Pen yr Ole Wen & Carnedd Dafydd
Proudly guarding the escalating Carneddau range to the north, these princely cairned peaks provide excellent twin winter summits,
When the white stuff clings to Snowdonian peaks, it can prove a challenge to routeplan round the prevailing winter conditions – wind direction, snow build-up and avoiding certain slopes, visibility, freezing level… the list goes on! At over 3000ft, the height and grandeur of these two Carneddau mountains provide adventure all year round, but never more so than when draped in a winter cloak.
Those familiar with the fickle nature of ‘Welsh winter’ will have come to realise that ‘winter’ means many things in Snowdonia. Sometimes, mountains are draped in sparkling, sprawling snowflakes under an alpine sun, or rime ice on rocks with patches of hard snow clinging to boulders and shaded slopes, or slicing-sideways rain and hail yielding fantastically awkward verglas on rocks. With snow on the ground covering familiar features and paths, or low cloud on high plateau, these shapely mountain souls can proffer much challenge in the colder months. On clearer, calmer winter days, mixed with a developing skill set for winter walking, these twin peaks offer a mix of terrain, challenge and reward. This includes one isolated steep line of rocky steps on the lower section of Pen yr Ole Wen’s east ridge, involving easy scrambling moves in ‘summer’ conditions and a mix of steep snowy steps, or rocks embedded with ice and snow in winter.
Certainly, this duo offer up a classic winter day out, with careful planning, good judgment and appropriate kit required to enjoy them to their full potential.