My loony girlfriend and her uni housemates have decided they're gonna climb Snowdon tomorrow.
I've done the Brecon Beacons but never Snowdon. Anything I should tell them (other than "don't bother" or "get the train"?

I've nagged her with the usual stuff like- take lots of warm clothes in case the weather goes bad. Take drinks, food etc. etc. I've even tried to get her to buy an emergency 'silver' blanket thing!

Is it an easy climb? Someone here said it was a 12mile walk.

Cheers,
James
... trying to prevent a call to mountain rescue...

make sure she has waterproofs and map and jumper, and walking boots. and money for the train down. easy enough walk but the weather changes quickley and will be colder and windier and wetter at the top. i would say a chalenging walk. not a climb at all

Go prepared!! When they start they might think it's a nice easy walk but by the time they get near the top it can be a very very different scenario.

Also at this time of year it can be very cold at the top, I have climbed it 3 times now and 2 out of the 3 it was very foggy near the top which means you have to be careful and may need to be able to navigate properly with compass and map.

Take proper clothes including a survival bag and some sweet coffee and some form of energy such as mars bars or energy bars.

Also take a whistle and mobile phone(s) and ensure the proper footwear is worn.

Chances are she will be fine but it is a mountain and it can claim lives.

Blimey, I sound like the grim reaper!! I'm sure she'll enjoy it and it will be fun but just make sure they know what to do if anything should happen.

Rich.

[Edited on 7/10/05 by shortie]

Be prepared, I climbed it several years ago on a works outward bound course and the weather at the base was hot and sunny, within 5 minutes of climbing it started to rain, which turned to snow as we climbed.

About half way up we were forced stop and sit in a bright orange parashute cover thing for 20 minutes. When the snow eased we carried on but this time we were all tighted together with rope in case of a fall.

When we reached the top we found about 15 inches of snow! (remember it as sunny and clear at the base) Luckily we were with an experienced guide who had all the equipment needed and we were ordered to bring lots of layers to keep warm (I think 3 t shirts, 2 jumbers and 2 waterproof coats, 2 hats, 3 pairs of gloves etc)

Great climb and loved every minute of it. have fun

*it was December when I climbed

Don't carry anything unnecessary, apart from safety kit - it's fairly steep towards the end. The exertion will make you hot, but you'll need to keep out the wind and rain. Good ankle-supporting boots are essential.

Coming down in some ways is worse than going up, especially on the steep bits. Lots of jarring on the ankles, with little exertion so you can get cold.

Don't forget a decent camera - the views are astonishing (if the clouds go away...)

DJ

We (gf & i) took the Llanberis path from near the train station at the bottom.

Bought a guide to the path at the bottom (40p I think) and pretty good. Have faith, and all the points they mention are there, but a bit obscured if very foggy.

About 5 miles each way, starts off flat, gets gradually steeper and rockier.

Took us about 2h45m up, 1h45m down, just walking, no hurry, and we're no professionals!

Weather is changeable, but shouldn't be freezing just yet, but obviously the later they wait into late autumn/winter, it'll be much colder.

Good shoes / boots will help, and a good level of determination!

I'd say go for it, don't panic, it's not everest!

Adam.

I'll second the mars bars and plenty of water. On my first climb of Snowdon and the surrounding peaks i got a bit dehydrated but we were camping overnight so had plenty of time to get sorted. My second time up I did it in a t-shirt until about 100ft from the peak which was surrounded by a ring of cloud where it got a bit nippy.

I used to do loads of this stuff some years ago, and apart from all the safety stuff mentioned above, I used to really enjoy a can of peach halves in syrup at the top.

The peaches are really refreshing and the syrup seemed to 'perk me up' much more quickly than say a mars bar.

Glucose tablets are good for energy too but just not as satisfying.

I remember being at the top of Snowden once just before a thunderstorm. Everyones hair was standing up on end with the static electricity - we got off the peak pretty quickly as getting struck by lightning didn't appeal much!

Also no one has mentioned a compass. in poor visibility, a map isn't much good without knowing which way to hold it!



Cheers


Mark

[Edited on 7/10/05 by mookaloid]

Snowdon is a fairly easy climb up most of the popular routes.
The tricky route is the one known as "The Old Goat Track." All of the above comments are sensible and I would just add that probably the most important is good footware. NOT trainers (or soft boots IMHO) and definately not new boots.
This time of year is one of the most dangerous for "novice/inexperienced" climbers, you get lulled into a false sense of security by the low altitude weather. It can change very quickly at the summit.
Tell them to be safe but above all enjoy the climb.

