Stomping a weekend full of engagements again

I was glad lockdown rules were released and I could see people again! And I immediately did. And the second weekend, I did again. And then I thought I needed a quieter weekend. But then I contacted people anyway! And on the Saturday, I first went for a walk with Fiona, and then another one with Kate (not Bob). In different times we would probably have just gone for a walk with the three of us. But now we can't!

I hadn't seen Fiona in real life since lockdown. That had been a while! And seeing each other on a screen is just not the same. We would do the southernmost walk possible in the area: down Lon Las Ogwen, which is my running route, but then crossing the valley and walking up the hill on the other side on the diagonal path that goes there. I had never walked that! I had seen it so often. And it course it gave lovely views over the valley.

An amazing roche moutonnée in the middle of the valley

Me on the roche moutonnée; pic by Fiona

Fiona with the top of the valley as backdrop

We were chased by a cloud for a fair while. The forecast had been quite sunny but reality was different! It chased us from the path across the valley all the way to fairly close to the village. But then it vanished. So we could sit in the sun for some coffee quaffing. That was nice. We pondered a bit what times would be like after the pandemic.

The diagonal path up to Cefn yr Orsedd on the eastern side of the valley

When I got home I quickly took my shoes off. I had another walk to do! My feet needed a break. And my stomach needed buckets of tea. So I sorted that.

When Kate arrived she wondered if we could have a cup of tea in the garden first! Of course we could. I was unusually tepid in my tea intake due to my preparations, but it was nice to just sit there and enjoy scenery and company. But then we went anyway! It was already 4PM so the walk would be short. I figured we could walk out of the village the Gerlan way, then head towards Gyrn Wigau, turn left at the sheep fold, cross the valley, go through Bwlch ym Mhwll Le, and walk back home past Rachub. It was a nice walk! It got quite windy but that's better than sticky and hot. Kate hadn't explored that much of the Carneddau, while she lives in Menai Bridge which I had explored for the four years I lived there, so this works well! We'll do this more often...

With Kate, and the valley of Afon Caseg in the background