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And so the Cnicht saga continues, with a very wet, 3-night adventure in the Moelwyns! I’d arrived here for a summer trip in August, in the territory of my nemesis Cnicht, with no route plan, a few days of food and a set of both wet clothes and dry clothes. Once again, I wouldn’t end up having a go at Cnicht, as the weather came in and it just didn’t feel ‘right’.. Cnicht and I have a bit of a history you see; previous trips involving an insane tick attack, a wind-busted tent and a dislocated ankle had all created a general feel of foreboding for the area – the curse of Cnicht. But while this trip didn’t go particularly right, nothing went particularly wrong either, so maybe the curse is broken. Maybe we’re slowly warming to each other. Maybe next time he’ll invite me to stand on his shoulders, but we’re not there yet Click on 'read more' at the bottom of this blog post to see my maps and read the trip journal.. Gear list
This gear list contains amazon affiliate links. This means that WildBeare makes a small commission from any sales made via these links, at no extra cost to yourself - a great way to support the channel. Thank you You can also see lots of my gear in my Amazon Gear Shop :) *I choose not to be sponsored, affiliated with any particular brands, and have not accepted any of this gear as a gift. Every piece of gear that I’m using is something that I have chosen to buy for myself – my opinions on it and experiences with it are completely impartial TENT Ultralight Tent Durston X-Mid 1 Pro (DCF with woven floor) + Footprint Mini Binder Clips https://amzn.to/47IJACR DCF Small Tarp / Ground Sheet https://WildSkyGear.co.uk Swedish Dishcloth for condensation 7g https://amzn.to/3vt3W4E TREKKING POLES Fizan Compact black https://amzn.to/3ggE1Gj SLEEP SYSTEM Sleeping Bag Rab Ascent 500 https://amzn.to/3NSMcnn Sleep Mat Thermarest XLite https://amzn.to/3L8r4Ym Trekology Aluft Delux Pillow https://amzn.to/3xwuhM1 Light AF Mat https://outdoorgearessentials.co.uk Mountain Equipment Ion Bivi Bag https://amzn.to/3uPjTSK RUCKSACK & PACKING Deuter Aircontact 60+10L SL Women’s Rucksack https://amzn.to/3MqRvcW Nylofume Pack Liner - https://outdoorgearessentials.co.uk DCF Zip Pouches & Dry Bags https://WildSkyGear.co.uk WATER & HYDRATION x2 1L Bottles LifeStraw 650m Filter Squeeze Bottle https://amzn.to/3TSeDVe CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR Boots Peter Storm Caldbeck https://amzn.to/3JtYPFp Scholl Liquiflex Insoles https://amzn.to/3QjoX9z Sealskinz Waterproof Warm Weather Ankle Socks https://amzn.to/4agqdT7 Waterproofs: OMM Women’s Halo Pants https://amzn.to/3FBI9Ja + Jacket https://amzn.to/3MimZCc Rab Women’s Nexus Hoody https://amzn.to/3oRMTG7 Down Puffy Decathlon Foam Flip Flops RIVER CROSSING / SWIMMING Hiking Sandals https://amzn.to/4eep3t0 Grey Microfibre Towel https://amzn.to/43qSZwh 💧 Back at home between trips, consider washing your swim clothes and swim shoes in products that are kinder to the water. I’m currently using Tru Earth https://amzn.to/40n1YMZ COOKING Stove https://amzn.to/3cM173q Gas https://amzn.to/3z5qV5L Stand https://amzn.to/3GLhHh4 Toaks 900ml Titanium Pot https://amzn.to/3j5Mwot Lighter / Matches https://amzn.to/3t0eRzN XBands https://amzn.to/43SVFE8 Black Microfibre cloth https://amzn.to/47ltZIq Opinel Pocket Knife No.5 https://amzn.to/45P33RH Tito Titanium Spoon https://amzn.to/3xgwcqi Bag for rubbish MED KIT Pain relief Antihistamine Plasters Torniquet (only use with knowledge of how to use safely) Wound Dressing Sml Bandage https://amzn.to/401pHUI Alcohol Wipes TOILETRIES & PERSONAL CARE Tissue Baby wipes Hand sanitiser Trowel https://amzn.to/3etBVz9 Brush https://amzn.to/3QIUumd Hair band Lip balm Talc Toothpaste Tiny mirror Mini Tweezers Tiny Pots https://amzn.to/3aJytgC Toothbrush https://amzn.to/2LqwgxY Sleep Mask https://amzn.to/3tD2lUs Ear Plugs https://amzn.to/40swCVh Cheap Sunglasses https://amzn.to/3q5wSwR TICK, MOZZIE & MIDGE PREVENTION Lifesystems Ex4 (tick treatment for outer clothing coming into contact with long grass etc – do not use on water clothes) https://amzn.to/38XozuB Tick Removal Tool https://amzn.to/3rHfkFp Head Bug Net https://amzn.to/3J0OAZf ELECTRONICS 20,100 mAh Anker Power Bank https://amzn.to/3jqTQr2 Headtorch Petzl Bindi (200 Lumen) https://amzn.to/3wl9DlM Thermometer https://amzn.to/3TMdw9n GPS / NAV / PLB / EMERGENCY Garmin Inreach Mini https://amzn.to/3sVBi9f Garmin Backpack Tether https://amzn.to/3sTRibM Map Compass https://amzn.to/3Ynir6t