Done. . .

Monday afternoon. . .

Arrived at 14th Peak at 2:57pm. Snowdon, 1085m.



So there we have it. Easby Company at the top of Snowdon after roughly 30 miles, 15 peaks and nearly 30 hours of walking over 3 days we all arrived at the end!

After a quick photo we set off back down the Pyg track to Pen-y-pass. It took about 2 1/2 hours to get back down. We were literally soaked to the skin when we got to the hostel even our boots had filled with water.


All that's left to say now is a well deserved congratulations to every one, its a canny big thing we've done over the last few days and I'm proud to say I was apart of it. Every one was in good spirits each day and looked after each other. We had some great laughs and the crack was of the highest quality.

It has been a pleasure serving with you!!

Snowdon Massif. . .

Monday late morning and afternoon. . .

After seperating, the three of us are pushing on toward the top.  About 45 mins from the top we get a call through on the comms unit from the lads saying they've reached the summit! Not sure if this means Crib Goch or Garnedd Ugain or Snowdon? Then lost all comms!! 

After that the clouds descend and we can only see about 15 yards infront of us. Slowly getting soaked through, winds picking up! Hope the lads are ok at the top? 

The peak the four lads were on about was Crib Goch.
  
Arrived at 12th peak at around 11:00am ish. Crib Goch, 923m.



We three reached the top around 11:30am and headed right and climbed up to the peak of Garnedd Ugain. 

Arrived at 13th peak at 11:45am. Garnedd Ugain, 1065m.



Arrived at 13th peak at around 1:20pm ish. Garnedd Ugain, 1065m.



We met the lads in the cafe around 2:00pm and got their after action report. The weather had come in very early on for them which meant they had very poor visuals from early on! They had a tough time of it up there, straddling the knife edge on all fours in soaking wet conditions. Not the ideal situation to be in, on a knife edge with sheer drops either side of you in strong winds!

After the lads had had a warm drink we set back out in the rain to finish the job!           

Venting spleen. . .

Writing this in the cafe at the top of Snowdon. . . 

This is strange sitting here, been here about half an hour and from looking around I'd say 90% of the people here have arrived at the highest point in Wales and England by train. You can tell who these people are because they are dry and are all buying t-shirts, pens, book marks and other useless items that boast that their owner has been to the top of Snowdon!  Kind of undermines what we've done a bit!! 

For the last three days we've been marching around the huge open landscape of Snowdonia,  up and down the tallest peaks,  mostly meeting only a handful of people as we went and finally making it to the end, to be greeted by tourists buying tat!!

I'm not having a go at anyone in particular just saying it's a bit strange that's all! Still a bit upset that I haven't been able to finish all 14 peaks, so for the time being these tourists will take the brunt of my frustration!  

So sitting here in the cafe on top of Snowdon in agony (physically and emotionally). The three of us are soaking wet waiting for the other four to arrive. At least we have a hot cuppa tea to drink. Even if we have to share it with about 100 civilians! 

Bad times. . .

Monday morning. . . 

Got to the fork where the Pyg track and path to Crib Goch seperate and I had to face the reality that I wouldn't be completing the 14 peaks! I couldn't have climbed Crib Goch with me knee like this!   I'm absolutely devastated!! I'd hoped from the beginning to finish all 14 peaks and to come all this way just to fall short by one peak is incredibly hard to bare! I know it seems trivial but you put heart and soul into something like this and to graft hard for three long days and not achieve what you set out to achieve is painful!!

Walsh, Legs, Lyons and Welsh Rob set off up to Crib Goch and Jim, Stav and me set off up the Pyg track toward Garnedd Ugain. We arranged to meet at the cafe at the summit of Snowdon and reach the final peak altogether.



 

The big push. . .

Monday morning. . . 

Up at 7:00am, ready for our last assault on Snowdonia. Today will end our attempt at the 14 peaks, where hopefully all 7 of us will finish at the top of Mount Snowdon.

Knee is stiff as a board this morning, walking around the hostel is very difficult but hopefully it'll loosen as we get walking. 

Set off from Pen-y-pass at 8:35am, the weather has taken a turn and all the peaks are in the clouds, looks like it's gonna be a wet day! 

The pain in me knee is making it difficult to walk, even with one of Stavs walking poles. I've got a horrible sense that Crib Goch may not be an option for me today as it requires a heavy amount of rock climbing and scrambling which in turn needs working knee joints! Trying not to think about that though as we've come too far and worked too hard for me to miss out one of the 14 peaks!

  

End to a long second day. . .

Arrived at 11th peak at 6:00pm. Elidir Fawr, 924m. 




The descent to the valley bottom from the last peak was the worst stretch I've had so far, every step was agony man! Knee is killing. Just seems to be downhill, it buckled a few times! 

Welsh Rob has had longstanding knee problems and he's suffering aswell but is dealing with it.

Felt really bad for the other lads as I probably added an hour on to drop to the valley bottom. It's horrible thinking you holding every one up!

