Snowdon
Snowdon Trek. The 'Horse Shoe'.
Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales standing at 1,085m (3,560ft). It is located in North Wales in the Snowdonia National Park.
There are a number of ways that you can ascend the mountain. One of them is the train that runs up the back of the mountain in the summer months. There is also a trail that runs alongside the train track. There is also the 'Horse Shoe' - the real way to experience the mountain.
Preparation:
You need to start the trek as early as possible for two reasons. The first being the time that it takes to trek the Horse Shoe ( between 5hrs to 8hrs ) and the second being the car park. The car park which is at the bottom of the mountain has very limited space so you need to arrive there no later than 7:30 am to be in with a chance of a space.
We trekked the Horse Shoe in the winter so the right clothing is important. You will need a good pair of walking boot (with a Vibram sole), breathable coat with a hood and a high neck, jumper, hat, gloves, walking socks, light weight and warm trousers and a day back pack consisting of:-
- Food. High energy foods but not sweets. Good examples are nuts, energy bars, nut bars, fruit, chocolate, sandwich and water (not too much water because of the weight. I took 2ltrs but if this is too heavy just empty some away).
- Head torch
- Water proofs
- Survival kit (available in outdoor activity shops)
- Mobile Phone (in case of emergency)
- Remember to let someone know where you are going and what time you expect to return
The Trek:
We started walking from the car park heading for the foot hills of Snowdon. It takes about 15mins until you start to ascend the foot hills and then you get to look down the valley and see beautiful secenery.
About an hour into the trek and we began to realise how high we where getting as we passed through the clouds. It's all an amazing sight, but still no sign of Snowdon.
Remember to stop and have food and water at regular intervals. It is important to stay hydrated. Even though it was cold we were still sweating and we found ourselves constantly taking off hats,gloves and coats in the sun and then having to put them back on as soon as we were out of it.
The terrain began to get more rugged and less like a path. We had reached the ridges that take you Snowdon. This is where your heart rate goes up. A sheer drop on each side of the ridge and it looks like it going to be like this the rest of the way. In the distance we saw Snowdon for the first time and it was breath taking. The picture below shows Snowdon in the distance and the ridge that leads you there.
We walked and scrambled along this ridge for about 2hrs and finally reached the summit of Snowdon to be rewarded with an amazing 360 degree view of the Snowdonia National Park. Mountains and hills as far as you can see with the odd cloud below you. We picked a great day to trek Snowdon. It was a very clear day. If you go on the wrong day you can't see a thing so check the weather forcast before going.
The ridge that you can see in the distance to the left in the picture above is the way down. A steep descent down the side of Snowdon consists of lots of very loose rocks and a winding path. This leads to one more small mountain which from the top of you get your last look at Snowdon before finding the path back to the car park.
It was a great day enjoyed by everyone who went. The type of day that made you feel good to be alive and that is what all of the sports featured on this site are all about.
Want to find your nearest trekking and mountaineering club in the UK? Just check out the link.