When making our Hillwalkers' club programme some six to twelve months ahead we are never sure what the conditions will be but we know that winter walking in the mountains may be good, bad or, occasionally, ugly! Our monthly club walk for February, in Snowdonia, was entitled ‘Llyn Crafnant and Llyn Geirionydd from Capel Curig’.

The preceding days had not been good with low cloud, cold wind and rain and prospects for our winter visit to Snowdonia not at all encouraging. However, to our surprise high pressure arrived and the night prior to the walk saw the skies clear and we arrived at Capel Curig to one of the best kind of winter mornings where the air is clear and cold, the sky is blue, a light frost covers the ground and the rising sun promises a fabulous day’s mountain walking.

We were not to be disappointed.

Following coffee at the cafe and with frost and ice patches still on the ground we started the gradual ascent of the footpath via The Pinnacles to Cwm Nant y Geuallt and to the top of the pass between Clogwyn Mawr and Clogwyn Mannod. The retrospect from this path is the classic view of the Snowdon massif over Llynnau Mymbyr framed by the mountains of Moel Siabod and the Glyderau. Climbing west above the pass to the summit of Crimpiau gave us the most stunning haze free views, not only of the Snowdon group but all of the mountains of the Glyderau, the southern Carneddau and our first glimpse of Llyn Crafnant. By now the sun had become really warm and a great deal of time was spent here absorbing detail of the spectacular three hundred and sixty degree panorama and, of course, taking photographs. Surfaces of  Llynnau Crafnant and Geirionydd were like mirrors and with blue sky, sunshine, pine woods and surrounding mountains, views around Mynydd Deulyn had an alpine quality. The view from the north-east end of Llyn Crafnant with the perfect reflections of the surrounding landscape and glints from the sun on the water was particularly memorable.

February days are short and as we returned to the top of the pass under Clogwyn Mawr the sun was getting low and the air was cooling quickly. On the way back to Capel Curig it became clear that we would see the sun setting on the Snowdon massif and from The Pinnacles above the village we were very fortunate to see the sun set dramatically between the profiled peaks of Lliwedd and Crib Goch and within a few minutes it was sinking below the skyline and backlighting the whole of the Snowdon massif. A stunning sunset is the end to a perfect day.

Timing is everything! Being at the right place at the right time on that day had confirmed the maxim that ‘you have to visit the mountains at all times of the year to see them in all of their moods’ and this winter visit to Snowdonia was very special and no exception to that rule.

David Pusey is a long time member of Snowdonia Society and Costain Climbers’ and Hillwalkers’ Club.