This weekend will hopefully provide low-cost introduction to winter hill walking and/or a warm-up weekend for those who have booked themselves onto the Cairngorm event with an opportunity to improve winter skills (but obviously snow conditions in North Wales cannot be guaranteed) with two full days of winter hill-walking in the Carneddau or Glyderau mountains. No previous experience of winter hill-walking is required, but everyone coming must have the necessary winter equipment.

The ULMC Caseg Fraith Hut (https://caseg.ulgmc.org/caseg-fraith-hut-information/) is located near the top of the pass between the Llugwy and Ogwen valleys (just off the A5, 3 miles north west of Capel Curig).It provides basic self-catering accommodation for up to 46 people in three dormitories with Alpine style beds (sleeping bags and pillows will be required). The hut does have central heating, flush toilets, showers and a fully equipped kitchen (with two ovens, four hobs, two fridges, a freezer, and a microwave oven), where meals can be cooked individually or in small groups (as will be the case for this event).

The fee will be just £13 per person per night plus £5 per vehicle per night for parking permits to park in the hut car park (maximum of 8 – so car sharing is advisable). It will be possible to stay for 2 nights, if anyone has to get back for work on Monday morning, and it will also be possible to stay for some extra nights after the weekend for the same fee (if more than 5 people want to do this). Staying extra nights may be of interest to anyone wants to enjoy some extra days in the hills or wants to make the travel to North Wales more worthwhile, but they will have to organise their own walks or other activities and they might also have to pay a low-utilisation surcharge (to cover the heating costs) if there are fewer than 6 people staying at the hut on any one night.

It is also possible to travel to the hut via public transport, by rail to Bangor (Gwynedd) and then the T10 bus service (destination Corwen) from Bangor Station, along the A5 to Gwern Gof Isaf Farm/Campsite at which the Caseg Fraith Hut is located. It might also be possible to arrange a lift to and from Bangor station if the bus and train timetables don’t allow for an easy connection.

The Club does own some ice axes (but not crampons or microspikes), which can be pre-booked, if anyone doesn’t have one. If there is snow on the mountains or the temperature falls below zero at any time (including overnight), everyone must have an ice axe as well as either crampons or microspikes in order to be able to walk safely on the mountains. So, anyone coming must be willing to buy or borrow an ice axe and (at least) some spikes, if they do not have them. If there is no snow on the ground or forecast, then the weekend will be a normal walking weekend and it will be possible to place a last-minute booking (during the week before) and come without without full winter equipment. It should be possible to check the snow conditions (in clear weather) from the hut's TryfanCam (https://tryfan.ulgmc.org/).

If snow conditions permit, we hope that a Mountain Leader, who is very experienced in winter mountaineering (having climbed the Matterhorn, amongs many other peaks and rock climbs), will be attending and he will be able to offer some informal training in the use of ice axes and crampons/spikes.

Follow this link for CWC Members Only Information on this event

Non members follow this link to the Website Contact Form

Winter hillwalking weekend in North Wales