Snowden in the snow

Had a fun little weekend up in North Wales this week for a friend’s birthday.

On Saturday we intended to hike Snowden from the miners trail, but aware of the forecast we decided this route would be best because if conditions were against us it would still be a nice walk even without sumitting.

Unfortinately the car park at the end of the trail was full so we had to drive most of the way down the Llanberis pass to find somewhere to stop, before hiking pur way back up.

Many people were walking on the road, but there is a footpath on the snowden side. This path is pretty rough though, varying from bog to grassy scramble. Unfortunately I’m currently nursing plantar faciitis so I found this really painful to walk amd got quite down on myself worrying that I would have to turn back.

I resolved to make it to the original car park before making a decision though. At the car park the cafe amd toilets were closed due to water problems, so we stood near the door eating our snacks and directing everyone who came our way to the portaloos in the carpark.

Upon further investigation it turned out behind door number 3 was a total wipeout style challenge. Imagine trying to pee while slacklining… the cabin had been sited on a drainage channel and it made it an extremely wobbly affair, which obviously everyone then had to go and try for themselves!

At the start of the trail the sign recommended crampons, which we didn’t have so we knew by then that we wouldn’t be making the peak. As we climbed into the bowl that the trail follows along, the snow started to settle and at the top of the lip had a view completely different to the one behind us. The snow here was thick and the lakes had started to freeze.

As we got closer to the lake we realised that the water was moving too much to allow the water to freeze solid, so there was a candy floss type structure floating just beneath the surface. As the current moved it was pushing more and more to the shore, to the point where it was wrinkling up like fabric. I’ve never seen anything like it!

We made it as far as the ruined building before turning back, but obviously had to have a snowball or 3 on the way, along with trying to throw snowballs far enough to get into the lake.

The following day we went for a walk up behind the cottage we were staying in, it was raining really hard so we took the opportunity to explore an abandoned mine.