"Water will always find a way!"

The weather wasn't giving much away on the journey and I finally arrived in Llanberis at 1025hrs.  As I'd planned for an overnight stop, I wasn't overly concerned about getting an early start on the first day.

Now you're possibly wondering why I should park in Llanberis, when there is a decent car park at Pen-y-pass (the tourist car park, and more common start/finish point for Snowdon).  The answer is nothing to do with wanting to do the "full walk", but a more economical reason.  To park at the Pen-y-pas car park costs an extortionate £10 per day.  To park at the roadside in Llanberis is free!  The only cost incurred would be the bus fare to Pen-y-pas - a whole £1.

So, having parked the car and grabbed a 10 minute snooze (or power nap!) - it's tiring being my age - I grabbed my rucksack from the car and made my way to the bus stop across from Joe Brown's Climbing Shop.  Interestingly enough, the whole time I was there I never saw the shop attempt to climb anywhere - perhaps it's as old as me (or older) and was having its power nap!

I arrived at the bus stop in good time for the 11.00 service and waited, casually leaning against the wall and looking "way cool" in my walking gear and beard!  Could I be any more outdoor looking?

By 1115, I was beginning to wonder if the bus was ever going to turn up.  After another 5 minutes a guy in a little white van parks in the bus stop.  Getting out, he asked me if I was waiting for a bus.  There are times in my life where the answers to questions posed are kept within the confines of my mind - today was one such time!  In my mind I explained that I was fearful that the wall may well collapse at any time and I had taken it upon myself to lean against it until I was convinced it was safe to step away!  However, out loud I simply said "Yes!"  "Next one's at 12.00", the Welsh van man replied.  He went on to explain that the winter timings had come into effect this very day.  He was actually changing the displayed timetable as he spoke.  Who on earth changes a timetable on a Tuesday!!?

So, with another 40 minutes to wait, I made my way along the road in search of warmth and a mug of tea!  "Pete's Eats" is an excellent cafe/hostel/pass the time whilst waiting for a bus type hostelry!  Fortunately with money being no object to a person of my means, I was able to spend £1 on a mug of tea safe in the knowledge that I could still afford the bus!  The only challenge was to make it last until the bus was due!

A 10 minute bus ride later, and I was setting out along the miners' track heading for the base of my first - and in fact, only summit of the walk.

(Looking along the Miners' Track towards Y Lliwedd and Lliwedd Bach)

(Looking along the Miners' Track towards Y Lliwedd and Lliwedd Bach)

The Miner's Track is more commonly used as the return path from Snowdon's summit, with the Pyg Track being favoured as the outward route.  Whether for this reason, the lateness of the day, or just because it was a weekday I don't know, but I didn't meet a soul the whole time I was on the path.  For me, this was perfect!  It's not that I don't enjoy other people's company but, when you spend pretty much all your working hours talking and listening to other people, it's nice now and again just to have a spot of solitude - and if you can find this peace in surroundings such as Snowdonia has to offer, then so much the better! 

Branching away from the Miners' Track at Llyn Llydaw, my route headed up the side of Y Lliwedd, following a very clearly laid out path.  

(looking towards Llyn Llydaw, with Miners' Track continuing up towards Snowdon)

Towards the top, the path took it upon itself to merge with one of the local streams.  It would appear that my walking routes have taken a decidedly aquatic theme to them, and needless to say that by the time I reached the top of the path - having taken in a minor amount of scrambling, my feet were wet once more!  (It's just possible that my waterproofing liquid stuff is not as good as the man in the shop made it - I miss my old boots!).

The sky was reasonably clear and views pretty good, but underfoot conditions weren't the best.

(looking towards Capel Curig)

The next section of my route required me to make my way down the other side of Y Lliwedd to pick up another path which would take me along to meet the Watkin Path.  However, there was no path for this descent so, after a quick compass bearing off I went.

(looking down to Nant Gwynant.  The river to the left of the pic was my route downhill)

There are different methods of getting yourself downhill - falling being the least tempting.  I remember an occasion on a snow-covered Ben Nevis when we opted to use our survival bags as sledges!  Excellent fun, but not the most brake friendly of accessories!  Today, however, I decided the tentative descent was the wiser choice, and even then I slipped on my backside a few times - dignity goes out the window on days like these!  

Viewers who have read of my adventures in Glen Nevis earlier this year, will be familiar with my rucksack which doesn't do what it's told - even when I use my shoutey voice!  Well, on this particular trek I had already made up my mind not to even talk to it.  However, halfway down the hillside I realised my rucksack was out to get me!!

I had to negotiate a small, but significantly high, rocky ledge - well, about 8 maybe 10 feet.  The rock was fairly slippery, and foot/hand holds weren't brilliant.  However, with considerable skill (for which you should read "mostly luck"), I managed to get halfway down and then ran out of footholds.  There was only about 4 or 5 feet remaining, but from my position it looked a lot further - a bit far to jump, I was thinking!  As I tried to twist around, looking for a point lower down for my feet, my rucksack started a conspiracy with my sleeping mat, which was rolled up and secured underneath the rucksack.  At the rucksack's command, the mat somehow managed to wedge itself into a rock and wouldn't budge. Nice!  

Let us take a breather from literature and refresh ourselves with mathematical equations!

Wedged sleeping mat + pulling force = falling Derk

Fortunately, having seen countless war films, I knew how to land, and in actual fact it wasn't that far so I didn't have to rely on any parachute landing skills, and really, it was less dramatic than perhaps it sounds - but way cool!

 Having reached the point where I could pick up the next path, it all became fairly level and was simply a case of following alongside the stone wall to pick up the Watkin Path.

 By the time I reached the Watkin Path it was getting on for late afternoon and, with the light beginning to fade, I realised I wasn't going to get as far as I had planned.  I therefore decided to pitch the tent in the area around Cwn Llan and continue from there in the morning.

And there, I'm afraid, the blog for this expedition will end.  The following day was an uneventful day full of mist and rain.  Views were non-existent, as were any worthwhile mishaps!

Like Glen Nevis, this is another route I intend to do again in the summer.

If you ever get the chance to read Jim Perrin's book "Snowdon - The Story of a Welsh Mountain", don't - it's boring.  However, the first chapter was where I got the basis for this route!