Is a Thaw on it's way?

An unwelcoming sign.

I just came back to cardiff, and on setting foot off the train, I was greeted with a very unwelcome sign. Throughout this cold spell, I have used as a method of gauging the a 'coldness', the amount of times I fall over on the pavement between town and my house. On some days last week, this was topping 5 times, + near misses. Now this isn't down to any lack of walking or balancing ability on my part, more-over, the fact that the streets of cardiff have for the last week been plastered in what can only be described as horizontal WI3. Anyway, stepping of the train today and walking home, I didn't fall over once. I didn't even come close. The pavements have reduced themselves to a slushy mush, and the puddles are melting. I hope this doesn't mean a big melt is coming quite so soon, I was hoping for a bit longer yet.

That being said, sat in my student house typing this, my housemates refuse to let me use the heating, and my breath is clearly visable in my room. I'm wearing my liner gloves, vapour rise, and photon hoody, and i'm still shivering. Maybe things won't be so bad after all.

Having just converted my tools to leashless, I'm going to attempt to find Craig-y-Llyn in the dark this evening, wish me luck.

On another note, Jeremy Cowen has kindly sent me this clear topo of the routes on the N.Face of Pen Y Fan. Taken on a nicer day than mine, and from closer up, it's a bit easier to make out the gullies. My topo far below gives a nice general view of where they are on the face relative to the other gullies, but this one is quite possibly more useful when on the face itself. Especially if, unlike me, that majority of your winter climbs are in daylight!