Penmaenbach Arete

I eyeball this ridge, as I'm sure most climbers do, every time I take the coastal drive on the A55 on my way to Snowdonia National Park in North Wales.

Its location though, on the outskirts of the park and being isolated from any other mountains, places it in the neglected category. This suited us as it looked like we had the ridge to ourselves for the morning.

We parked the car just after exiting the carriageway and myself and my climbing buddy Mark made the short walk through the small caravan park that sits at the foot of the climb. Unlike other popular ascents in the area, where the ridges are found towards the summit, the Penmaenbach arete begins from your first step.

The scramble is a grade 1+. Grade 2 and 3 scrambles require ropes or at least some more technical kit than just you and your inner Ibex. The '+' denotes the most difficult type of a particular grade.

The limestone ridge is a dream of a climb with plenty of purchase points. It's exposure, intimidating drops and the wild Welsh, coastal weather that can make it tricky.

However, the weather for us was perfect. A little cold, as the sun hadn't hit our side of the mountain face yet but the rock was dry and wind minimal. We took it slow at first, maintaining three points of contact and taking it in turns to lead, swapping every twenty meters or so.

The sound of the passing cars on the A55 below drew fainter the higher we climbed. Eventually, only the sound of the wind remained, which was now blowing less gentle at about one hundred meters.

We stopped on a part of the ridge wide enough for the two of us to sit comfortably, ensuring to take the time to appreciate a break in the wind, some Jaffa cakes (essential mountain grub) and the sun on our chilly cheeks which had now made an appearance over the skyline above.

Mark, being physically fitter, decided to up the pace on the final leg to the summit allowing me to take my time and some photographs. His silhouette, high above me on the ridge made for some cool shots.

I eventually joined him at the top to the obvious 'slow coach' style welcoming. We'd got to the top of hills much higher than this one but there was something about this 150m high lump of limestone that warranted the customary, summit fist bump more than ever.

The views from the top were incredible. The ugly road was no longer visible and the rolling green hills opened up in front of us.

Miles of North Wales rugged coast line, dominated the opposite view.

We hiked around the tops for a while searching for an easier, less steep route back to the car when just over the next brow of the hill we were hit with the best reward for our efforts that the day could offer. A string of wild ponies, grazing on the cliff edge right in front of us.

The wild ponies that make these coastal, Welsh hill tops their home have existed here for thousands of years. Conservationists, recently through DNA hair sampling proved that they are a unique breed when compared to other wild ponies in Scotland and elsewhere in Wales.

Their status was severely threatened in recent years when new born foals and many adults were wiped out by unusually heavy spring snowfall. Local farmers' efforts managed to save enough breeding pairs for the species to make a remarkable recovery.

To lose these guys from the landscape would be devastating.

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