I pulled myself out of bed early yesterday to get some hill training in. Snowdon was familiar so I headed in that direction, hoping the Pen-y-Pass car park wasn’t full (but it was), so instead of doing the Snowdon Horseshoe I headed up from Llanberis to the summit.
The conditions lower down were favourable and the path was rather empty, unlike in summer months. Halfway up the mountain visibility dipped in thick fog, then came gusts of wind up to 55mph. There was one section, just beyond the second railway tunnel (two thirds up the mountain) when the wind became relentless and just standing up became hard! Self-doubt gnawed at me- was Snowdon always this blustery or was I just weak after the excesses of the festive season? I decided to do what I do best – just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
I got to the top in 100 minutes exactly. I took a photo of the trig point as there wasn’t a view to be had in the thick fog. I then spun heel and jogged back down the mountain in 48 minutes. Only once I was back down the mountain did I realise quite how much the strong winds take out of you. I’m feeling the effects of it today, reminding me that I have a long way to go till I’m in shape for my excursion to the Atlas Mountains in less than two months!
Keep plodding
GeekintheHills!
Geek in the Hills 