Phone https://amzn.to/3An5PQ7 Waterproof Phone Case https://amzn.to/3K7956B Whistle https://amzn.to/3uRvwbM FILMED WITH.. Camera Sony ZV1 https://amzn.to/3t4VamJ Ulanzi Wide Angle & Macro Lens https://amzn.to/3CC6Jaq ZV1 Screen Protectors https://amzn.to/3tYOnPA Rode Lav Mic https://amzn.to/44Qte8M Lav Mic Wind Muffs & Clips https://amzn.to/3TkNQUJ 1.8m Aux Cable https://amzn.to/3WIVsS9 128GB SD Card https://amzn.to/3tckuY8 Tripod https://amzn.to/3nxGg7p Mini Ball Head https://amzn.to/3UYGBlD Rain Cover https://amzn.to/3VctprU x2 GoPro 10’s https://amzn.to/3T9CDUB Wind Shields https://amzn.to/3TesuWA Screen Protectors https://amzn.to/3ww70Lf Dome Port https://amzn.to/3Su4kX7 Selfie Stick https://amzn.to/3zRjDTh Rucksack Mount https://amzn.to/32Ojy4M 128GB Micro SD Card https://amzn.to/3p8XQ0v Gorrillapod Tripod https://amzn.to/3u9Tb3j SAM the drone: DJI Mavic Mini Drone https://amzn.to/3rvF0SZ + an old iphone to control it – my phone not compatible 128GB Micro SD Card https://amzn.to/3p8XQ0v EDITED WITH.. Editing Program – Davinci Resolve Studio PC Vibox VIII https://amzn.to/3WaIUTG Monitor LG Ultrafine 32” https://amzn.to/3H6lXsg Studio Speakers https://amzn.to/4f2FOIs Seagate 12TB External Hard Drive https://amzn.to/42cSW7U Music in this Video
Thank you to these amazing artists for producing such beautiful music - it is such an important part of my videos and a joy to help me tell my lil adventure stories.. Aves – Homebrew Eldar Kedem – On My Way Gidon Schocken – I Owe It to You Llona Harpaz – Sneaky Tactics Rex Banner – Run the Place (instrumental) Kevin Dailey – Camerado Staffan Carlen – Run like the River Runs (instrumental) Helmet Schenker – The Secret Spring Osoku – Wanderlust Icosphere – Highland Monument Music – Lonely Mountains All from Artlist, Epidemic Sound and Uppbeat with license TRIP JOURNAL & MAPS - 2 WILD NIGHTS IN THE MOELWYNS DAY 1 It was a humid afternoon in early august, and I decided to start my trip in the Moelwyns with what I assumed would be a fairly straight forward wander, following a stream. In retrospect, I’m not sure why I expected this to be the case, but I was well prepared for this one with both a dry set of clothes and a wet set, and hiking sandals, which would give me better grip on the slippery rocks than my usual flimsy water shoes. This way I was well kitted out for travelling by both water and dry land – the wet clothes being free from any bug sprays or toxins, and the dry clothes treated with tick protection I started up the river in light rain, always checking my legs for leeches, and pretty soon found it impossible to continue any further due to fallen trees blocking the way. I put my dry clothes back on, scaled a drystone wall and traveled on dry land for a bit, following game trails before returning back to the river further up and out in the open The going was slow, and on this first afternoon I managed to travel only 2.5km before I realised, I was soon going to run out of daylight. I pitch my tent on some lumpy, soggy ground – the only spot available – arranged my things and heated up a home-made chicken curry as the rain got heavier. I always like to bring a tasty meal from the freezer for my first night. It’s heavy, but I don’t mind carrying it just for the first afternoon. It’s such a tasty home comfort and I love having some ‘proper food’ before the noodles, packet pastas and snack bars become my staple diet for the next few days I was close to a waterfall marked on the map, although I couldn’t see it through the trees ahead. Tomorrow I’d see if I could find it A big beautiful moth started dive bombing me, attracted by my head torch. After a fair amount of shrieking, I turned off my light and relaxed in the dark, with the rain pitter-pattering around me. Being dry and cosy in a tent in the rain is one of my favourite things. It was warm too, nearly 18°C at night! So, I settled down for bed with my door half open, comfy on my sleep mat, my head perfectly propped up by a big lumpy mound underneath the tent. Sometimes being on lumpy ground can be horrible, but sometimes it makes for a perfect, comfy lil nook  DAY 2 I woke from a deep and restful sleep to a warm sunny day, 18°C in the shade and perfect for continuing my soggy adventure. I was surrounded by ferns and purple heather as I mopped up the condensation in the tent, had a pastry and a chocolate coffee, and then got on my way. I’d aim to keep following the river, which according to my map would lead me to the Cambrian way, just a few kilometres north With the area around my