Hi everyone
I was out in the hills this week for an evening walk and run. My intention was to head into the valley beneath Carnedd Daffydd and scramble to the top if there was little snow remaining in the sheltered crevices. I was somewhat nervous as I had failed to find the correct route the last time I was here and ascended by a very loose rocky steep area, that felt very dangerous.
I jogged along the valley bottom enjoying the sunshine, and as I got closer the thick cloud on top made itself known, I was still with an open mind, I was making good time, so there should be time to take it easy on the scramble, ever conscious of the darkness that would descend a few hours later.
I came round the final corner to the approach to the area I needed to follow to find the pathway – and low and behold the sun came through the clouds lighting my way in such a magical way that I could almost hear the angels singing – this way… come on now!
I checked my logical mind for verification there was no practical reason I should not follow this amazing sign, something I recommend to do with all signals we receive in the wilds, guidance should always be taken with discernment. All seemed well – time was good, no snow to speak of, not yet at a point of full commitment, I could turn back if I chose.
As I followed the light I came to a well worn narrow path – so worn I struggle to see how I could have missed it on a previous occasion. I felt very guided. And, as if to counteract the ominous feeling that accompanies low cloud often, an area of sky cleared to blue and the clouds took on the appearance of light joyful playful beings, more sunlight directing me onwards.
As I approached the scramble route finding was more difficult, somewhat nervous of ending up below some cliffs that were unclimbable, in thick mist, with limited time as the evening drew on. I trusted my intuition and picked my way up the cliff, in a zigzag manner, alert for possible blocks to progress and also possible areas of ascent I would not be able to descend.
Despite or because of my alertness I arrived on the ridge, where the scramble proper begins, a worn route clearly defined to the experienced, the low cloud and brisk wind no longer a problem – I felt exhilarated and made my way to the top. The rest of the journey was a pleasure, navigating off the summit to avoid these cliff areas, the back towards the edge for the views once out of the cloud. A wonderful evening on Daffydd.
If you are interested in the full set of photos accompanying this journey – look on my facebook page here http://www.facebook.com/SpiritualMountainWalking and please ‘like’ the page if you haven’t already to view other images as I post from other experiences.
Have a great month!