Mount Snowdon

Date of visit - 20/06/2024

Well, after walking the foothills of Ben Nevis last year, taking in Steall Falls, we thought we would try and tackle Mount Snowdon while on our holiday in North Wales. I had checked out the various routes up Snowdon and it appeared that the Llanberis Path route is the most favoured. This is, apparently, the longest route up Snowdon, or Yr Wyddfa as the Welsh prefer, but equally the easiest. When I say easiest, what I actually mean is less hard.

Our Little One is quite happy to walk these days, but he will let you know when he has had enough, so with that in mind I made sure I had the back carrier with us.

The intention was to park in the Snowdon Mountain Railway car park, unfortunately it is quite small and one of the few places in Wales that doesn't appear to have multiple disabled spaces. We had to park a little further away to begin our journey! The car park was an eye-watering £12, whether staying for half an hour, or for the whole day.

Talking of costs, I had tentatively looked at taking a return trip on the Snowdon mountain train, until I discovered that it would cost our party of 4 just shy of £160 for the return trip on a diesel train - or nearly £200 if going up and back via a heritage steam driven train. Checks indicated there is NO discount for disabled or carers, which was very disappointing. I understand that small enterprises can't always afford to offer discounts or free carers, but seeing the number of people queuing on the day we visited I would think they could offer something for the less able.

We could have done a single trip up and walked back down, but that would have still cost nearly £130.

Walk it was then!

While I was aware from reading about the Llanberis Path, that the start of the walk was on a tarmac road, what I wasn't prepared for was the incline of this first section. The angle of the incline doesn't really show on the above video, but this opening section of the walk goes on for a good three quarters of a mile. The steepness of the slope is better seen at the start of the Cafe video below, where you can see my wife and granddaughter trudging into view!

After walking for a while, with no signs of life, save for other intrepid souls doing the same walk, we turned a corner to discover a small cafe, Pen y Ceunant Isaf (also known locally as Snowdon Café). Apparently this is a popular spot for people to grab a drink or a bite to eat, on the way down, or for people like us, on the way up!

When we arrived here the owner was just taking his dogs for a walk, which can be seen in the last couple of seconds of the above video.

Although we didn't know that was the owner at the time. we discovered as such, when we tried to stop for a cup of tea (local beer) on the way down and found the cafe closed, due to dog walking!

Little One was still going strong, which couldn't really be said for my wife by this stage, bless her. I'm not sure if we went off at too fast a pace to start with, but we were already struggling. It makes matters worse when you are feeling the pace and someone RUNS past you going up Snowdon! That felt like someone was taking the mick...

I think it only fair to take a pause here, figuratively. My wife was diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and had chemotherapy and 2 years of maintenance treatment. At present the cancer is in remission, but it has changed her as a person. She gets tired quite easily, and doesn't have the stamina she used to - mind you we are both well into our 60s now, so that may be part of the story too. She has also suffered with her mental health too and tends to find that adversity can be a bit "glass half empty".

I try to push her, to get her to do things that might be out of our comfort zone, but the toll was beginning to tell on her - although, to be fair Little One was beginning to get a bit stressed, as the uphill slog was affecting him too. As said before he is a good walker now, but as he doesn't really understand what we are doing, you can't explain to him the concept of nearly there, or just around the corner, as an incentive to keep going!

It was decided that this might be the time to put him into the carrier, for a while at least!

Now Little One, as we call him, partly due to his stature, and because, well he is our Little One, doesn't weigh as much as your average nearly 8 year old. His latest hospital appointments, show him coming in at 26kg (57 pound to us oldies). Having said that, suddenly lumping an extra 4 stone (oldies again) onto your back, whilst climbing up a mountain path, probably wasn't the greatest idea I have ever had!

We did make the Llanberis path actual starting point, marked by a large stone, inscribed with Llwybr Llanberis Path and a wooden sign, pointing towards Copa'r Wyddfa/Snowdon Summit. We hadn't lost Little One at this point, he was still on my back, so out of shot!

After a brief sit to admire the views, have a quick drink and re-energise, we moved on, towards the summit!

It wasn't long though, before the toll of carrying the extra weight on my back, was just too much for my legs. We had already done a fair bit of walking in our time in Wales, and had put off doing Snowdon by a couple of days already - but it was too much for me!

I made the decision to call it quits. At least we had got onto the foot of the mountain. That early steep incline had done us in, and carrying the extra weight had finished me off. Now what was that about glass half empty/full...!

Reluctantly, sort of, we turned round to head back down. Once back onto the tarmac section Little One came out of the carrier and gleefully ran, hopped, skipped and jumped his way back down Snowdon, back towards Llanberis town.

I felt a little sad, with a feeling we had failed in something we (I) really wanted to do. At the same time, at least we tried. Maybe in a few years time we could give it another go - maybe Little One could carry me up!