Holiday at Beryl's cottage in Llanberis.
Monday 24th: Family expedition up Snowdon. Up the Pyg Track, and down
the Miner's track.
We were surprised to find the Pen-y-Pass car park full
at 9:30, but we were fortunate to reach the Nant Peris car park just in time for
the bus.
Looking up towards Crib Goch. Katie was relieved to learn that we weren't climbing that one.
The view back to Pen-y-Pass.
Plenty of rest stops on the way up.
We picked the best day for our expedition, but obviously so did everyone else!
... including those on the newly-reopened railway.
It was so crowded we had to wait for our slot on the summit.
Snowdon from Llyn Lydaw, on the way down.
A well-deserved ice cream while waiting for the bus.
The 8-mile walk took us 4 hours up, 2.5 hours down, with 40 mins on the top.
Tuesday 25th: After a wet start, we eventually ventured out, to discover the sun was shining at the coast, so we went to the beach.
Pete's birthday meal at the Italian restaurant in Canaerfon.
Wednesday 26th: Another rainy morning, so we stayed in and watched The
Sound of Music.
It was dry enough in the afternoon for a look round Canaerfon Castle.
Katie the show-off!
Lots of dark corners and spiral staircases to explore.
Mummy and Emily went up one last tower - Daddy rested his legs for his big walk the next day.
Emily saw this statue on the way out and said "Why is that statue covered in ice cream?"
Thursday: Pete's birthday 'day pass', a traverse of all 15 Welsh
3000ers - a classic fell-walking/running challenge.
The alarm was set for 3:30am(!) for a 4:30 start, to arrive on Snowdon's summit by
sunrise.
Stage 1: Llanberis - Snowdon - Garnedd Ugain - Crib Goch - Nant Peris.
The view from Snowdon at 06:30.
In contrast to 3 days previously, I had the summit to myself.
Snowdon from Garnedd Ugain. 06:40.
Crib Goch 07:12.
Looking back along the Crib Goch ridge to Snowdon.
Some slightly dodgy navigation found me coming down this way, costing me ~30 mins. Arrived at Nant Peris 08:28.
Stage 2: Nant Peris - Elidir Fawr - Y Garn - Glyder Fach - Tryfan - Ogwen.
Not too many exciting views on this section, because the clouds descended on
the Glyders.
They occasionally lifted enough to find the way though, and for an atmospheric
view of Tryfan.
Looking back towards Y Garn and Elidir Fawr from Tryfan.
Arrived Ogwen 13:20.
Stage 3: Ogwen - Pen yr Ole Wen - Carnedd Dafydd - Yr Elen - Carnedd Llewelyn - Foel Grach - Garnedd Uchaf - Foel-fras. (And down.)
Tryfan from Pen yr Ole Wen.
Y Garn.
The wind really picked up on the way to Yr Elen, giving some interest to the dull section of the route.
Foel-fras - The finish! 10 hours 29 minutes after leaving Snowdon's
summit.
(The full distance including the end sections was about 34 miles, in 14 hours.)
On the way down, the rain set in.
Friday 28th: Greenwood Forest Park. Lots of fun, including a 'human-powered' roller-coaster, which operated using an adapted funicular railway system.
Barefoot trail - in the pouring rain!
