Winter Climbing On Snowdon

Alastair BegleyNorth Wales, Winter Climbing Short Link

With the recent cold snap there has been a lot of talk around down south about the beacons coming into winter condition. As I had holiday which I had to take before Christmas I took a punt at the start of the week and booked Thursday off as it was due to be the last cold day before the thaw. However when Wednesday night came reports were coming from locals who had been to scout out the conditions on Wednesday and it turned out that nothing was in good nick so rather than spending the day at home we headed up to Snowdonia for the day, this involved setting my alarm for 2:15! We arrived at Pen-y-Pass car park at around 7 with a beautiful starlit sky and started walking towards Trinity face along the miners track. It was a beautiful walk in as dawn broke and then as we were walking around the lakes the sunrise started with a beautiful horizon and the top of Snowdon being kissed by the sun, it definitely reminded me of alpine days. Once we got to Llyn Glaslyn we noticed the waterfall up. Read the full article…

Climbing, Kayaking and Walking on Dartmoor

Alastair BegleyLandscape, Rock Climbing, Sports, Walking Short Link

I spent last weekend visiting university friends down in Exeter, I originally arranged the trip so I could have a whisky night with my housemate from last year. However, as is often the way it turned into much more and involved trad climbing, soloing, bouldering, walking, white water kayaking and even a bit of unexpected pluming! I headed down to Exeter on Friday night before heading to the pub and then staying with some of my best friends. On Saturday morning the weather was lovely so I headed out to Dartmoor with Steve with the idea of doing some climbing if it was warm enough or going for a walk otherwise. We arrived at the car park at Haytor and it wasn’t too windy so we decided to do some climbing so packed our gear and headed up to the crag. I warmed up by solo climbing “Bulging Wall” a VDiff which I climbed with Steve and Andrew back in spring, it also happened to be my 100th outdoor rock route of the season. It was the second ever route I have soloed and despite the climbing being easy it suddenly. Read the full article…

North Herefordshire Hunt Opening Meet

Alastair BegleyEquestrian Short Link

The main reason for me getting a SLR again was due to going evening with my sister and realising how much I missed equestrian photography. This weekend I had my first chance since getting my camera to get out and take pictures of people riding and it happened to be in the form of the North Herefordshire Hunt’s Opening Meet for the 2012 season of hunting. The weather in the morning was brilliant blue skies after a night of rain with a bit of a winter chill in the air as well so it was looking like it should be a good day, and despite warming up significantly during the meet it was a very good day out. The stunning weather actually made photography fairly difficult in the morning with the very harsh winter light creating large shadows and very contrasty photos. There was a great turnout at the meet both on  horseback and on foot which was nice to see, after the speech from the hunt staff about how the hunting would be within the law of the hunting act by following a trail which was laid we headed. Read the full article…

Climbing in the Peak District

Alastair BegleyRock Climbing Short Link

This weekend I headed up to the Peak for my gritstone induction. I had mixed feelings about the climbing before I went due to knowing the climbing would all be very short, hard on the hands, run out and involve lots of jamming, although all these worries were quickly put to rest once I started climbing and realised that I really rather like grit! As well as being my grit induction it was also the first time I have been away with the Avon Mountaineering Club who I joined a couple of months ago and it was a fantastic weekend, so thanks to Becky for organising it! The forecast for the weekend was a beautiful day on Saturday with a rainy day on Sunday so all the climbing for the weekend had to be done on the Saturday which meant a relatively early start leaving for the crag by 9. This would have been fine had it not been so cold, there was ice on the ground and all the turf was nicely frozen on the walk up to the crag in the wind, thankfully at the base of the. Read the full article…

A Week in Snowdonia

Alastair BegleyAviation, Landscape, North Wales, Rock Climbing, Scrambling Short Link

I have just got back from a fantastic week spent camping in Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. Heading up for a weeks camping in North Wales in October I was expecting the week to be full of wet weather and hill fog, I was very wrong with only one day being a wash out and only one day was spent with an annoying amount of time in hill fog. For the first two days I met up with the expedition society from Exeter Uni which I was a member of last year and who were in Snowdonia with 15 people for some scrambling. Despite arriving in the rain we awoke on the first morning to a fantastic sunrise over Tryfan and its North Ridge, one of the most famous scrambling routes in the UK for obvious reasons. Despite having done the scramble up Tryfan’s North Ridge about 7 times in the past 3 years every time I climb it I manage to take a slightly different route which keeps it interesting, and when the weather is good the views are spectacular and I don’t think I will ever get. Read the full article…

The Lizard

Alastair BegleyLandscape, Walking Short Link

I have just spent the weekend at the Lizard in Cornwall with some of my university friends from ExSoc who I haven’t seen since graduation in July. It was a fantastic weekend which involved little exercise, lots of unhealthy food, lots of alcohol and great weather with great company.We arrived late on Friday night so sat around the remains of someone else’s campfire catching up before heading to bed. On Saturday morning we had a very rude awakening from lots of chickens and ducks which I really did not appreciate!After a very leisurely breakfast we headed down the coast to Kynance cove where we relaxed, went swimming in the very cold water and then headed to the cafe for more relaxing and cream teas. After this we walked the half hour back to Lizard via Lizard point, the most southerly point in England. It was a lovely chilled out day which was needed after starting work and still getting used to the early mornings. We spent the evening around the campfire again before heading to bed fairly late and enjoying a nice lie in the next morning to let the. Read the full article…

The “New” Severn Bridge

Alastair BegleyLandscape Short Link

I have seen many stunning photos of a local landmark over the past few years on various photography sites but have never had the urge to visit at sunset myself. This week however my shiny new Canon 5D mark 3 arrived and put me back in the world of SLR ownership. After work when it arrived I was itching to go out and use it in anger. As it was late and the sun was setting I didn’t have much time so jumped in the car and headed out of Bristol to the new Severn Bridge which is about 15 mins from my house if there isn’t any traffic. As I was driving there I was dubious about if I would get a sunset as there was lots of cloud about especially towards the west, however as I got closer I realised the sun was sitting in just about the only hole in the stormy sky which made for a lovely sunset with some ominous looking clouds which I always enjoy in a landscape photo rather than just a plain “normal” sky. However, I have always found conditions like these. Read the full article…

Day trips climbing in far away places

Alastair BegleyRock Climbing Short Link

On Monday I start working at Rolls-Royce so I have been making the most of the last few weeks where I am free to go off climbing whenever the weather allows. Due to lots of unsettled weather over the past week I have been on two day trips to venues slightly further away than most people would call day trips as last week I headed down to Swanage in Dorset and yesterday headed to Baggy Point in North Devon both of which are around a 2.5 hour drive from Bristol. On arriving at Swanage we headed straight to the Boulder Ruckle which is approached by a very committing 40m free hanging abseil, which was made even more committing due to the fact that with high tide and the swell the easiest route out was the route I was planning on climbing combined with the fact that we were the only people there. The first route that we climbed was Lightning Wall a HVS 5a, the climb went up a groove to a huge overhang which was then avoided by traversing left to a line of weakness and some very committing. Read the full article…