We awoke to another beautiful sunny morning. And what better to do on a bank holiday Sunday, during spring with good weather than go to the UK's busiest mountain -- Mt Snowdon. We tucked into a hearty "Welsh" breakfast (which is identical to an English breakfast, as it happens) and we were on our way.
It was more than an hour's drive from Dolgellau to Snowdon, and we took a few minor roads which added to the scenery factor, but perhaps wasn't the most efficient way to get there. Our route actually took us through the pass (called Pen Y Pass) closest to Snowdon, but parking is scarce there and we never expected to get a spot. So we headed down the hill to Nant Peris, where the park and ride was overflowing, the parking meter had a full tummy and wouldn't accept our coins, and frustrated drivers abounded. Eventually we got on a bus back up to Pen Y Pass and got under way.
From here to the top of Snowdon is about 4 miles, and we never expected to make it, but we had hoped to follow the "miner's path" up to the double lakes (or Llyn Llydaw). The girls started full of energy, with Ella running, off-path (see photo above), climbing rocks, etc. We tried to impress on them the advantage to all parties of conserving one's energy, but to no avail. This lasted at least 20 minutes, when they both started complaining of tiredness and everything settled down. Now, given the arduous task of driving/busing to this area, it was after midday when we started walking, but we were holding off on lunch in the hope of actually being out of sight of the car park by the time we settled down to eat.
Meanwhile, the scenery was pretty spectacular. As we rounded the first corner we got an uninterrupted view of the first part of the Snowdon Horseshoe (called Lliwedd, see above). None of these mountains are particularly tall (Snowdon itself is 1085 m) but the scenery looks positively alpine, thanks largely to the weather, we were guessing. Finally, we reached our planned lunch spot, Llyn Tayrn (see photo). We sat on some rocks and looked at the view, while trying to stay out of the wind.
We struck out for our next phase, somewhat refreshed. The girls were now a little more sedate and happy to hold my hand as we walked along. The path continued to rise gently, but it was always easy going, and finally (amid complaints of younger members of the party wishing they were at home, wherever that may be now) Katy sighted the lakes. The panorama that Nat has created shows (from the left) Lliwedd, Snowdon (just in cloud) and Crib Goch with Llyn Llydaw in the foreground.
It took some time to recover from the walk. First we collected gold on the beach (actually, quartz pebbles, and Ella knows quartz can sometimes contain gold; ergo quartz=gold). Katy, meanwhile, was keen for a swim. Natalie told her to "do what you want and if you die of cold see if I care"! So, Katy decided to test the waters, literally and figuratively. She only went ankle deep, then spent half an hour throwing mud into the lake before she suddenly realised how cold she was and decided to put her clothes back on. From here we took a final look at the second lake and headed for home.
Despite being downhill, home was slight more arduous than expected. First, Katy had to be carried, then Ella needed a shoulder ride. I refused point blank, arguing that my neck was still sore, which was actually on this occasion true. So Nat shouldered the burden. Once within sight of the car park they both got a burst of energy and ran down the last hill at breakneck speed holding hands. When Katy eventually did fall, Ella did her best to save her, but only ended up standing on her wrist requiring more carrying for the final section. So, the girls lasted 5 km without too much carrying -- by some distance their longest hike and both pretty proud of themselves.
Down at the car park we got ourselves some coffee (I had to educate another British barista how to make a proper long black) and found a bus heading down the hill. All seemed sorted until we suddenly discovered another bus had arrived and, since our bus driver wasn't inclined to actually drive his bus we all had to gather our belongings rapidly and pile out. It was only when we were on board this bus and part-way down the hill that we realised that we had left our phone on the seat of the bus!
Now, to clarify the seriousness of this situation. We have become somewhat dependent on our phone during this trip -- for getting directions to places (such as our accommodation that evening), finding footpaths for runs, internet in dodgy hotels, etc. To be honest, I think Nat may have preferred if we had left one of the children aboard the bus. So, once we found our car again it was up the mountain again, to Pen Y Pass for the 4th time today in the hope that our bus driver was still disinclined to drive anywhere. Luckily I found him, taking photos of some Harley Davidsons which had just arrived, and our phone had been handed into him for safekeeping. Phew, disaster averted.
We are now in Llandudno -- a seaside town in North Wales. There are some features of English seaside towns which really have to be seen to be believed. We have already noted the obsession with piers (there is one here, of course). But there is also a lovely wide "promenade" fronting the "beach", which Katy and Ella appreciated during our post-dinner walk. All the hotels front this beach, although the main street is really 1 block back.
Even more surprising was that Llandudno has a town band, which plays in a little bandstand on Sunday nights, and puts out deck chairs for unsuspecting spectators. We declined the deck chairs but did stay to listen to a song or two which was, well, nice in a quaint sort of way.
The castle itself was built between 1283 and 1287. It's really an English castle, being built (along with the town walls) by Edward I to support his conquest of Wales. As with all castles, it's had periods of neglect and resurrection, but in general it seems to be pretty well preserved. We explored a number of turrets, cellars, walls and the like, and we're all getting used to impractically small stone spiral staircases, not without a few episodes of anxiety by us on behalf of our children!
Finally they were rewarded with the sight of the falls themselves. About then the rain began to set in and they turned homeward. I caught up with them about half-way back, with Katy proudly announcing that she had done this walk unassisted, which is a big improvement on our Snowdon expedition earlier in the week.
Since we missed out on the narrow gauge steam train, our final activity was to take the old tram up to the top of the Great Orme - a limestone plateau that sits next to Llandudno. The trams themselves are hauled up and down by cables, so they always have a partner going the opposite way -- and they magically avoid each other by a short section of double track about 2 tram-lengths long.
