Snowdon With Friends From Kilimanjaro

[Ibex]

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In February I climbed Kilimanjaro for charity, with a group of lovely people.
We decided to get together and climb Snowdon together, and then have a bit of a drinking session.

Well we arrived on a Friday night for a curry and a few ales and then went to bed.
On Saturday we woke up to lovely weather for walking. We jumped in various cars and a van and made our way to Llanberis, were around 11 of us piled into a van and drove up to the car park in Pen y Pass. This brought back a few memories of Kili, but this time I didn't have to hold the door shut as we drove along.

We got out and started to head up the path towards Snowdon. Very quickly we were greeted with lovely views of Crib Goch, in the clear weather.



After a short while we reach the intersection for the path to Crib Goch and the Pyg track. I couldn't convince anyone to go up the arete with me, so we all walked along the Pyg track together. But I did find out later that day that one of our group works for the company that carved the stone way markers on the mountain.

We continued up the Pyg track and had lovely views of Llyn Llydaw and Glaslyn.


Looking down the Pyg track with Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw in the fore and background respectively

We got a good view of Crib Goch on the right and Y Lliwed on the left.


Looking up at Crib Goch


The jagged cliffs of Y Lliwed, over Glaslyn

It was an incredibly busy day. I have never seen so many people on a mountain before and there must have been close to a thousand. There were at least three charity groups of over fifty.
This made for slow going, but we stumped along and got near the stepped section which leads to the col. I had to climb around a whole group on their way down, or would have been stuck there for ages.

On the way up we came across a coule of wooden stakes, with coins pushed into their many cracks.
Here is one, pointing to the summit!



At the col we were confronted by many crowds and the arrival of the steam train.


Crowded ridge


The famous steam train (for cheaters!)

A brief trundle along and were were on the insanely crowded summit.
I got a quick picture of the trig point and a few others. The group went into the cafe to get some hot food. I reamained outside and ate my sandwiches with the many dogs.
Call me a misserable old git, but a cafe does not belong at the top of a mountain!


Wall of the cafe

Got some pretty good views in the fantastic weather. It as cool and there was no wind and great visability. Perfect day for walking!


Summit trig point


The path to the summit of Y Lliwed

Once everyone had come out of the cafe and put some more clothes on, as they were immediately cold leaving its warmth (not that I told them about it.....harrumph) we headed down the Llanberis path, to where we had left a car.
We got some fantastic views and I can't wait to go back there and do the Snowdon horseshoe.

Took a few more photo's before heading down the track alongside the train track and back to Llanberis.


Pyg track from near the top. Crib Goch in the rear

Took us ages to get down (past yet another cafe), as a few weren't used to the descending.
Had a good few more beers the night after as well. All in all a good trip, even though I fell foul of the Birmingham traffic on the way up there.

Seriously whetted the appetite for more hill walking!

[martin.h]

Nice report Ibex and some really nice photo's, Snowden certainly is a nice mountain. It can be a bit of a problem dodging crowds on a busy mountain but the views you got compensated for that and at least others are getting out and enjoying the mountains.
We managed 44 Munro's this year and I can quite honestly say, we probably didn't meet more than 30 people on all the mountains put together over the 5 months it took to do them.
Thanks for sharing.

[Ibex]

I don't mind a few people in hills, but this was a bit ridiculous!
I am used to people in the hills, as I have climbed Scafell Pike 7 times now. Don't mind a few people and if anything, like saying hi and having a little chat as I walk. But the sheer number of people on Snowdon was over the top.

I did a few days walking in the Cairngorms a while back. We saw about 5 people in 4 day! That was also quite nice.
The solitude was quite nice, I must admit. Makes it feel so much more remote and away from civilisation.

[johnkaysleftleg]

Looks a fine day out, all of the views I didn't get on Snowdon. I must agree with you on the cafe etc. Spoils one of the UKs finest mountains IMHO.

[Ibex]

Glad i'm not the only misserable bugger JKLL.

I got to sit with the dogs and listen to a group of Yorkshiremen moaning about how scary and how long Cirb Goch was. So I was well entertained.

We were definately spoiled with the weather conditions. Absolutely perfect for walking in! If only ever day in the hills was like that.

Can't wait to get back there and do the Snowdon horseshoe.

[SAVAGEALICE]

Good to see you're still getting out in the hills! cripes ..all those people!

[jackfrost]

Hiya - missed this report when you first posted it. Great photos - shame about the numbers of people. I think if I ever get down to Wales I will climb Snowdon at night for a summit sunrise, couldn't be doing with those queues you described. Scafell Pike was bad enough!