Trip up Snowdon in Wales - Saturday June 2nd 2012

Well the time has arrived for us to head down south to Wales to meet up with some of our fellow Inca Trail trekkers.  Karen and Jules and Neil and Ty were to join us on a trek up Snowdon, and to reminisce our last trek together.  It is Friday the 1st of June and the start of the Jubilee bank holiday weekend.  This obviously meant that the roads were quite busy, leaving us with some delays.  It took 7 hours to travel from Arbroath to Llanberis in North Wales.  We arrive at our hotel to find Karen and Jules waiting in the bar, Ty and Neil won't arrive tilL Saturday.  After checking in, we met up in the bar for a drink before going to dinner.

Our hotel Padarn Lake is on the left. :)

Roy has been suffering from a displaced pelvis all week, so there has been doubts if he would manage. But loads of painkillers through the week and a massage from Lauren Beattie at Serenity Massage, Arbroath...and his back seems loads better.  We will find out soon...

After a good sleep and breakfast, the four of us set off for the Llanberis Path which leads up to Snowdon along the Snowdon Mountain Railway.  

[Snowdon dominates the ancient landscape of N. Wales.  It stands at 3,560ft (1,085m) and is the highest mountain in Wales and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain."  A place of legend, it is said to be the burial place of the giant ogre Rhita, vanquished by King Arthur.]

Ok back to our day's trek...the weather is overcast and very muggy (humid), so jackets came off before we walked anywhere.  After about 10 mins walking we arrive at the start.

We go through the gate next to a cattle grid and follow the steep road.  The road passes Pen y Ceunant Isaf, and then through a farmyard.  Shortly after going through the farmyard, we are led to follow the prominent path on the left signposted ‘Snowdon’.

  We come across some Welsh ponies, and after a photo we head on our way. (Heehee, look at their big scruffy Welsh mops!! - Jennifer)

The path is quite steep right from the start and very busy with walkers. (Anyone who has been watching The Walking Dead will find that last sentence funny...one day I tells you...one day!!!  Bwahahaha. - Jennifer)  It is pretty much impossible to get lost, there are too many people!!  After leaving the ponies we soon reach a mountain gate and a stile. From the mountain gate the path will continue to climb gradually and parallel with the railway.

 We continue along  this broad path as it climbs steadily. At this stage the summit is still out of sight, and seems a long way off.  The gradient at this point is also not too taxing and we make steady progress.

Looking across the valley from where we came, the views of the slate quarries are great!  As you can see pictured below! 

Soon, we reach and walk under the railway bridge.

After a while we hear the sound of a chugging steam engine working its way up the mountain side, it sounds more strained than we are.  Anyway, this seems like the perfect time to stop and take a moment to watch it pass...and take some photos. :P

The train runs every 30 minutes and the return journey will take up to 2.5 hrs, stopping for approx 30 minutes at the top, just for people to visit the summit and the cafe etc.  You can read more about this at the Snowdown Railway site. :)

After going under the bridge the path continues to climb gradually with the railway on our left.  We reach the Halfway House, where refreshments are sold in the summer months.  From here on the path will begin to climb more steeply.  We stop for a drink (Roy needs some pain killers to ease back as it has started to throb) and 5 minutes rest, taking in the amazing view all around us.

And we look to see where we are heading, it does looks very steep...and the cloud is low...but we are still smiling!!

We have come along way and when clear, the  view is good.

After the resting point, the path is again steep with pitching and steps!!

After awhile we reach the bottom of Allt Moses, where the path forks. We keep to the left and follow the path that climbs up the slopes of Llechog.

The path to the right was originally used to reach the copper mines on the slopes of Clogwyn Coch, but today it is used to reach Clogwyn Du’r Arddu. This is apparently the most difficult rock climbing face in Wales!

The ascent continues, steepening some what just before Clogwyn Station where you cross to the other side of the track via an under-bridge. 

Down below through the cloud you can see Llyn Du’r Arddu Lake, and a large boulder known as Maen Du’r Arddu sitting on its shore.  Legend has it that anybody who spends a night under the rock, will be either a poet or insane by the morning! (Yay, huzzah to the insanity part!! - Jennifer)

As we reach top of Allt Moses we will walk under the railway bridge.  If the weather was clear, once we had walked under the bridge, Cwm Glas Bach would have come into sight on our left.  But the cloud is so low you can't see anything. (Aaaaah, the pic below makes me think this IS The Walking Dead!! - Jennifer)

 We are now three-quarters of the way to the top and the next section seems un-interesting as we climb more steeply than the railway to reach the spot where the Pyg Track and Miners’ Track join the Llanberis Path.  The PYG track is both the shortest way up Snowdon, and the one that involves the least amount of ascent. Despite this, it’s not the easiest path up as it can be steep and rocky in places but the paths are generally very good all the way and reasonably straightforward to follow.  It is 5.5km in length and involves around 800m of ascent.  

The window in the clouds are great, and gives a good picture. 

It's quite breezy here, and a sheer drop into the unknown!!

The local name for this spot is Cwm Hetiau (translated ‘Valley of the Hats’).  When Victorian visitors travelled in the train’s open top carriages, the wind would take hold of their hats and down they went to the bottom of the Llanberis Pass.  Local children would collect the hats at the bottom and sell them to visitors in Llanberis!

As we walk nearer to the summit, the railway is right next to path.

But at last we have reached the top 2 hours and 40 mins from starting!  (YESSS, Daddy...REPRESENT Scotland!! - Jennifer)

Karen and Jules. :)

Now its time for a beer and sandwich in the top cafe!

After about 30/ 40 minutes we start to head down. 

Roy decides to change his socks. (LOL!! - Jennifer :D)

Roy finds a family of Westies! (OMG, look at all the Hamish's!!! *squeeee* - Jennifer)

It takes us about 1hr 30mins to walk down, taking in Roy's stopping to play with the Westies.  His back being surprisingly fine!! (I freakin' told yous...the Daddy is like Batman!! - Jennifer)

It has been a good day and we all head back to hotel for a rewarding pint...

...and dinner with Neil and Ty. :)