| This was our second attempt of the week! The first was two days previous when on reaching the summit 100% cloud cover was a downer! So the weather looked better for thurs 7th and we set off along the Pyg Track. Weather was cool and windy but with only 50% cloud cover we had good periods of sun. A combination of that with less wind in more sheltered spots meant a good increase in temp so one minute hoods and gloves were on and the next minute they were off again! I preferred the Pyg track to the Miners Track due its higher level. It seemed a gentler walk, more of a gradual ascent. I’m not happy with the style of improvements made to the eroded paths here, they have too much impact on the surroundings. I suppose I am a bit of a purist and can’t bear this kind of aberration on the landscape. What looks worse? A natural (ever expanding) path worn by the feet of thousands of Snowdon pilgrims or a path virtually tarmacced in places that wouldn’t look put of place in some well-manicured nature reserve created by the increasing need (quite ridiculous) for a health and safety conscious environment. Do you get what I mean? I see the need for protecting the paths but isn’t the mountain undergoing a process of natural erosion anyway but just taking a lot longer to go about it! Back to the route, the weather had improved significantly by the time we made the summit, all cloud was off the top and this time we had wonderful views. The gift to me was how few people there were on the mountain, we only saw a couple of dozen people. It was an amazing feeling of space and expansiveness standing on the summit in the centre of the horseshoe with the mighty Crib Coch and Y Lliwedd infront of you . Understandably the most visited peak in the UK. A real achievement for me as I am Welsh (and been brought up within 20 miles of the mountain) but had somehow never been up before! |
