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the Degree Confluence Project
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United Kingdom : Wales

4.8 km (3.0 miles) WNW of Blaenau-Ffestiniog, Gwynedd, Wales, United Kingdom
Approx. altitude: 518 m (1699 ft)
([?] maps: Google MapQuest OpenStreetMap ConfluenceNavigator)
Antipode: 53°S 176°E

Accuracy: 1 m (3 ft)
Quality: good

Click on any of the images for the full-sized picture.

#2: East #3: South #4: West #5: GPS #6: 150 and counting #7: Wojciech #8: Enjoying the scenery #9: Abandoned buildings #10: Old chapel #11: It's a BIG world #12: Low clouds

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  53°N 4°W (visit #12)  

#1: North

(visited by Gordon Spence and Wojciech Czombik)

28-May-2009 -- I collected Wojciech from Robin Hood airport, not as you might expect anywhere near Nottingham, but in fact Doncaster. Go figure.

We overnight at my house, I had booked a local hotel but the airline changed the schedule. One of the drawbacks of cheap travel I'm afraid.

To fuel us up for the day I prepared a Scottish cooked breakfast - all fried of course - Orkney Black pudding, Elgin fruit pudding, Potato scones, Bacon and Scottish pancakes. Plenty of energy all of which we would use later on.

After a pleasant but uneventful 179 mile drive we rolled through the village of Tanygrisiau and parked at the foot of the hills. Our attention was grabbed by an alternative musician - who only uses recycled materials for his drum kit - being filmed for tv.

We climbed the first fairly steep part and I stopped to show Wojciech the old entrance to the mine. After that it is a nice walk in to the CP. Past the lake, the old chapel and other ruins.

You can really get a sense of scale as you look back down the valley, you can also clearly see that the clouds are below the tops of the hills....

After the climb up the second very long hill and passing through the abandoned village we only had the final scramble over the moorland before we crested the hill.

It's there, somewhere, in the clouds. You couldn't see more than 50 yards away. Never mind, it doesn't matter, we are on the spot and that's what counts.

I had let Wojciech know that this was going to be my 150th visit, but unknown to me he had prepared a little celebration....

Wojciech started rummaging in his bag and brought out some plastic cups and a small bottle of Kurpiowski a sweet honey mead that we toasted our success with.

A truly international moment. A Scot and a Pole stood atop a Welsh mountain celebrating a global project. Fantastic stuff.

A very unexpected but very pleasant surprise. Thank you Wojciech, it is very much appreciated.

We document the visit and to celebrate the clouds lift a bit and visibility increases to 100 yards!

A steady walk out and off to visit two of our tour - 53N-03W.


 All pictures
#1: North
#2: East
#3: South
#4: West
#5: GPS
#6: 150 and counting
#7: Wojciech
#8: Enjoying the scenery
#9: Abandoned buildings
#10: Old chapel
#11: It's a BIG world
#12: Low clouds
ALL: All pictures on one page
  Notes
In the Snowdonia National Park.