camp inaccessible by land, I plopped back into the now mid-thigh water and contorted my way through and over a few evergreen boughs that were crossing the river, before arriving at the falls, which were not really waterfalls as such, but water tumbling over rocky shelves. I took off my rucksack and hauled it up a rocky shelf, before scrambling up and finding a lovely wide pool to have a dip in, a rest in the sun on my own private slab of smooth rock next to the water, and tuna mayo sandwiches for lunch I continued on upstream, moving slowly, assessing each new obstacle. At times I had to leave the water again due to impassable slippery falls or trees blocking the way, and then I’d be following game trails and at one point, trying to find the way under the leaves of 6-foot ferns instead. Back in the water, I’d ended up on my hands and knees, underneath low-hanging dead branches, crawling up the shallow stoney riverbed with my 15 kilo rucksack on my back and wondering what on earth I was playing at. I giggled at how daft it all was and at the silliness of my thinking this would be simple But before long, after a couple more scrambles and a bit more sploshy crawling, I finally emerged into the open, alongside the Cambrian Way. I had made it, and as I sat in the sun having a snack and a rest, I realised an entire day had now passed since I started up the 4km stretch of river. It must have been one of the slowest ways I’d ever traveled. It’d been fun, but it was taxing, and I was glad to finish this section. I donned my dry clothes, and wandered along the Cambrian Way, enjoying every dry and easy step. Cnicht rose ahead of me, his perfect pointy-triangular form dominating the horizon in the north east. I was now entering familiar territory, but I’d not had such good luck here in the past.. On my first attempt at Cnicht a few years ago, I came in from the west, and ended up shrieking, absolutely covered in ticks and barrelling back down to my car as fast as I could. I removed around 40 of them that had bitten on, and continued to find them over the days that followed.. in my bed.. in my car. Real nasty. That was the last time I would ever venture into the wild without tick treating my hiking clothes For my second attempt, I came in from the south, and a gust of wind whipped down the valley with such power that it flattened my tent. The poles had snapped in multiple places, and I packed up at sunset, hurrying back down to my car as darkness fell The third attempt didn’t even happen. I’d parked up on the Blaenau Ffestiniog side to the east, decided it looked far too busy for my liking and drove off to a different location in the Hebog range – where I got out of my car and proceeded to immediately dislocate my right ankle. I had just started out, about 10 metres from the car when it happened. I didn’t trip or fall, just a random snapping in-and-out of the joint that caused damage to multiple ligaments on one side of my ankle and broke a bit of bone off the other side. It was exceptionally painful, and I remember letting out a howl as the initial surge of pain ripped through me, but then the pain just.. disappeared. At the time I assumed this meant it wasn’t a significant injury, I thought I’d just overreacted to twisting my ankle, so I carried on. But I found out later that the pain had disappeared because my nerves had been overstretched and damaged, making the ankle go numb. I didn’t realise I was even injured until I saw the swelling and felt the dull throbbing the next morning. It would take months to heal and unfortunately, it would permanently destabilise the joint. Where possible, I was now hiking with ankle supports and high-ankle boots So, the curse of Cnicht continued. This time, I was coming in from a new route south west. I wasn’t sure if I would attempt the mountain or not. I’d see how I felt about it as the trip progressed. Seeing him ahead made me feel slightly uneasy, and I wondered if I would ever make my peace with this one, or maybe, it was just not meant to be I decided to part with the river here, the rest of which looked densely packed with foliage and entirely inaccessible, and have a go at getting up to the top of a big rocky hill, where I’d find a mountain lake for night two, if I could make it The way was beautiful, finding a route among rocky crags and heather, until at last the small lake popped into view. It was sitting in a shallow bowl, with the Snowdon range rising behind, the high peaks reaching into the clouds I pitched the tent and made myself some