On this day, we hoped and prayed that the Snowdon Mountain Railway was running to transport us up to the top of Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.
And it was......three quarters of the way up.
We purchased our tickets and "All aboard!"
I thought this sign was interesting.
A 'rack and pinion' system enables the engines of the train to climb up the mountain pushing the carriage in front of it. Some of the steam engines are over a hundred years old and have been climbing the mountain since the railway first opened in 1896. The train track is four miles long. The speed at which it travels is between 2-10 mph.
These are hikers heading to the top of Snowdon. It is 3493 feet high. Following the Llanberis Path, it is the longest and most gradual of six main paths that lead to the summit of Snowdon. It runs mostly along the path of the train. It is suggested that it takes 6 hours to climb there and back. A 9 miles return trek.
Our last clear view just before the Clogwyn Station. Sheer drop off views from here. From this photo below, you can see that a 'cloud' is sitting right on top of the peaks. They refer to this 'cloud' as 'Snowdon has it's hat on.' Because that is exactly what it looks like.
And we are under the hat? Oh my gosh.....we can't see a thing.....right in the clouds!!!
The train stopped at the three quarter mark at Clogwyn Station. We are now at 2556 feet elevation. Even though we cannot see it, we are on an exposed ridge that overlooks the Llanberis Pass and the Clogwyn Du'r Arddu cliffs, a popular rock climbing spot.
On this day, the summit is still covered with snow and conditions are not safe to take the train all the way to the top. But the wind and fog at this stop is crazy scary!!! I would clock this wind at between 60-70 mph......the reason is we felt the same in Galway, Ireland. Extremely exhilarating!
Even the birds were flying haphazardly in the wind. The train stop is the photo below.
Laughing from hysteria at the strength of the wind!
Oh sure....pictures on the train track. Now that we are on safe ground, I read that tourists and hikers can get swept off this part of the climb by wind??????????
Hold on Little Debbie!
But look.....I can fly.
Crap I took the time to style my hair for this trip today.
Back on the train, we head down to Llanberis Station. Half way down, on the right side of this photo, you can just make out the train track along the mountain edge.
Valleys as far as we can see. The tiny specks of black on the grey line in the right corner of this photo are 'hikers.'
Sheep...sheep...and more sheep. The train was tooting a few times to alert the sheep to get off the train track? The Llanberis Path runs through private land. In the UK you are allowed to cross through someones property, farm lands or pastures. It is a centuries old law that is still honoured to this day.
Everyone walks here....and so do we.
We are told that on a clear day, from the summit of Snowdon, you will be rewarded for your efforts of walking by fantastic views of 18 lakes and 14 peaks. Sometimes you can see as far as Ireland, the Isle of Man (near Scotland) and the Lake District in England.
We will definitely come back in hiking weather.
Spectacular.
No comments:
Post a Comment