Hi again,

My training walks continue as I’ve been back up to the Snowdon Horseshoe twice since I last wrote, both rather “interesting”!

We set off in decidedly grim weather, considering it was Midsummer, for the first walk as we approached Pen-y-Pass car park and the Pyg track from the Pen-y-Gwryd path. It seemed most of the known world was making the same journey as us up Snowdon, using both the Pyg track and trying to reach the soggy summit of Crib Goch, the first of the 3000’s. Onward to Crib-y-Ddysgul, around The Perilous Pinnacles we attracted a small group of six or so novice walkers that we helped find a route off the ridge and onto a more safe footing. The summit of Snowdon was cloaked in thick cloud and unbelievably busy-think the crowds at the opening of Next Boxing Day sale!! We left via the Llanberis path to find a route off the ridge at Clogwyn Station to bring us into Nant Peris and the route up Elidir Fawr and the rest of The Glyderau. Unfortunately, disaster struck and I put my heel into a hole, over-stretching my already suffering knee; we made the decision to head back to the car and follow a physio’s mantra: RICE-Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. It cut short our planned 20 mile walk in half and we headed back to the car at Pen-y-Gwryd.

The following Saturday looked entirely more promising. Lots less rain, much better visibility, we headed back onto the Horseshoe in great weather, still very busy- these last few weeks it has quite possibly been busier than we’ve ever seen it! However, as we approached the summit of Elidir Fawr, the first of the Glyderau, the wind picked up and was fierce! It was very draining of our energy and nearly blew me off the side of the mountain a few times! We made it across Y Garn, up the scree onto Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach and more gusty wind, probably exceeding 40 miles per hour, tried to push me down the steep scree slope towards Bwlch Tryfan, the saddle onto Tryfan. I do not like scree. I do not like the path disintegrating under my feet. I especially do not like the combination of all three and I had a meltdown, where my poor husband had to coax me down. It took so long to descend shuffling on my bottom, that we could not climb Tryfan this time. We had to rush back to the car using an old miner’s track over heather moorland, checking each step for hidden holes around the rocks, then onto a path and bog, before returning to the road. We left the car at 9am and returned at 11:40pm; 7 peaks, 14.5 hours, 17.5 miles and about 9000 feet ascent. Home and a very welcoming bed greeted us at 2am on Sunday morning.

These two walks have taught me a valuable lesson: I won’t manage all 14 peaks in less than 24 hours-this year! Now, we have a definite plan to tackle two of the ranges, Snowdon Horseshoe and The Glyderau on one day and The Carneddau on a separate trip.

Next week is Day One of The Challenge, weather dependent! Watch this space, I’m really looking forward to cracking this one!! Sian the Physio is really looking forward to me resting my joints to allow them to fully heal!

As always, please visit my links to donate or drop into the surgery where there are sponsorship forms, or ask about our novel flea and tick product that lasts 3 months and Daleside will donate a percentage of the profits of this treatment to my causes!

You can donate to any of the two charities through these links below: Search and Rescue Dogs Association (SARDA) and Sarah’s Lyme Recovery

Thanks Laura