Just a couple of images from my Snowdon experience, lots more can be found on the Centre's Facebook page. The first is an extremely tired and emotionally drained me at the summit, some 3 hours after starting out in the pouring rain. The second a much more relaxed me on the way down via an alternative route!
I have to say this has to have been one of the most physically and emotionally demanding charity ventures I've ever undertaken.
We set off in high spirits just after 8.30am on a rather dismal morning, the heavy rain turning to drizzle as we began our accent up Mount Snowdon following the supposedly easy Miners Track. The first hour or so was pretty sedate if rather wet following the miners track up through a number of lakes. This changed when suddenly the path seems to scale through the rocks via numerous trickling waterfalls. We could see others climbing ahead so followed. The path was not well defined and I began having doubts as we scrambled up wet rocks. Just a short way up and I began to panic. The route wasn't clear, the weather was poor and I'd stumbled a couple of times and was beginning to get scared. It was the thought of letting the charity down that drove me on, and the fact that I wasn't sure how I'd get back down again even if I wanted to! As we progressed higher, I got more scared, especially when at some points the path seemed to disappear altogether. I had visions of being lost or falling down the side of a mountain with nobody knowing where we were.
We waited for another group to catch us up. We followed them up an increasingly difficult section (a easy route, you've got to be kidding) At one point I'm hoisting myself up rocks using 2 metal pegs fixed into the ground. This made the rock wall seem like a piece of cake! Finally the last section seemed to follow a defined path again as we walked towards the summit in almost zero visibility. By the time we got to the top, we could see nothing and it was freezing and I was exhausted. I seriously considered getting the train back down, as I had no idea how I'd manage the return route. 3 hours after we had started we'd conquered Snowdon, but it wasn't joy that I felt, just exhaustion and an adrenaline crash.
After almost an hour's rest and a chat to the guides at the top I decided that we'd climb down but via a different route, the Llanberis path, a much longer but easiest route down. We started our journey back, and I immediately started to feel better. We were walking down a proper path, although rocky and a little steep in places, I was back in my comfort zone. As we descended the fog and clouds started to lift, and we could begin to take in the scenery around us. For the first time in many hours I actually begin to enjoy myself again. The sun was starting to come out and and we began to warm up. The camera came back out and I felt like I was actually achieving something again.
It still took the best part of 3 hours to get to the end of the path, but they were enjoyable. Towards the end exhaustion started to kick in again, and we dragged ourselves back into the village to try and find a bus to get back to where we had started almost 7 hours earlier!
I'd beaten cancer and now a mountain too!
Two days later and I'm still hobbling around feeling the after effects of our adventure!
I was hoping that this challenge would generate some extra much needed donations to the centre, as yet I've not raised even a penny more.
Please keep spreading the word, and maybe I might just make my final target of £1200 before I turn 40.
Thank you for being part of my special journey.
https://www.justgiving.com/Louisevernon4040/
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