Last month I packed a bag and drove up to mid Wales after work – seven hours after logging off I arrived in a small car park at dusk.
I had a 30km loop planned around part of the Rhinogs, taking in a couple of the main summits, which I planned to walk over a few days. I had all I needed for a few days and a couple of nights in my bag as I set off from the car and began the walk in darkness.
I slept about an hour up from the car park, not bothering to find the lake I’d planned to camp at. The next morning saw me find that my planned route was basically impassible unless I wanted Type 2 fun, which on this trip I didn’t.
So I ditched the route I’d planned and just spent the rest of the day just being. I found a (different) lake and decided to just stay there all evening, enjoying an opportunity to just sit and swim in the mountains.
The next morning I woke at sunrise and headed up Rhinog Fawr, before (I thought) the day warmed up too much.
As it turned out, the warm weather departed earlier than expected and I made the decision to leave the mountains later that morning, already starting to get rained on.
I’d arrived in the dark on Thursday night and was walking back to my car late on Saturday morning, one night short of what I’d planned but happy to not be getting cold and wet.
A combination of the scenery, the lack of other people, the weather and the abandonment of the plan combined to make this one of my favourite trips to date.