Blue tit x 8

Coal tit x 2

Greater spotted woodpecker x 1

Sparrow x 1

Robin x 3

Great tit x 1

Cup of tea x 1

Biscuits x 2

Ipod x 1

Listened to  LCD soundsystem 45:33 remixes and Four tet “there is love in you”

One hour  and a bit spent watching the birds very good for the mind and body.

Over the weekend of the 30th and 31st January the RSPB are asking you to spend one hour recording the number and species of birds that visit your garden or park, more details at www.rspb.org.uk

It seems fitting that just when we change the name of our cottage to Tyr Adar (house of birds) that we take part, so tomorrow morning I will be spending one hour watching the birds.

results posted tomorrow.

Cadair Idris - imposing enough without snow

Respect to this weekend’s guests in our holiday cottage, Gavin, Anna, Dave, Jen and Mark, who climbed Cadair Idris in arctic conditions yesterday.  Not only that, but they went up the hard way, tackling the scree slopes of the Fox’s Path.  Although the mountain was covered in ice and snow, it was a stunning day here and they were fully prepared with ice axes and crampons.

Cadair Idris rises up to 893 metres right behind Graig Wen - you can walk to the peak  from here or drive to the start of the Pony Track, a relatively easy route, within just a few minutes.  The name means “Chair of Idris” - the giant Idris watches over the area from his mountain perch.  The mountain lakes are rumoured to be bottomless and legend has it that if you sleep overnight on the summit, you will wake either a mad or a poet.

One of our last tent campers of the season, back in November, had spent the previous night  pitched on Cader in the first snow of the winter. Madman or poet…you decide.

After yesterday’s snow we couldn’t resist the urge to get out and enjoy it. Sarah’s sledge, a real vintage model that apparently has been handed down from mother to daughter since the dawn of time, was recovered from the garage and we set off  to the lower fields.

We decided to add a little bit of competetive spirit to our sledgeing and a course was devised that started from Valley view pitch to Coppice Corner (for those who haven’t camped with us basically the full length of our first fields).  Obstacles included snow covered fire pits, a narrow gap in the wall, sheep and a few defrosted sheep poos, and a highly strung terrier.

Sarah’s technique consisted of screaming, whooping and a wealth of sledging experience. I took on a more scientific approach trying to use small adjustments of body weight and deploying the feet as a form of rudder to steer the speeding sledge.

The results, she wiped the floor with me !!

Ruins at Cwmorthin

The best sort of winter day…sparkling white mountains and cloudless blue sky.  We slipped our way up an icy path high above Blaenau Ffestiniog to the ruined houses of Cwmorthin.  The abandoned slate quarry buildings stood black and eerie today against the white landscape. The treacherous skin of ice on Llyn Cwmorthin was causing a cormorant no end of frustration.  My six layers of clothing just about did the trick but could have done with spiked boots on the way back down.  Stunning place, can’t wait to go back to explore some more.

Slate fence at Cwmorthin