From the top of the North Top summit, an intermediate and non named summit was in front of the real summit of this 689m Welsh mountain. Seen with walkers on top: the first I had seen so far on this walk.
By now the very steep sides of the mountain were very clear as I headed over an exposed section to close in on the highest summit. Seemingly the very steep slope to the left, drops even steeper after quite a short distance.
I sat and had a light lunch on the main summit. In amongst more and more walkers who arrived from a South Westerly direction. Then I headed back the way I had come.
It seemed the done thing to climb to the summit of Cnicht North Top when heading this way. So I too went up the few metres of the steep rocky climb to the secondary summit.
I walked around the lake to find the correct route down to the valley, and was rewarded by a fine sight of the low December sun glinting across the ice.
I had seem other walkers a long way in front so followed their route in order to find the track down to the gully I had walked up in the morning. And looked down at a very steep and very icy decent!
It was just a case of going down very slowly and very carefully. Watching out for the frequent patches of solid ice that had welded itself to the rocks!
Taking care on the frequent and sometimes large patches of ice I descended. Passing these small falls that, I am sure, had frozen more since I passed them on my ascent a few hours earlier.
In still superb winter light I passed the bottom of the valley and looked backat the side of the area, above which I had enjoyed a superb day's hill walking.
