy slope we finally saw headlights and we knew we had nearly made it. A final trudge along a track into Capel Curig presaged the arrival of Martin the Minibus Driver and the (dark) end of a great day's achievement.

EVENING ACTIVITIES
Mr Chairman, Mr Weights and Measures, Thumbmaster and Chief Snitch started an evening of much imbibing and punting (not pointing) at the local hostelry. Some people got very drunk - Phil (M.U.T. Morale Uplift Target) left early thus thwarting somewhat our attempts to frame him. The party continued back at the hostel with Dean's Amazing Toxic Punch (Martini, Vodka, Southern Comfort, Bacardi, Strawberryade and chopped fruit). Much singing of Beach Boys and Elvis songs, coupled with a conga upstairs to spy on Matt and Heather followed - as did a photo session of the bare bottom variety courtesy of Martin and a stolen camera. The evening ended at around 2.30am with a visit of the beer monkey to the boy's dormitory.

Comedy moment of the day: Mick's shower dripping through the celing of the girl's dormitory.

SUNDAY
Not much for me to write here as I did bugger all of the walking-type activity. Dean seemed worst afflicted by the hangover-curse whilst Mick, Martin and Ian (God) partook of breakfast avec sunglasses. Most went walking in incessant rain while others stayed behind to clear up - and in my case get a bit of coursework done. Afternoon in Betws, a few new gadgets bought by some, back in Bradford at 7.00 in time for a curry at the Daarbar (formerly the Shabina) who give the Hiking Club free Lassi every Sunday. Fantastic.