Rambling On Blog
24/01/2026
APRIL 2025 - ADVENTURES WITH FRIENDS
I mostly walk alone with Nala, partly because I love the solitude and the freedom to simply go whenever the mood takes me, without waiting for an invitation or coordinating diaries. That independence is really important to me. But I also love company, or rather the right company, company that is easy and natural. I’m lucky to have a small handful of walking friends who I’m lucky to have in my life.
One of the things I genuinely love is following friends’ adventures and personal challenges, and rooting for them along the way. It’s always a real pleasure, and a privilege, to be even a small part of someone else’s journey.
My friend Caroline is working her way through the Welsh Nuttalls (mountains over 2000ft), a challenge I completed myself the previous year and I joined here in Mid Wales to tick off 5 Nuttalls in the Pumlumon range. We devised a route that would take in all five summits in a single day.
It turned out to be a great day out on the hills, but also tinged with sadness when we witnessed the extent of the wild fires in the area. Just below the summit of Pumlumon itself, we met a man on the Cambrian Way who had been forced to divert his route to avoid fires further south, and as we walked we could see more smoke stretching northwards. It was a stark reminder of how fragile these landscapes are.
The Cambrian Way itself has been on my radar for quite some time. Nearly 300 miles from Cardiff to Conwy, it passes through some of the wildest and most remote mountain landscapes in Wales. It’s often described as the “mountain connoisseur’s route”, and it’s easy to see why, passing over the Brecon Beacons peaks and over Eryri’s highest peaks.
The man we met doing the Cambrian Way was five days into the route. He spoke about how remote and challenging it was. I’d already had a taste of it a couple of years ago, when I walked for a few days in the Black Mountains, and that section alone was remote and thoroughly enjoyable.
At the moment, it’s the logistics that hold me back doing it myself. I’d need someone to look after Nala for around three weeks while I’m away. As much as I’d love to take her with me, carrying enough food and water for both of us could be a bit too much to manage. There’s also the added stress of obstacles along the way, barbed wire fences in particular can be a real problem, and it’s something I’ve struggled with before when she’s been with me. On a long-distance walk, that’s probably an extra stress I could do without.
Still, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’m hopeful I can make it happen at some point, sooner rather than later. Until then, I’ll keep planning, dreaming, and staying inspired by those already out there putting one foot in front of the other and making it happen.
One of the Welsh Nuttalls Caroline was particularly nervous about was Crib Goch which is a knife-edge ridge in the Snowdon range that she would have to do if she were to complete all the Nuttalls. We waited for a dry, calm day to do it. A mutual friend of ours, Mervyn, who we’ve both walked with for years also joined us. I’ve done Crib Goch around twelve times over the years, and Mervyn probably more times than me, so we were roped in to give Caroline some moral support.
I’ve accompanied a few friends on their first traverse of Crib Goch over the years, and I get so much pleasure from seeing the sense of achievement and sheer happiness that comes from being up there, especially when it’s something that can be pretty nerve wracking for some. I remember being nervous the day I first did it, it's that feeling of not really knowing what to expect as you read so many differing versions of what it's like. I was accompanied by a lovely friend called Tom back in 2010 on a beautiful weather day and had the best time ever. But back to today! Mervyn and I took turns taking the lead up the first section which leads up to the main ridge where there were sections of scrambling. Once we were on the ridge itself, Mervyn stayed close behind Caroline while I stayed in front, and we moved slowly and steadily across, with Mervyn calmly talking her through.
It was a stunning day. The views from Crib Goch are to die for, it really is a fabulous place to be. I’ve also been up there in far less forgiving conditions. One of the things I did to celebrate turning fifty was the Welsh 3000s, joined by friends who had booked time off work, meaning the date couldn’t change. The weather that day was horrendous with rain and wind from start to finish and we were soaked through at times. I wouldn’t normally choose to do Crib Goch in those conditions, and I remember feeling very relieved when we had that section behind us. But this day was the complete opposite: calm, dry, and pretty much the best weather you could hope for.
From Crib Goch we moved on to Crib y Ddysgl, another scramble, and then onto Garnedd Ugain, with its rather sorry-looking trig point. Making the most of such a perfect day, we decided to complete the full Snowdon Horseshoe, over Snowdon itself, down the start of the Watkin Path, and then back up Y Lliwedd, which involves more (though easier) scrambling. It’s a long route, but every step is a joy especially in the weather we had. Spirits stayed high throughout the day, even when legs started to get tired.
On the descent from Y Lliwedd, Mervyn suggested a dip in Llyn Llydaw. Caroline isn’t interested in cold-water dipping, but I’ve been doing it for several years although I hadn’t kept it up through the previous winter and had definitely lost my acclimatisation. I did go in with Mervyn, but oh my goodness, I really felt the cold. It took my breath away and prompted several very vocal “oooh, oooh, ooohs,” much to Caroline and Mervyn’s amusement. They didn’t let me forget it either, I’ve even had a voicemail from Caroline since, consisting solely of “oooh, oooh, oooh.” That day made me determined to get my cold-water acclimatisation back! I used to be able to walk straight into ice-covered lakes without a fuss at all. It’s amazing how quickly you can lose it.
