THE NEW DECADE DAWNS

I had a lovely New Years Eve at the Beddgelert Bistro where I stay. And not having had any alcohol I was able to rise early on Jan 1st and drive out to make a simple photo record of a local snowy Snowdonia. Then, after a rest, enjoy my first walk of 2010.
Above: pre dawn as I stop to view the Glyders on the drive up towards Pen-y-Gwryd.

There was only one place I wanted to be to see in the dawn. The NE end of Llynnau Mymbyr near Capel Curig.
With Crib Goch looking superb as the sun rose.

Y Lliwedd from Llynnau Mymbyr

The wider view of the whole Snowdon Horseshoe from Llynnau Mymbyr.

Closer to Pen-y-Gwryd and Crib Goch at the dawn of the new decade.

A short drive down the pass towards Beddgelert and the waters of Llyn Gwynant
were lovely and still, with Moel Hebog behind.

Llyn Gwynant was a good place to reflect on the beauty of the Snowdonian mountains at the start of the new decade.

A final burst of photography as dawn became day. Here near Prenteg looking at Moelwyn Mawr and Moelwyn Bach.

And also a view of Cnicht, "The Welsh Matterhorn".

Moelwyn Mawr.

Moelwyn Bach.

Back at Beddgelert Moel Hebog looked lovely under fresh snow as I headed into the Bistro. There I took a much
needed rest break: I hadn't taken alcohol on New Years Eve, but had stayed up until the early hours!

BEDDGELERT CIRCULAR WALK VIA MYNYDD SYGUN

I left Beddegelert early in the afternoon sunshine for my first walk of the new decade. Not that the sunshine was
going to last! As I climbed I looked back up the valley and saw threatening snow clouds behind the Nantlle Ridge.

As I climbed the steep, icy and sometimes scrambly track a Welsh Highland Railway train headed along the valley floor.

I turned from the train to concentrate on getting up an iced up scrambly section.

Then I was on the top and heading along one of my favourite routes in the area.

Darkness was near so it was time to descend using the track that passes the Sygun Copper Mine Museum.

Night was falling as I approached Beddgelert along the riverside path.

Back in my room I looked out over the bridge where we had seen the New Year in, and saw that the valley floor had finally surrendered it’s status as a snow free zone. Gentle snow was falling as winter increased it’s grip on the first day of the new decade in an area that I have come to love so much.