Saturday September 26
Talk of Snowdonia usually revolves around the legendary mountains there; Tryfan, Glyder Fach, the infamous east ridge of Crib Goch, Snowdon itself... But a little hop to the east finds a gem that is just 139 feet short of the magic 3,000' mark. And that makes it happily neglected by the hordes. But Moel Siabod has it all. And on a day like this she looms ahead, as beautiful and enticing as any of the famous British mountains.
We meet no one on the walk in. The sun has brought what may be the last truly hot day of the year and the only company we have are buzzards and hooded crows, languidly riding the thermals the way I imagine condors might look in the Andes. It's an afternoon we never want to end. Everywhere we look is breathtaking. And Moel Siabod looks more inviting by the minute.
We choose the opposite end to the north eastern arete for a direct ascent straight to the summit from the western foot. A lone walker comes by, saying he gave up the scramble half way up, his head a bit messed up by heights. But the actual climb is more risky for small tumbles between the boulders that mark the last few hundred feet. You're more likely to break a few bones falling between those than shatter your body with a big fall, so I'm a lot more comfortable than I was on Tryfan or Crib Goch last year. And the views that open up to the south are a fantastic spur onward to work the lungs and keep gaining height.
Gaining the summit reveals a whole world to the north that demands future investigation.
Especially this distant peak....
Moel Siabod means 'Barren Hill'. But for me it's more of a jewel. And a living one at that. Somehow in the setting sun she seems to be calling us back. Maybe we'll answer her, when the days are short and the snow falls.
At only a shade over 6 miles from near Capel Curig and back, Moel Siabod will be perfect for days like that as well as days like these. There's even a cafe that serves the biggest chunk of homemade fruitcake in the world by the car park near the start/finish by Cyfyng Falls.
