Snowdon weekend

1st June, 2011

“Sir, my hat is wet.” Little did I know that our weekend camping trip to climb Snowdon, would also be a science lesson. The lesson for the day was, if you leave things out in the rain, they get wet. And boy did it rain.

We arrived at Capel Curig in heavy rain, and just about managed to put the tents up. The boys didn’t mind, as it was going to be an exciting night under canvas – a little more exciting than they could have imagined. After hot chocolate and doughnuts, it was time for bed and they all rushed into their tents to try and stay dry. The storm continued through the night with pouring rain and howling winds really putting our tent pegs to the test. Fortunately by morning the storm had eased but outside the tents huge puddles had formed, and unsurprisingly the hats that had been left out were a touch on the soggy side.

After a quick breakfast, we packed up and set off for Snowdon. The boys were still in good spirits, and had enjoyed the adventure of the night before. We set off from Pen-Y-Pass, along the Miners’ Track, and made good time. The boys were really good company and loved the beautiful views and wildlife around Snowdon. I did warn them that the weather may not be good enough to reach the summit, but as it turned out, although windy, the summit ridge was manageable and so we made our way carefully to the top. After another gift from the weather gods, this time in the form of hail, and a well deserved lunch, we began our descent down the Pyg Track. We soon got below the clouds, and the views once more opened up. Tired but happy we returned to the bus, pleased with our achievement of climbing the highest mountain in England and Wales.