Lyons, Legs and Walsh seem to fighting fit.     

Walsh had been a diamond all weekend. Holding back with the slower and the injured when he could be striding ahead.  Keeping us on course. Always making sure every one is doing ok and enjoying the trip. Walsh was built for walking and climbing and could do most of these mountains with his eyes closed and he has sacrificed alot to help the group finish this challenge and make sure the rest of us get the most out of it! Legend!! 

Arrived at Lyons senoir's car at 8:05pm. 

Checked into Pen-y-pass YHA and got tea on. Sausage and potatoes, no masher in the kitchen so it's officially not bangers and mash! 

All had showers and a beer and crashed out. 10 hours walking today! We'll all sleep well the neet and not just because there's nee german animal sharing our room!     

Tough decisions. . .

Sunday afternoon. . .

Knee is starting to give me some jip, getting pain in the back of it and it wrecks on any downhill terrain! 

With time slipping away, we have some things to decide on! Carry on to last peak after next one, staying on target for all 14 peaks or do next one and set off back to car, meaning we'll only do 13 of the 14!! 

It's a long walk to and more importantly back from Elidir Fawr. 

Lyons senior came up with the solution:  Carry on to last peak of day and he's gonna head back and come and pick up the drivers up in his car and take us to the drop point, he'll radio Stav (whose taking a rest day) to come and collect the rest and take them to the hostel. 

Plan sorted. Lyons senior strapped my knee up and it's given me some support so I'm gonna carry on! I'm determined to bag all peaks on this trip!  

Lyons senior, Hannah and Jim have set off back to the car drop point down Devil's Kitchen and the rest of us continue on to the last two peaks.  

Arrived at 10th peak at 4:28pm. Y Garn, 947m.



 

Graft. . .

Sunday afternoon. . .  

Legs, Lyons, Welsh Rob and me made it to the top of Tryfan in one piece, with Lyons senior and Hannah. It was a canny scramble up to the summit, pretty hairy in some spots! Quality view from the top of the Adam and Eve stones at the top! 

Arrived at 7th peak at 12:02pm. Tryfan, 915m. 




Legs and Lyons went off piste to the next peak, up a scree slope, the rest of us took a longer trail round.  

Arrived at 8th peak at 2:16pm. Glyder Fach, 994m.




Point of interest: Jim drops comms unit at peak of Glyder Fach and it falls for an age through the rocks, never to be seen again! All comms privailages revoked for soldier Clayton!   
  
Arrived at 9th peak at 3:00pm. Glyder Fawr, 999m. 




Pace slowing and time dissolving away,  two more peaks sheduled for today, last one is a long way from the next. It's looking like we may have to put a line through Elidir Fawr for this attempt!   Proper gutted about that - had high hopes for getting all 14 peaks bagged! 

Strange behaviour. . .

On route up Tryfan's back door. . .

Funny how the group dynamic has changed since we have a girl in the team! Hannah set a canny pace for us, a pace that only a pair of 16 year old lungs could set, and no one wants to ask for a rest! No one wants to look soft! 

If someone doesnt ask for one soon my heart will physically explode out my chest and I'm not gonna break and look soft!

. . . turns out I am soft and I had to initiate the stop! 

Here's to the Glyders. . .

Sunday morning. . . 

Cars safely dropped off and RV'd with Lyons senoir and Hannah who are on holiday in north wales and are joining us on the march today. 

Set off from the car park at 9:45am up the track that leads up to Tryfans back route! Tryfan looks awesome!!  

Onwards and upwards. . .

Sunday morning. . .

Most got a decent nights kip. Up at 7:00am showered and breakfasted and now waiting to leave for the second stretch today! Plan is the pack the cars and take all of us to todays end point, which is also the starting point then drive to Pen-y-pass youth hostel!  

It's 8:30am, just waiting in the car, while Walsh and the hostel guy play the 'move the cars in the tiny car park' game!  My body is rejecting me today and will not be commanded to do any movement! Groins are stiff but should loosen off once we get going! 

Looking forward to todays stint as there's more climbing and scrambling involved.

Ha ha looks like Walsh has picked up an unexpected german passenger! What's HerFlick doing in Walshy's car!!      

Shattered. . .

Saturday night. . .

After tea, about midnight, we crashed in our bunks, awaiting the million decabel wild call of the German bear!! Most of us slept through the night only waking a couple of time because of HairFlicks snoring! I found the double clap technique worked! It stopped him snoring but as a side effect woke some of the lads up! Wups!!!

Buisness end of the day. . .

Saturday afternoon. . . 

. . . and evening!!


Arrived at 2nd (real) peak at 2:20pm. Foel Grach, 976m.



Arrived at 3rd peak at 3:00pm. Yr Elen, 962m.



Arrived at 4th peak at 3:51pm. Carnedd Llewelyn, 1064m.



