I’m camped up on the hilltops above Conwy tonight! It’s a magical spot that overlooks the estuary as well as out to sea and across to Anglesey. After leaving my group after dark, I pitched my tent on a summit and lay out in my sleeping bag watching shooting stars. I saw three really clear… Read more

“Arduous walking conditions and drenching periods of heavy rain” were the words of the weather forecast! Not a promising opener for the planning of my day of mountain walking.  It sounded bad. Really bad for a day in the mountains, but if you are used to regularly reading the forecast for a particular area, you… Read more

As part of an international whirlwind tour from Vancouver, my good friend Daragh stopped by The Cottage, via Dublin, to see us and hang out for a few nights. Going out on a mountain walk together is a grand way to chat about what’s been going on and hear each others news, while getting a… Read more

In the gloom of the morning, my stutents and I made a very slippery ascent of a damp slate climb called Equinox (VS, 4c). Despite the low clouds, psych was high for more outdoor climbing, but when it started actually raining quite heavily, we had to conclude that it was time to head indoors! The… Read more

‘Peaceful and eery’ was how one of my group described their journey across the lake with me today. It was prime canoeing conditions, with high hazy clouds and barely a breath of wind. It was the kind of day where we could all take our time and spread out into the expanse of water as… Read more

At only 610m high, the mountain of Tal y Fan lays claim to being one of the smallest mountains in Wales. It’s height might be modest, but the views from the summit are far-reaching. From the ridge that runs up to the high point, you get great views over to Anglesey, the North Wales coastline and… Read more