Snowdon Wales

Friday 2nd August 2019.

Three year's have gone since I took on the challenge of walking the National three peaks in 24hours.

The challenge was completed 23h 40 minute's, as it should have been, unfortunately for me I slipped on the way down from the first mountain Ben Nevis, I didn't realise at the time but it made walking Scafell Pike rather painful, when we arrived at Snowdonia ready to finish the last mountain, I knew I wouldn't get up there and even if I could have, I would have slowed to rest of the team to beat the challenge.

I missed the opportunity to climb all three peaks, I said at the time I would return to finish the walk.

Three year's have passed since then, I have walked alot of wonderful paths and became a lot fitter, but I was still needing to complete the third mountain I couldn't walk up that night.

2019 was going to be the year, when I told the family I was planning walking it whilst combining a planned trip to Liverpool, I was very surprised to hear that my 10 year old son Michael had asked if he could walk it with me, why wouldn't I want him to have the opportunity to do something like that.

So a night in Shrewsbury before the drive to Snowdonia National Park.

We arrived at Snowdon at 11.30am having dropped off my wife in Betws y coed, a lovely little Welsh village about twenty minutes away, she was just going to chill and enjoy the peace.

We parked in the park and ride and took the Sherpa bus back up the hill, once dropped off we start to walk along the Pyg track, my son quickly realised this wasn't just a little stroll along the river on a Sunday afternoon, but he was certainly up for it😄

We make a pretty good start, it's hot today, around 23 degree's so it isn't going to be easy.

After a good 45 minutes we reach the top of the first phase, the lakes come into view on the other side of the mountain and it's an impressive view, a quick drink and we push on along a bit of a flat area for a little while.

One thing is for sure though the uphill walking never stops until you reach the top, as we get to the point where the miner's track meets ours we can clearly see the summit of Snowdon is still along way off, up we go over rocks and uneven paths, it definitely gets more difficult as you get higher, I'm now dripping wet and my son is just plodding on like he's walked ten if these, two hours in still not there but it's getting closer, the fog is moving in right over the summit, we are just hoping we can appreciate the view when we get there, still we climb with all the other thrill seekers, when we get to the train track and join the Llanberis track, lots of people are in front of us, pushing up the last bit to the summit, a train goes past taking people to the top, what a site to even see it up there.

At 2pm we reach the summit of Snowdon, clouds are starting to cover the top, we wait to touch the trig point and take the obligatory selfie, 2.5 hours to climb Snowdon a 47 year old and a 10 year old, I'm really impressed that Michael has done it and enjoyed it.

Now for a cuppa and a pie in the cafe, Michael has a look in the gift shop, obviously he needs to buy something, rested and gifts bought, it's time to go back down.

it's now 3pm we take the same route until we get to the miner's path, then we descend down to the lakes at the bottom and take the fantastic walk back that way, we don't arrive back to the car park until 5 o'clock, both tired, we get straight onto the Sherpa bus back down to the car.

A phone call to my wife now reception has returned, we head back to collect her, having read 32 chapters of her book and enjoyed the sun, she's in good spirits.

All back together, we drive into Liverpool for a concert the next day.

So it took three years to go back and finish the three peaks, I didn't dream of doing it with my youngest, what a truly amazing place Snowdonia is, It was a brilliant experience shared with my little boy, already we are planning to return to North Wales, Snowdonia in particular, look forward to explore the area more soon.

Love Snowdonia 😄