Welsh trip for annual President’s Dinner
HINCKLEY Mountaineering and Hill Walking Club celebrated the years activity with the President’s Dinner held in Tremadoc in Snowdonia.
The dinner was held at Lawrence House, the birthplace of “Lawrence of Arabia” and many members of the club arrived early on Friday to get out onto the hills.
Brian and Pete climbed Y Garn from Ogwen Cottage returning by the Devils Kitchen.
This was the start of Brian going for 70 summits in his 70th year.
Saturday brought a dry day and leaving the HMC Catering Corps members as they are fondly known, to prepare and cook a three course meal for the evening, everyone else went out for the day.
Some a more leisurely coastal stroll, some off on their mountain bikes, others headed off to the hills.
The largest party headed for Cnicht, known as the Welsh Matterhorn due to its shape when viewed from certain angles.
Starting from the tiny village of Croesor, this party, including an eight year old, a seventy plus year old and a couple of teenagers soon got to grips with the steep ascent of this iconic peak.
Magnificent views were had across to the coast and inland to the higher peaks of Snowdonia although most were covered in cloud.
In the meantime Brian, still clocking up summits with Pete and Alistair walked the 6 summits of the Nantille Ridge.
Following the excellent dinner prepared by HMC “Catering Corps” it was time for speeches and presentations from acting president Ed Edwards and Chairman Ian Fendell.
The President’s Shield was awarded to Nigel Cole for his excellent work on revamping the club’s website, The Don Ward Ice Axe was presented to Nettie Fendell for her exploits on via ferratas in Italy and then the club’s “Tat” awards presented to members for various “indiscretions” during the year.
Sunday with the weather holding but still windy and the Berwyn Hills being on the way back to the midlands enabled a few to climb Foel Cwm Sian Llwyd, described as a tortuous heather bashing route whilst others followed a land rover track to the summit of Carnedd Filiast, much easier.
The start of November saw the club in the Brecon Beacons.
Friday found the weather at its best, blue skies, no clouds and a pleasant temperature.
Summits climbed by different early arrivers included “Lord Hereford’s Knob”, honest.. Its the name of a mountain near Hay on Wye, Pen Y Fan, he highest in the Beacons, Corn Du and a few more.
Sadly Saturday, when the whole party was ready for a day out saw the arrival of a storm from the west.
None the less while some took a low level ten mile route, two groups took on the 2907ft high Pen Y Fan, but unlike the previous days sunshine, now it was covered in low cloud, rain and a gale force wind making walking dif- ficult.
Despite the weather, on reaching the gale swept summit, where the full force of the wind was met HMC members were more than surprised and somewhat perturbed to find a charity walk in full swing.
Hundreds of ill equipped walkers, more than half of them very wet and cold young children were approaching the top and having to hug the ground to avoid being blown over, close to a 1000ft drop, itself hidden by the dense mist.
HMC members, themselves fully equipped and used to these conditions suggested to adults with young children that they retreat, the mountain will always be there for better weather walking, some of them heeded the advice and turned back but experienced hill walkers will never understand why these events carry on in foul weather.
Hinckley Mountaineering and Hill Walking Club meet at 9pm every Thursday at the New Plough Pub, Hinckley (unless it is quiz night, then we move around the corner to the Greyhound pub).
We welcome all who fancy walking, climbing and scrambling in the hills.
No experience needed, just a stout pair of boots and a stout heart.
See us on Facebook, Hinckley Mountaineering Club or the website, www. hinckleymc.org.