Llanberis to Beddgelert – Over The Hill

Thanks John. Yes it’s a climbing day today. When I say ‘climbing’ I don’t mean rock climbing. I was never good at that. I mean walking uphill. Sometimes I’ll scramble and sometimes I’ll gain hand holds and foot holds. But I don’t use technical climbing equipment. I ascend. But climbing sounds manly.

There was nowhere in Llanberis for breakfast. My B&B was B only and even the hostel at the end of the village was closed. The Spar housed a Subway. Their bacon sandwich was a foot long piece of cardboard, which was passed under a grill briefly. I gave it to a gull. I hope it was the bastard that stole Chip’s fish in Looe eight years ago. That would teach it a lesson. Fond memories.

The track I wanted branched off the High Street and climbed steeply away from the lakeside village and into the hills. It crossed a saddle between the Llyn Peris and Llyn Cwellyn watersheds, at over 1500 feet, and dropped steeply down to the Beddgelert road.

The full extent of terracing of the slate quarry across the lake was highlighted by the snow.

Whilst the beauty of the range behind it shone through. I can’t wait to get up there!

The hill was beginning to make the rucksack a lot heavier and my chest was quite tight with the slight infection I had. Moaning old get. Then I crossed the snow line, but it wasn’t frozen and I didn’t need my crampons.

At least two people had been up this track since it snowed. And a mountain bike rider.

I was really enjoying this hike. The wind was strong, but it was dry and although it wasn’t clear, what I could see was great.

And then I was crossing the saddle. Well that wasn’t too harsh. I should do Snowdon, twice as high as this, without a rucksack comfortably in a couple of days’ time.

The path dropped down and the hurricane became a gale, and eventually a breeze. There were more footsteps here, where a new path joined from the right.

Further down the hill the path I was on ended at the Snowdon Rangers Path, which crossed its path. Path. Path.

All of a sudden Path doesn’t seem like a proper word. Is it right? Isn’t it odd that words you’ve used since you were first able to talk seem wrong? Wrong?

More footsteps in the snow. People heading up to Snowdon’s summit. But I haven’t seen anybody on this route since I was down over near Llanberis.

The lake wasn’t far away now and I got a bit of pace on.

Reaching the road I had to walk along it. Footpaths were a big diversion and I wanted to get to Beddgelert to help my dear sister put up the tent.

What does this sign mean? It looks like Lorrie’s are banned. But if they’ve got this far are they supposed to turn round and bugger off? And does the satellite drop a parachutist to bombard earth with death rays? I think this was the product of a road sign designer on hallucinogenics. Let’s have more. What about half cows/ half horses crossing the road for the next 300 miles?

Then I bumped into another Ray!

He was up Snowdon yesterday and didn’t need to use his crampons. He is a real climber and trekker. He first went to Nepal in 1972 and he has spent years there. I’ll tell you about him and the rest of this day later. I need to leave Wi-Fi and my campsite has no signal.

Night night.