I arrived in Llanberis on a Monday, completely awe struck by the glistening lake, the enormity that is the Electric Mountain sat next to the mountain I would be hiking up and down for the next few days. I camped just above the village of Llanberis for four nights, so not yet trekking and wild camping but it was good to have a base each evening to come back to. In total I hiked with my partner three times in three days, each day picking a different route up and down, with a bit of scrambling chucked in too.
Day 1
We opted for the main route up on our first day, on the Llanberis path following the railway up to the top. It was a good way of getting our bearings and easing into the week, however we both agreed that we wouldn’t choose to take that route again; it was very crowded and not particularly challenging.
For the route back down we opted for the Rangers Path as it would eventually lead us back to our campsite. It was a steep descent down and really started to wear down on my knees. However it was much quieter and the stops to soak up the scenery were peaceful and allowed us a different view of Snowdon National Park.
Day 2
Once again we chose the Rangers Path as our route for heading up towards the summit. It was even more intense than coming down the previous day. The trek to the top was short but sharp, zigzagging to the top. We kept looking behind ourselves amazed how much height we were gaining in a short space of time. It was safe to say my legs felt as if they were made of steel after!
After lunch on the summit, we descended once again down the Pyg Track. Initially, it was just as difficult as going up. Bone grinding to say the least but worth it for the beautiful landscape, experiencing it unfold around the lakes all the way to Pen y Pass.
Day 3
On the third and final day we took the bus back to Pen y Pass. We headed along the Pyg Track and walked and scrambled our way to Crib Goch. The ridgelines were sheer in places and offered the perfect challenge.
It was an easy but unforgiving climb to the top, and I even managed to forget all about my fear of heights. That was until we commenced the ridge line, otherwise described as a knifes edge. I made the mistake of momentarily peering over the other side, looking directly down a sheer 1000m drop.
However I had such an adrenaline hit which kept me going. Some parts were more challenging than others, and we were blessed with great weather, but I didn’t forget the fact that I was on top of a mountain, and safety was paramount. It is great to see so many people tackling Snowdon in their own way but with the nice weather it was worrying to see some parties forgetting the basics; water, a warm layer, and appropriate footwear. We had unfortunately experienced two mountain rescues whilst undertaking our own challenge on Snowdon.
For our final descent back down from the summit, we chose a different side of Snowdon and followed the Watkins Path. The immediate descent was tricky and it seemed as though the trail had recently worn away. After scrambling our way to the top, our joints weren’t enjoying the trip much.
The crunching and grinding was soon forgotten once our minds had started to focus on absorbing the immense scenery around us. The remains of civilisations which once existed there, and the gorgeous river and waterfalls. We were so absorbed we had almost forgotten what time the last bus back to Llanberis was…oh it was 10am…
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