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Since the excitement of the 45th Anniversary celebrations last May the Centre has remained bustling with life, with over 20 of our member organisations ranging from schools and Scouts to youth groups using the facilities, and that's not including the monthly Club Meets.
In fact around 230 folk have slept under its roof since then (well not all at once), many of them for several nights. And the place is looking and feeling just as good, the most recent mod con, the bathroom heater (yes, warmth at last) making the showers sheer heavenly luxury, and memories of the old bathroom more like an image from the dark ages..
A warm welcome to new members 6th Ashton Explorer Scouts from Tameside, Rydal Penrhos School from Conwy who discovered us one day last July en route to Cnicht, (“so we can actually stay at this place?”), Old UBMC's – University of Bristol Mountaineering Club's old (but not too old) students), The Flyford Benefice Youth Group, and Worcestershire's Outdoor Centre Llanrug who book in to Gelli Iago for an occasional night (of home comforts) in its raw mountain setting.
If you've ventured up the slopes towards Cnicht recently you'll probably have noticed large black beasts making themselves at home amongst the bogs and bracken slopes.
Changes in land management as organic farming takes hold in the area have seen the reintroduction of cattle by the National Trust, their big feet (the cattle, that is) helping to stomp out nasties like bracken, so encouraging the type of vegetation, and ultimately fauna, which has more right to be there.
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Emily Tustin reports:
“During October half term 14 Duke of Edinburgh's Gold Award students and 5 staff descended on the Centre
to ideally do training in preparation for our venture to Slovenia in July 2009. We completed the navigation exercise in Cwm Gelli Iago, which included a debate as to where to cross the river raging out of Llyn Llagi, and sheltering in the hafods against hail stones the size of peas.
Overnight there was a fall of snow and with the weather against us (or for us, as some may say) we tackled Snowdon via the Watkin path. By the time we had reached the bottom of the South Ridge we were in a blizzard - one group returned and the other pressed on over Yr Aran.
Returning to the house as eight snowmen it was bliss to remove wet clothes and steam in front of the fire. With the drying room full to bursting, emergency washing lines were hung before the fire to dry and warm those oh–so–important socks, while the boot waterproofer appeared in an attempt to keep feet dry the next day.
Halloween arrives early at Gelli Iago (30th Oct) and with fancy dress, apple bobbing and pumpkins cut out we celebrated the completion of our training.”
WINTER AT LAST? Interesting recent weather patterns have seen near drought conditions in early summer, flash floods in October with the lane by the quarry chest deep (we think, but not worth finding out) and impassable for a few hours, followed by heavy snow in late Autumn ...a real winter?
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