As I am a lucky sort with a beautiful and oh so patient wife who doesn't mind me trekking into the wilderness from time to time the last few days has been an adventure, starting with sorting out calories.
And loosely basing the expedition on the cambrian way
yours truly headed into the wilds.
This is where the wilderness began
and much to the amazement of the locals
we were soon up to our ankles in wilderness, the wet slushy type when its not the hard rocky leg breaking type.
Yes dear reader due to lots of bants and little attention paid to direction of travel it soon became apparent we were not lost just not where we should be. The gap at the top of this picture will more or less get us back to the right path.
Said gap, happy bunnies contemplate next steps.
The water was crystal clear and here four foot deep and in the way.
We pressed on
and Dave would have been a lot quicker if he had not insisted on carrying a tree.
The gap in the horizon is from whence we stumbled.
To find, Gnome Henge! we nearly tripped over it its so small.
Bryn Cader Faden.
Looks bigger in all the reference books.
We decided as one was hurt to camp here, pretty sure that we would not damage anything given the ravages of time, victorian treasure hunters and the army using it for target practice would have already done much more than our close proximity canvas structures.
The diminutive size was made up for in atmospherics
and the ever changing light
brought the cameras out time and time again
while we sat and ate our rations. Those that were prepared had a 3 course meal and lighter back packs for the following day.
Hip flasks out and we turned in.
Morning broke, eventually, my gonk bag was suited to minus 26 yet I lay there shivering pretending to enjoy the experience.
I soon perked up once the coffee was on the boil and my all day breakfast had an unheard of 5 mini sausages in it. Today was set for greatness!
Eric and Ernie busied themselves on Gnome Henge searching for Gnomes while yours truly packed the tent away.
Compulsory selfie time with the intrepid mascots.
The weather was changing
so we said our goodbyes to the neolithic monument which is neither monumental, level or on the summit and wandered back
into the land of rock, heather, streams and bogs.
As two of the group had now hurt themselves a change of direction was required, instead of heading to Rhinnog Fawr we headed back to the cars abandoned at the campsite.
Our packs were considerably lighter but didn't feel like it.
Progress was made despite the terrain and we pitched camp shoreside enjoying the last of the good weather.
Tents up we rested and pondered
how long steaks would take to cook on the instant barbeques.
Being quick off the mark mine was cooked a long time before the rain came
and darkness fell. My colleagues not so lucky but serious in their endeavour to cook on an open fire in spite of the adverse elements.
So it rained all night, that that was dry was now wet through again and any thought of more perambulatory nonsense was dismissed once we all realised that if we were quick we could be packed up and home in the dry for a late breakfast.
First breakfast having been a tad disappointing as this time the correct amount of sausages were in the can.
45 seconds later camp was in the rucksack and like wet greyhounds we sped off
taking care to photograph the sign of the campsite so we could return another day.
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