pasta for tea as it grew dark. My legs were now decorated with light surface scratches from the last day of adventures. There were four strange bangs from the direction of Snowdon.. loud, deep booms that sounded like explosions, and briefly lit up the sky above the horizon. I wondered what they could be, but was never able to find out. I poured over my map and debated where to go next. From here I could visit more lakes a little further north, and then head down eastward into the valley next to the west face of Cnicht. Maybe I could attempt Cnicht tomorrow? I wasn’t sure. I’d sleep on it, and see what the weather was looking like in the morning Thick clouds would roll in overnight, but before they did, I could watch stars twinkling across the sky over the lake, and the milky way hung above the tent as I fell asleep  DAY 3 I woke on day three not feeling particularly refreshed, to wind and a bit of rain. Summer had apparently gone. It was cooler and felt like overnight the season had flipped into autumn. I chucked my waterproofs on, packed away the tent and started heading up toward the other lakes to the north. The wind was buffeting and whipping around, and as I reached the next lake, the water on its surface was being dragged about by the gusts above it. It felt like winter and I cringed at the thought of swimming in the lakes, as I’d imagined I’d be doing on a summer trip in August. Cnicht behind me looked suspiciously dark and foreboding. I decided that it wasn’t going to happen. Cnicht, once again, was just not meant to be So instead, I’d follow the valley south. There was a ‘cave’ that I could stop in for lunch sheltered from most of the wind (this cave being a big slab of rock perched on top of other rocks – I’d no idea if it was a natural formation caused by rocks just happening to settle in this arrangement, or if it had been made by people as a mountain shelter). And then I’d continue down, dodging boggy ground, away from the mountains, looking for another waterfall marked on the map. I’d passed through the area before, but not investigated the waterfall On the way down I spotted a huge form of a figure, lurching along a ridge in the distance. I couldn’t work out why the figure was so big, and thought maybe I’d spotted a yeti. When I got home and could zoom into the footage, I could see that it was actually a person carrying a bike on their shoulders – how disappointing haha! As I dropped in elevation, it was pleasantly warmer, and the wind was easing too. I passed through small woodlands of tangly oaks and fern-laden ridges, admiring the beautiful views of dark mountains bordered by green foliage and berries In the next bit of woodland I’d find the waterfall, a two-tier fall. I wanted to explore the upper tier, which was mostly hidden from view, but this would have involved an extended amount of time being wet and scrambling up, and I figured it was too chilly for such a thing today and I’d have been risking hyperthermia, particularly if I’d have struggled to get back down again. It wasn’t worth the risk, but I was definitely going to enjoy the clear water of the lower falls, where there was a deep enough plunge pool to have a little swim, immerse myself in the wild water, and then find two leeches on my swim clothes. Relieved that there were none on me, I returned them to the water and went to find somewhere to pitch for night three. The tent went down next to a river. I wasn’t far from my car now, having completed most of an unplanned, 17km circular route. It wasn’t far, especially not for summer, when I’d usually be travelling longer distances. But it had sure been an adventure. I fell asleep to the sound of the river rushing by and the leaves on the higher trees rustling in the winds above. I was sheltered here, and cosy  DAY 4 My alarm woke me on day four, as on the last day, I have to get up and going, back to schedules and routines. It was still half dark, another gloomy morning, but pleasantly so. I made a coffee to go with my now four-day-old chocolate pastry (still delicious!) and had a paddle in the river Once again, I hadn’t succeeded in summited Cnicht, or even attempted him. But this trip was still a success. And I realised; I wasn’t covered in ticks. My tent was in once piece. I wasn’t injured. Had the curse of Cnicht finally been broken? Maybe we were warming to each other. Maybe next time, he’d invite me to stand on his shoulders, but we weren’t there yet, and that was ok  Comments are closed.
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