Naivety And a Surprise !

After several cold wintry days exploring my valley and some of the walking trails that led away from my campsite, I decided to head up !

Mount Snowdon towered above me and it was calling. Leaving my tent and equipment behind, I set out. My old weather beaten map, a relic of my schooldays, now sheathed in a clear plastic folder was my only form of navigation, but I had figured that any one of the mountain trails heading ‘up’ would take me to or close to my objective…. the peak of Mount Snowdon.

As I began my ascent, I felt exhilarated and my blood was pumping. Adventures are always good and this was going to be a doozy.

Crossing a narrow causeway by the lake, I startled a wild herd of longhorn goats. They looked like they had been busy foraging. Winter had set in and pickings were scarce so they were skittish. I started chewing on a hunk of dry bread. Eating has always been a way for me to calm my nervous energy. I chewed and I climbed.

I’d worked out by consulting my map that it would take a long mornings climb to the summit. From there I would take an easier trail back down to the base on the other side. There, a local bus service would get me back up to the top of the Llanberis Pass, and another thirty minute hike would get me back to my starting point….. a big loop. A heated can of tomato soup would be my dinner and I had already begun to think about dining on it.

The views were truly spectacular as I looked out over the ‘roof of Wales’, ……. a gorgeous part of the British Isles…. an area that has lured me back ever since. Nowadays I even take small groups up into these very same mountains. One of the most interesting sights as I walked was of a herd of wild horses. All over Britain we have them… On Dartmoor, Exmoor, The Shetland Isles and South Wales… but I had never heard of wild horses in Snowdonia. Here they were and they were beautiful. Watching them move sure footedly through the mountains and over the scree slopes was mesmerising. Magic was being created and those horses have lured me back ever since.

As the morning wore on, another mountain mist crept up out of the surrounding valleys and settled onto the mountain tops of Snowdonia National Park. The views and the landscape became shrouded and the temperature dropped even lower. I put on a woollen flat cap and zipped up my jacket. My Gortex gloves kept my hands from freezing.. This truly was Winter on a mountain.

I couldn’t see the top of Mount Snowdon but knew that the top was near. Excitement grew !

Another short exertion of energy over a particularly craggy section of the trail, and I knew that I had made it….. the area around me was well trodden.

And in front of me was a cafe.!!!

I was shocked. No, I was appalled. I was also terribly deflated by this monstrosity of a structure on what should have been a pristine mountain top. I was crushed.

I sat down and reflected for a few minutes, concluding that my school map had no mention of this horror. My school map was probably a historic document and had no real value in the modern world. Breathing heavily and watching steam rise out of the heating systems that must be keeping the building and its occupants warm, I heard a noise. It was the gentle creak of steel settling on steel. A cog or funicular railroad carriage appeared out of the mist, towing a gaggle of excited tourists. My heart sank even further.

My naivety and lack of preparation had led me to this surprise. I resigned to never allow this to happen again. Any future travels would be well researched and prepared for…very well researched.

Much as this had become a personal drama for me at that moment in time, I have to admit to using the warm facility offered at the summit and to using the railroad to descend from the mountain. Both were new experiences, and today I am grateful for having had them. The bus trip up the pass was uneventful, as was my hike back to my base camp. My soup tasted delicious……

……. and I looked forward to meeting my friend on the farm in the morning. Her freshly baked bread would be especially delicious. Today was done.!