This was our first backpack since my discharge from hospital a few weeks ago, a modest circuit with significant ascent to a choice deserted location in Wales.
Moel y Dyniewyd is little frequented, but is graced by a thin path on its western side if only because it appears on the Marilyn list of hills and is climbed by at least some hillbaggers from Beddgelert or Nantmor, though very few continue beyond its summit.
The main objective for this trip was to potter around one of our favourite areas of all time, the deserted, rough but beautiful terrain of Yr Arddu and its splendid lakes.
An easy day walk to aid recovery following a stay in hospital: a few weeks ago my lower left leg swelled up and I suffered stabbing pains on the left of the upper chest when trying to breathe in deeply. My doctor quickly recognized the symptoms, made a few phone calls, wrote a letter for the medics at A&E and told me to go there at once. His suspicions were correct: after some hours and several tests and a cat scan at A&E, they confirmed it was a DVT clot in the leg, part of which had migrated upwards and caused a pulmonary embolism in my left lung. The chief consultant organized a bed immediately, in the transplant unit no less, where I stayed for four days under close observation during treatment with clexane in case part of the clot reached the right lung. On discharge I was prescribed at least six months on Warfarin to help clear the lung damage, hence no mountain backpacks for so long.