How much for a loaf of bread?

Two quid for a poxy wee loaf....two bloody quid. That's daylight robbery (and it's not like we have much daylight at the mo)...just because of all this snow apparently.

Also had to take out a second mortgage for half a dozen eggs - can't imagine the the happy chooks in their cozy little huts give a damn about what's going on outside and pop any less eggs than normal...grrrrrrr.



Well - I'm smiling in the pic, so by this point had overcome the shock of the mornings' shopping experience.

Joined by Andy Lole who didn't expect welsh snow to be quite like this...in fact he made his first turns of the season today, and mighty fine they were.

Slight crust today, but still very fab, although a few too many rock encounters on run two signalled an early finish...

Just how smug is it possible to feel???

This is Wales - can you believe it...wall to wall white; skiing from the road; sunshine; great views...

It's very hard not to feel a bit smug, although skinning uphill for hours is suitable penance for getting some really rather fine snow.

Went up onto Foel Goch with Chris in search of the ultimate slope....I think we probably found it...

Hmmm ....so was it any good?









Was the snow deep and powdery???

Could you link turns???





Yeah baby - Woof  woof!

Aaaaaaaah

This is on the side of Moel Eilio...I think it would be a fantastic place to live - if not a little draughty...

So....the forecast for today wasn't exactly brilliant...I'm fully prepared to embrace shit forecasts if this is what you get.

This is Wales at its finest.

Today I went skiing...

It was amazing...

'Nuff said :-)

Poor Old Goat

S

So the poor old goat was up to its nether regions this morning after a fairly hefty overnight snowfall. It's a good job it doesn't need feeding...

There are also quite a few snowy balls in the garden which have a hint of smurf about em at the mo - amazing huh?

Anyway...with all this white stuff it would have been rude not to get out on the planks, so went for a shuffle uphill into the quarries. I would have taken some pics, but was slightly overwhelmed by fab views and the fact that I didn't hit rock at any point (until an impromptu stone-grinding-of-the-bases moment on the way down Fachwen hill - oops).

Anyway, this pic below, taken from the front room, should give you an idea of the current state of the snow down our way. I think the whale and the earthquake detector are probably both very relieved to be indoors at the moment..........

The not-very-white black ladders

Walked into the Black Ladders...and by eck were they looking black. Methinks winter has been put on hold for a bit while the crags take stock of the situation....

Welsh Ice

Aaaah - welsh ice. It doesn't happen very often, but when it does, it's really rather fine.

Naomi has been over for a winter hit before it melts this weekend, so we enjoyed some excellent Ogwen action (along with the hoards....).

Great views, fat ice, no rain - and a very short walk in - this of all things has to be one of the great benefits of doing Welsh routes :-)

South Gully - not bad eh? Bumped in to Matt and Adam so did a social ascent - belays never seem as cold when there's good gossip and banter.

Nipped across to Maesglasau Falls yesterday and had an excellent  romp up slightly (!) melting plastic ice. Five pitches and all thoroughly enjoyable....think there might not be five pitches anymore with the current meltdown.

It's now raining and ming - the training programme might have taken a turn for the worst....

Beasts of Burden

Well I always thought mules were hairy four legged beasts of burden that are dead useful if you have to trek into somewhere for days and don't want to ferry loads of kit.... Check these bad boys out:

It's probably fair to say that these are also beasts of burden, but hell are they ever groovy :-)

Serious Plank Action

Have had a couple of fantastic days on the ski hill at Cairngorm - AMAZING snow - V. Alpine and well worth the cost of a lift ticket (can't always say that huh)!

This didn't really constitute enough of a beasting so spent a couple of days in more common Scottish conditions, requiring substantial amounts of moral fibre and good waterproofs. Leanne and I went for a bit of a stroll up Braeriach - didn't see a whole heap but it was a grand day out....

Today - the yellow peril made it through the snow and ice into Glen Feshie...check out those snow tyres ;-)

Naomi and I had a proper adventure involving not getting to the top of anything and crashing through forest in near dark, mainly in very deep and heavy snow - fab!

Mainly wading...

...in over-welly-height snow for the past two days.

Soooper views yesterday on a little foray from the house.

Today however had views a little like looking at a blank sheet of A4 - up on Geal-charn Mor which apparently sports fantastic views of the Cairngorms...hmmm!

Experienced some unpleasant breakable crust today - buttocks might be feeling rather sore :-(

It was dark by 4pm today - that is just WRONG.

Wanderings

Went up Sgor na h-Ulaidh - an unpronouncable Munroe of 994m...it looked nothing like this:

Also went for a wander up Raeburns Route in Glen Coe which was really rather fine...looked nothing like this:

Grantown, this morning had LOADS of snow, so got to ski from  the house - Amazing!!! 

Photo courtesy of Di seeing as some muppet forgot to put the battery in her camera - doh!

Northern Hemisphere Winters...

For the first winter in many years, I won't be seeing any of these:

Or these:

Aaah well! Currently in Scotland where it is doing a whole heap of the snowing thing :-)