Snowdon

Walking... Keeping it Safe, Fun, and Enjoyable.!


Scroll down to see the walks...



A Fat Bloke Called Chris...

Well I'm err...a bit fat, and I love being in the mountains! I started walking a few summers ago, and the mountains really got hold of me. I love being up there, it really does let you clear your head and put the whole world into perspective. The views I have been privileged to witness are just breathtaking and I will never forget a single one of them.



Walking... Keeping it Safe, Fun, and Enjoyable.!

Walking is a really fun pastime, and I wholeheartedly recommend you try it! You'll see some truly breathtaking places, meet really friendly people and you'll get fitter too!

People of all levels of age / fitness can go walking it's simply a matter of starting with something not too strenuous and seeing how you get on.

However before you set of for a days walking there are some things that I would strongly advise...

Firstly, always,..ALWAYS...,did I mention ALWAYS?
Let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back. If possible leave a copy of the route you intend to take with someone and put rough timings on it too. That way if you were not to return in a timely manner someone is aware of it and has a rough idea of where people can start to look for you should you be in trouble.

Next get a pair of good walking boots..! Try them on! If possible (it may not be) wear them at every opportunity before actually heading into the hills. You'll want supple comfortable boots, blisters hurt! Waterproof boots will also be a huge bonus!

If you are heading into the countryside for the day, check the weather forecast, and dress accordingly. Layers are better than a thick jumper as you can regulate your temperature better by adding and removing a few. Waterproof outers are also a good investment... Something light that breathes but is waterproof will keep you warm when the wind picks up and its wet!

Have a map...have a compass... and most importantly learn how to use both. It's a lot simpler than most people realise but it is one of the best skills you can have if you lose your bearings. GPS units are handy too, but are prone to signal loss, and DEAD batteries can make them USELESS when you need them most!

Also get a whistle...get a REALLY loud whistle! In the countryside 6 blows on a whistle is the internationally recognised distress call, anyone who hears 6 blows on a whistle will come to help and summon any other aid you may need. So just blow 6 times, wait a couple of minutes, and repeat until aid comes. If anyone hearing you also has a whistle they may respond with 3 whistle blows.

Take food and most importantly WATER. I never go walking without at least 2L of water with me. Sip often and you'll really feel the benefits..and no you wont be running to the loo every 100yds dont worry. Your walking will have you losing water fast if you dont top up!

Take a mobile phone, just in case you need to contact anyone. (Though be aware that you may or may not have signal)

Finally it's not a race......
Take it in your own time...and stop often to really ENJOY the view!


SNOWDON - THE RHYD DDU PATH





Well it's been a while since I updated this blog.... (so many things taking up my time) but it's time to set that straight now, and with a truly magnificent walk.... The Rhyd Ddu path to the summit of Snowdon.

This walk included Me, Liana, Adie and Ross....and we took plenty of time and plenty of water.  It was a hot day!

The walk is one of the longest routes to the summit of Snowdon, but is blessed with some of the most spectacular scenery along the way and finishes with the south ridge approach to the summit which gives you some amazing views.

We set off at a leisurely 09:30 and followed the well defined path.  The amazing views start almost immediately and just slowly grow and develop as you walk higher becoming truly spectacular.

Beautiful views looking ahead or back...


The path starts fairly flat with a slow incline that to be honest we hardly noticed.
The sun however was suddenly very intense when ever the gentle breeze died down and we quickly had to lose a couple of layers.

 Water break...


Looking forward we could see the "zig zags" of some switchbacks higher up the ridge line, so we knew it would get a bit steeper further along.

Looking back to the car, more lakes were creeping into the view!


Ross did some rock balancing...


Once we gained the ridge proper, the summit vista was just jaw droppingly good!!!!!

The top is in sight....


In this image you can see the route easily following the ridge line off to the right hand side then sweeping back towards the summit via the "South Ridge" approach which joins up with the "South ridge" and "Watkin" paths later on.

Liana looking back at me with the south ridge approach behind her...


After crossing the ridge which is just loads of fun and perhaps the best views of the walk...(sadly the images did not live up to the "real eye" view so I didn't upload them as they wouldn't do justice, and besides... you need some surprise wow factor when you do this walk!)  But heres a photo looking back at the ridge line...

The ridge we just came over...


From here it not much further to the top!!!

Looking forward....
Looking back....
At the top!....



Posted by
Snowdon HorseShoe