Snowdonia Weekend - 6th-8th October 2006
Despite the generous offer of 2 small cars from the SU, we finally managed to procure a couple of 17 seater minibuses to ensure everyone who'd signed up would make it to Snowdon...
Friday
It was almost a record start with people climbing onto the buses at 6.15pm! It was a bit of a squash with all the bags, but everyone found a place (just!) and except for Beci (who waited for a rather late James!) left Beckett Park ay 6.30pm. Traffic on the motorways made the journey longer than it should have been, but that didn't matter once we reached the cosy Jessie James Bunkhouse, found a bed each and tucked into a few well deserved beers!
Saturday
We all headed off to Pen-Y-Pass together, with all three walks heading up Snowdon.
The easy and hard walks set off together up the Pyg Track. A little way along the track the two groups split, the easy walkers continuing up the Pyg Track and the hard walkers heading up Crib Goch.
The medium walk set off along the Miner's Track, but at the lake turned off left, up towards Lliwedd Bach and Y Lliwedd. The pace was fast and it wasn't long before the group had reached the West Peak and was scrambling back down in search of a lunch stop. After lunch there was just the long slog up the scree to the top, but it was well worth it with the views from the top. The summit was in cloud by the time we reached the top, but that didn't take away the sense of achievement. On the way down most of the group managed to go the wrong way, continuing down the Llanberis Path rather than the Pyg Track. Well done Vincent - doing a special on your first ever weekend and on Snowdon has got to be a record! Perhaps it was the thought of the pub at the bottom that made him go wrong! The remaining 6 back-markers took the correct path back to Pen-Y-Pass to pick up the vehicles.
The groups all came together in the good old Heights Hotel for a few bevvies before heading back to the bunkhouse for a traditional Spag Bol (well, fusilli-bol actually) cooked by Steesh & Sara, followed by apple pie and custard (mmmmm). The laughter and beer flowed well into the night, and it was a surprise that everyone made it up on time Sunday morning...
Sunday
Everyone was up around 9am ready for breakfast and cleaning. In true Sunday style we left closer to 11am than 10am, but it didn't matter.
The hard walkers were dropped off in Nant Peris, where 14 started by climbing one of Wales’ next highest mountains. No leisurely stroll! Surprisingly quickly we all arrived on the top of Elidir Fawr to sit in a sheltered cairn and eat our lunch, whether it be sandwiches or liquid food (well, what do you expect with Mark, Steesh and Tom all on the same walk!)! We set off back down and at a fork, eight of the group decided they had had enough, and went back down to the car park (i.e. pub!). Six brave members decided to climb another peak – Y Garn. On the way back down with the choice of two paths we picked the boggy one. Well, we could hardly have a weekend without a bog, but we were soon out of it and walking down the steep descent to Nant Peris, where we had to wait half an hour for the minibuses from the easy walk – how easy was it?
The easy walk left from Beddgelert for what was described as being a "gentle valley walk". And so it started - a beautiful trail along the banks of the river, past a couple of small waterfalls. After a while the trail turnver left into the valley and a gentle incline by a disused copper mine. At the end of the valley we came out onto the edge of a hill, realising we'd actually climbed 300m! There was an incredible view of Snowdon from the top of Mynydd Sygyn, which hopefully offset the fact that it blantantly wasn't a valley! It was a pleasant walk along the top of the peak before turning back down towards Beddgelert. After a little confusion as to where the path was exactly, we were soon scrambling down the hillside (wait, wasn't this the easy walk?!) back into the village. Well done to those who were already tired before the walk and only came believing it to be flat...you were great!
Back into Beddgelert an hour later than planned, we soon sped off to pick the hard walkers up, load up the buses and head back to Leeds for curry. Unfortunately an hour delay in the roadworks meant that our e.t.a of 8.30pm soon slipped and it was gone 10pm before all the vehicles were back in Leeds. A small group of 8 found the energy to go for a curry, then it was the turn of Paul, Will and Lynne to take the minibuses back to Huddersfield...finally returning home at gone 2am! Exhausting, but well worth it for a crackin' weekend!
Prizes to Vincent for getting lost on the Llanberis path, Lynne for leading a Sunday stroll up a peak and Beci for getting sick on Sugarpuffs!
|
