7 January
New Year Resolutions are always good fun. Every year I try to make a few. In years gone by I have often vowed to get out into the countryside more. After my adventures of 2017 I don’t think it will be feasible this year to spend even more days in the fresh air!
Six days of the New Year have already passed by without a ‘proper’ walk. A fine weather forecast tempted me away from decorating the front room. Mind you it was not difficult to tempt me out. I like the painting part of the decorating but the preparation part is definitely tedious.
This hill is one of the closest to home. An hour and a bit in the car delivers me to the foot of the mountain and there is a gentle walk up a rough road. In the early morning the shadows are long. It was a cold, bitter morning. I was well dressed for the cold. I had a spare hat, goggles, spare down jacket, but I forgot a spare pair of gloves. If I had lost my gloves for some reason, perhaps they might blow away in the strong wind, I would have had to descend quickly. It was definitely not the weather to be without gloves. Perhaps this is a New Year Resolution I should make – better planning.
As the mountain is ascended there are extensive views all around over the barren, empty countryside of central Wales.
The tops of these hills in winter are like a different country from the green valleys below. They capture the cold weather really well.
The rocks are all encrusted in snow / frozen rime. The white of the tops contrasts strongly with the deep brown and grey colours of the lower slopes
There are a couple of people in this shot to give you an idea of the scale of the ridge
Too soon the summit trig point is reached
I cannot believe that it was only two and half weeks ago I was enjoying the heat of a Southern Hemisphere summer. That really was a different country.
If it is not too late – HAPPY NEW YEAR
Roger's Wanderings 
Good morning Rodger from Blenheim
And a Happy New Year to you as well!!
We have had a wet start to the new year – a tropical storm has created havoc in the northern part of NZ while we have had a couple of wet days and 50 mls of welcome rain. The sun is back and the temps are in the mid 20s so it feels like summer again.
A busy Christmas with all of our family here for several days – now back to just us again.
Cheers
Wendy and Russell
Lovely to hear from you. I can’t wait for the weather here to either dump a load of snow (I like snow) or become warmer and sunnier. Maybe I shouldn’t be living in the UK in January! Blenheim sounds more attractive.
Enjoying the hot weather in Aussie. Will send your snow photos to our friends and family in Penrith ,were we used to live. They experienced 47.3 temps at 3 pm yesterday. More 40 degree temps forecast for there today. Only 33 degrees in Port Macquarie today.
Glad that you enjoyed your walk. Yes plan well for the cold.
Hi Barbara, I read about those high temperatures in Australia. I just simply cannot imagine what it is like to live in such a heat. I bet you are glad for your air con this year.
Hi and best wishes for 2018 from the Beechs in Blenheim
Nice pic.s of the Wales high country, Roger. Reinforces our opinion of Wales as the tramping/climbing capital of UK!
Chris and Ross,
Hi Both, Thanks for the good wishes. Not sure Scotland would be happy by you giving that accolade to Wales. I am going to Scotland in the early summer before the midge season starts properly.
Wales doesn’t have midges – that is definitely in its favour!! Scotland has bigger mountains and it has snow at the moment but it is just a bit too far away for an impulse visit.
Love the picture of the trig point. The terrain looks rough in the snow. Ultreia. X
Now you mention it there is a feeling of roughness about the place. Suseia. X
Looks a great way to start the year.
Happy New Year Roger
Thanks Lee. I hope your New Year is full of unexpected and pleasant surprises.
All good things for 2018 Roger.
Maybe you might find the GR 10, along the length of the Pyrenees, an interesting proposition for 2018? Great for a mountains man! Takes about 8 weeks – and can even walk it in reverse from Banyuls and hook onto the Camino del Norte at Hendaye and on to Santiago.
Just a thought for 2018!
Best wishes,
Joan
Hi Joan, I never replied to your excellent suggestion. It is a very good one and it sparked my imagination. I have a hankering to walk the GR5 from Geneva southwards to the sea. If I could I would walk the Pyrenees High Route. I did think of doing this from the North and when I get to the Mediterranean then hop on a boat and also walk the length of Corsica. Now that would be a feast of mountains. For now I am off sailing and then later….. well I have a couple of trips to the mountains planned for this year but you know what it’s like. Plans sometimes cannot be put into action. I hope it all works out this year. Fingers crossed. This should be a more exciting year than last. Thanks, Roger