From there, we headed back to the cars and drove down to the Vaynol Arms for a celebratory meal, all of us with our souls well and truly full. Every time we get together, Mervyn always reminds us of this quote from the book Big Panda and Tiny Dragon.
“Which is more important, the journey or the destination?”
and the answer is “The company”
All three of us would soon be getting together again for another challenge we had been discussing for a few years which we were determined to complete this year.
My friend Caroline is working her way through the Welsh Nuttalls (mountains over 2000ft), a challenge I completed myself the previous year and I joined here in Mid Wales to tick off 5 Nuttalls in the Pumlumon range. We devised a route that would take in all five summits in a single day.
It turned out to be a great day out on the hills, but also tinged with sadness when we witnessed the extent of the wild fires in the area. Just below the summit of Pumlumon itself, we met a man on the Cambrian Way who had been forced to divert his route to avoid fires further south, and as we walked we could see more smoke stretching northwards. It was a stark reminder of how fragile these landscapes are.
The Cambrian Way itself has been on my radar for quite some time. Nearly 300 miles from Cardiff to Conwy, it passes through some of the wildest and most remote mountain landscapes in Wales. It’s often described as the “mountain connoisseur’s route”, and it’s easy to see why, passing over the Brecon Beacons peaks and over Eryri’s highest peaks.
The man we met doing the Cambrian Way was five days into the route. He spoke about how remote and challenging it was. I’d already had a taste of it a couple of years ago, when I walked for a few days in the Black Mountains, and that section alone was remote and thoroughly enjoyable.
At the moment, it’s the logistics that hold me back doing it myself. I’d need someone to look after Nala for around three weeks while I’m away. As much as I’d love to take her with me, carrying enough food and water for both of us could be a bit too much to manage. There’s also the added stress of obstacles along the way, barbed wire fences in particular can be a real problem, and it’s something I’ve struggled with before when she’s been with me. On a long-distance walk, that’s probably an extra stress I could do without.
Still, where there’s a will, there’s a way. I’m hopeful I can make it happen at some point, sooner rather than later. Until then, I’ll keep planning, dreaming, and staying inspired by those already out there putting one foot in front of the other and making it happen.
One of the Welsh Nuttalls Caroline was particularly nervous about was Crib Goch which is a knife-edge ridge in the Snowdon range that she would have to do if she were to complete all the Nuttalls. We waited for a dry, calm day to do it. A mutual friend of ours, Mervyn, who we’ve both walked with for years also joined us. I’ve done Crib Goch around twelve times over the years, and Mervyn probably more times than me, so we were roped in to give Caroline some moral support.
I’ve accompanied a few friends on their first traverse of Crib Goch over the years, and I get so much pleasure from seeing the sense of achievement and sheer happiness that comes from being up there, especially when it’s something that can be pretty nerve wracking for some. I remember being nervous the day I first did it, it's that feeling of not really knowing what to expect as you read so many differing versions of what it's like. I was accompanied by a lovely friend called Tom back in 2010 on a beautiful weather day and had the best time ever. But back to today! Mervyn and I took turns taking the lead up the first section which leads up to the main ridge where there were sections of scrambling. Once we were on the ridge itself, Mervyn stayed close behind Caroline while I stayed in front, and we moved slowly and steadily across, with Mervyn calmly talking her through.
It was a stunning day. The views from Crib Goch are to die for, it really is a fabulous place to be. I’ve also been up there in far less forgiving conditions. One of the things I did to celebrate turning fifty was the Welsh 3000s, joined by friends who had booked time off work, meaning the date couldn’t change. The weather that day was horrendous with rain and wind from start to finish and we were soaked through at times. I wouldn’t normally choose to do Crib Goch in those conditions, and I remember feeling very relieved when we had that section behind us. But this day was the complete opposite: calm, dry, and pretty much the best weather you could hope for.
From Crib Goch we moved on to Crib y Ddysgl, another scramble, and then onto Garnedd Ugain, with its rather sorry-looking trig point. Making the most of such a perfect day, we decided to complete the full Snowdon Horseshoe, over Snowdon itself, down the start of the Watkin Path, and then back up Y Lliwedd, which involves more (though easier) scrambling. It’s a long route, but every step is a joy especially in the weather we had. Spirits stayed high throughout the day, even when legs started to get tired.
On the descent from Y Lliwedd, Mervyn suggested a dip in Llyn Llydaw. Caroline isn’t interested in cold-water dipping, but I’ve been doing it for several years although I hadn’t kept it up through the previous winter and had definitely lost my acclimatisation. I did go in with Mervyn, but oh my goodness, I really felt the cold. It took my breath away and prompted several very vocal “oooh, oooh, ooohs,” much to Caroline and Mervyn’s amusement. They didn’t let me forget it either, I’ve even had a voicemail from Caroline since, consisting solely of “oooh, oooh, oooh.” That day made me determined to get my cold-water acclimatisation back! I used to be able to walk straight into ice-covered lakes without a fuss at all. It’s amazing how quickly you can lose it.
From there, we headed back to the cars and drove down to the Vaynol Arms for a celebratory meal, all of us with our souls well and truly full. Every time we get together, Mervyn always reminds us of this quote from the book Big Panda and Tiny Dragon.
“Which is more important, the journey or the destination?”
and the answer is “The company”
All three of us would soon be getting together again for another challenge we had been discussing for a few years which we were determined to complete this year.
