Geoff Smith writes: In November five of us stayed in Coetmor Mill for four nights from a Monday to Friday.
With powerful central heating throughout, a beautifully equipped kitchen, perfect hot showers and a cosy ‘snug’ for the evenings it deserved the title of luxury bunkhouse.
Situated in the former slate quarrying village of Bethesda, just north of Llyn Ogwen, the Mill is ideally situated for all levels of walking from low level ‘walks’ to the tougher peaks although sadly the weather somewhat limited us.
We did have a reasonable day going up from Llyn Ogwen to Llyn Idwal, below the Idwal slabs where some of us had climbed when younger and fitter. On and up below the Devil’s Kitchen and on to the summit of Y Garn on the Glyders side of the valley, we were driven back from an assault on the Carneddau from the Conway valley side even before we had reached the top of Drum. The wind literally blew some of us over and discretion dictated a strategic withdrawal!
The overall summary was: it was fun, we will go again, there is so much to do in the area, but possibly in spring or earlier in autumn.