Snowdon is good! it's virtually in my back yard Have a look here:

http://www.hightrek.co.uk/snowdonia/routes.htm
Also:
http://www.snowdon.com/

There's some good info there. The most important thing is to be aware of the weather. As people have said, it can change from sunny and clear, to thick cloud, cold wet in a matter of minutes. It happened to me last winter when I was mountain biking up there. Scary stuff (thank god for my GPS!)

The paths are pretty well defined though, so long as you have a map (and compass) you shouldn't get lost! The main touristy routes are pretty easy (apart from the steep bits at the end), I managed to get my parents to the top earlier this summer (they are in their 50's, and not incredibly active) It is really important to be prepared for the weather though.

If I remember correctly, the Met office website has a snowdon area forecast (at altitude) which is quite useful.

The most important thing though, is to have fun, and take a camera. The scenery is pretty amazing (when the cloudbase is high enough to see it!)

Cheers
Andy

Snowdon, although the highest of the peaks, is actually the easiest, as she'll find by the number of scouse teenagers in burberry baseball caps clutching morrisons carrier bags who will also be doing it

Having said that, the weather can change by the minute, especially at this time of year so she really needs to take all the kit, especially lots of layers of clothing, waterproofs, good boots and water, coffee and plenty of food (take something sweet too for a instant sugar boost).

But it is essentially a long uphill walk so not too challenging!

snowdon is wet. Capel Currig, to the southwest, is often the wetest place in Britain. Take a raincoat.

I walk snowdon every year and sleep rough at the top for the summer solstice.

Don't start at the train station, start at the YMCA half way up. When you're in the car park take the path to your right, its a steady upward walk (until you get to the steps!) the other path (miners) is flat then incredibly steep.

Enjoy the walk, pace yourself, wear layers, decent boots, waterproofs, tell people what you're doing so they know to look out for you. Take a camera, snacks, enjoy it. I've got some fabulous photo's from this year as we walked up in glorious sunshine (last year it pished it down all the way up, through the night and down - some solstice).

got to snowdon solstice pages 2 onwards have the walk (ingnore the extreme dinning at the top please)

Message from my girlfriend:

---------------------------------------------
"can you say thanks to them all please!
also - point out that I'm not loony and we've all
got our marz bars and hiking boots and waterproofs,
torches, whistles, hats gloves and everything
tricky part will be putting up two tents at
midnight!"

---------------------------------------------



So there you go people... clearly she's not a loony!



Cheers,
James

[Edited on 7/10/05 by James]

well going out with you someone has to remain sane

right, tell her not to bother with tents
you sleep on the concret floor at the rear of the train station - the diesel generator runs all night but you learn to ignore it. The blokes inside the building play loud music to annoy you but they get bored eventually - under no circumstance will they let you in, they lose their jobs if they do.

Best bet is either survival bags and hope it doesn't rain cause its miserable if it does OR proper one man bivi bags.

If she is insistant on camping the only bit of land you can pitch your tent on is, from the train station, over the peak and about 50 meters down the other side. Be careful cause you're close to an edge. (you also get 'some' privicy from the 24 hour three peakers)


This is, for once from me, all words of experience, i sleep over once a year up there - but in summer!!!!!

I've been up snowdon a few times...which route is she taking?

The path route up from the train station thingy at the bottom is a nice walk (12 miles sounds about right to me) and not too hard, if you don't mind walking UP hill. If it's raining or its looking likely to rain tell her NOT to wears jeans.... she'll be chaffed to bits by the time she's half way up.....and not in the good way!

and jeans get very heavy plus offer no resistance to the wind when wet.

honestly, if she's not a walker and having to carry kit like tents / food her best bet is start at the YMCA halfway up .........

I also know a great cafe that opens really early in summer. I tell you, the 5 pound FULL english breakfast tastes amazing when you've been up since 5am walking down. (leave the YMCa turning right, junction turn left, follow that road till you get to the end, you've just missed the cafe on your left (white building & also a climbing shop). turn round via the strange junction by doing 2 right turns.)

hmmm, this is putting me in the mood to do it again!