Wales December 2010
From ICCC
People
- Tom “ice axe” Haywood
- Will “supper not tea” Eldred
- Rachel “master chef” Fox
- Ally “master chef” Cott
- Tim “cold crotch” Mills
- Paraic “ my sleeping bag is definitely not in the bus” Scanlon
- Helen “tea not supper” Cinnamond
- Alby “lets make it into a straw” Roseveare
- Ming
- Patrick “Welshman” Clissold
- Selection of porridge eating mountaineers
Trip Report
Having left London early on Friday afternoon (after a colourful and Christmassy canoe social in Brick Lane the night before) Alby and Tom arrived at the hut a couple of hours before the bus to get the fire going and start on the beer. To our surprise Snowdonia was completely snow-less and very dry so there was concern that nothing much would be paddleable. The bus arrived in the early hours – successfully beating the mountaineers in a neck and neck race to the finish – and catch up and drinking commenced. Rachel and Ally manned the baby Belling and baked the best tasting chocolate hut-cake known to Wales which was quickly devoured by paddlers, much to the envy of the mountaineers. Potato peeling and hut decoration was undertaken in preparation for Saturday night’s feast to come. After successfully beating the mountaineers at the who-can-stay-up-the-latest game we settled down in sleeping bags (except for Paraic whose bag definitely wasn’t in the bus) for a cosy nights' sleep.
Breakfast was cooked late but savoured and eaten slowly in front of a large audience of porridge eaters. We set off to the Tryweryn and were joined by Patrick at the centre. Tom, Paraic, Patrick, Will and Alby ran the upper quickly whilst the rest got changed by the bus. Lots of paddlers were here due to the low water everywhere else. The rest of the group got on by the car park (with Will and Ming in the duo) and we tootled down the lower with nothing much more than a couple of swims whilst trying to avoid the record number of strainers across the water. Arriving at Bala Mill Falls everybody got out to inspect and some got more than they bargained for with Patrick’s drama of ‘saving’ a drowning sheep from the water. Is it easier to lift heavy things if you hold them right in front of your crotch (?). Most ran the falls and we headed down to the get out where we met Helen who had walked out half way looking much warmer than the rest of us.
On returning to the hut, and having waited until the mountaineers had finished their generic tomato and meat based dinner Rachel and Ally banished all from the kitchen and produced an amazing Christmas spread – roasted potatoes, roasted purple potatoes, carrots, broccoli, beans, sprouts, stuffing, pigs in blankets, rosemary infused slow cooked beef joint and gravy. With Christmas pudding accompanied by brandy butter and cream or loads of mince pies for dessert. Paraic, Ming and Tim all completed the ladder for the first time (Paraic even managed to keep his trendy hat on for most of the way up) and Tom gave the mountaineers a run for their money at their own task. Mood lighting was provided by Fresher of the mountaineers and the mandatory game of ring of fire was ‘mixed up’ with the inclusion of a friendly looking toy we found.
Waking late on Sunday, we set off for the Dee after breakfast and got on using the long and frosty shoot down the hill. Helen and Ming headed into Llangollen for a cup of tea. The water was very cold as Tim found out on the first swim – ripping a head sized hole in the crotch of an old pair of dry trousers as he fell in. With a nice few drops and enough water the paddle down was enjoyed by all. Finding a nice wave near Paddleworks Alby thought he’d try to surf in the middle of Rachel’s line which ended in an interesting hand rolling munch. Sorry Rachel. All ran Town Falls by the bridge in Llangollen and carried on to the get out.
After a quick take away dinner (not from the favourite chippy as it was closed!) we set off home having had a brilliant final trip of the year.
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