Arrived at 5th peak at 4:45pm. Carnedd Dafydd, 1044m.



Arrived at 6th peak at 6:32pm. Pen yr Ole Wen, 974m.




Arrived at the car at 8:45pm mental!!!   Over 2 hours to get down from the last peak to the road. We're all in agony, groins, knees, blisters, the lot!

What a day though! Pushed our self really hard, probably too hard really, today was supposed to be the easiest day! Covered the most miles but the hard climbs and scrambles are still to come! 

Got photos of us all at each peak and managed to loose Me tripod inbetween 4 and 5! Damn means I have to balance the camera on rocks, pitching it against the wind!

Got back to the hostel at around 9:30pm and started to cook tea! Bangers and mash!! So just sitting in the lounge of the hostel now with Legs waiting fir the taties to boil!! 

It's been an awesome day, really good crack, laughed all day from start to finish and a massive achievement as we've done 7 out of the 15 peaks or 6 out of the 14 if we're not counting the false peak. I am by the way!! 

 

Off we go. . .

Saturday morning. . .

Morning began after about four hours kip due to unnecessary noise from our german gentleman. No jokes he sound like am angry bear. 

Three cars drove to todays end point and we left two there and returned in the third. 

Set off at 10 and at present we are about 200m below the first peak. Everyone in good spirits and crack is quality!

Four way comms working a treat, getting outside interferance on channel 1 which is no end of fun! Got a baby monitor somewhere in the area, a cheeky welsh kid abusing us and some other walkers.

12:42pm arrived at 1st peak. Foel-fras, 942m.



1:20pm arrived at 2nd (false) peak. Garnedd Uchaf, 926m.





Stopped for some scran on the false peak. It's still over 3000 feet but the desenet and assent aren't big enough to count it as one, but still on of the 15 peaks! 

Arrival at Rowen YHA. . .

Friday night. . .

Had a canny journey down to Wales, 2 1/2 hours. Last stretch was a bit tricky, by tricky I mean I got lost 3 times! All the roads around Rowen are one lane, narrow as you like, windy tracks that are so steep theyre nearly vertical. 

I'd planned me route to the meter and I was a bit gutted that I didn't get here first time! Had to use the old gps on me iPhone to find out where in fact I was. Managed to find it though in the black dark, up a track that seems to be ontop on Snowdon, it's that high and steep!! 

So I'm sitting waiting for the others to arrive, Stav and Lyons are lost and iphoneless so good luck to them in finding it - nee chance!! 

The car park already has 6 cars in it, and it looks like it can only hold 5 and there's 3 more of ours to come!! 

We're all in the same room, sharing with an old german. He must be about 60 and hocks every 5 seconds! He's in Wales for three weeks just walking around, no car, no perminant address. He only turned up to the hostel 3 hours ago and luckily they had 1 bed free- the one in our room - poor old Helmut!!

No sign of the lads, wonder if I'll be doing this alone! 

Only a couple of hours before departure. . .

Friday, day of. . .
 
Nearly time to set off, just an hour and a half of work then I'm offskii!
 
Stav and Lyons should be down there by now. Lyons is going to get some walkie talkies aswell and then we'll have a four way comms network! Woohoo!!!!

We were thinking up some code names for breaka breaka walkie talkie time last night. Here's Lyons' suggestions:

potential codenames: dragonfly, lionsmane, camelhumper, salmoncatcher, rooster, lonepanther, wolfwhistler, mudslide, earthquake, condor, trainwreck.

A few other less bloggable names were suggested mainly revolving around the word clunge!!!   

Getting really excited now like. Stocked the cars cd player up last night, bit of the strokes, heathen chemistry is making a come back, the doves first album, maximo's new album! Gonna be class!

 
p.s.
Update on weather: met office forecasts gale force winds on Monday. Just typical, that's the day we're due to climb Crib Goch and Snowdon!! 

 

Pack it in. . .

Wednesday before. . .

I'm proper buzzin'! This weekends gonna be mint! 

Got all packed up tonight, seem to have a heck of a lot of gear for three days walking! Guess it's better to be prepared for all eventualities! 

Batteries are in the walkie talkies so we are all go on the comms front, 'breaka breaka ten four rubber dick' probably not use them like but makes the trip feel more 'pro'!!

Regarding me boots: I had another look at them and I reckon they leaked, last time, at the seams where the leather meets the rubber soul. So I got out the superglue and glued all the way round the join! I also glued the toe piece that had come loose and came very close to bonding me fingers to the boot! Pulled them off before the glue had fully set. Still knacked when I pulled them apart like! Don't know if supergluing me boots was the cleverest thing to do, who knows!!
   
Looks like weather is going to be wet so  the boots better hold out.  Might take some spare superglue just incase or forget that,  GAFFA TAPE!!! ! Yeah gaffer would be best, you can always rely on good old gaffa! They use it to stick aeroplane wings on dont you know! 

Mappage. . .

Tuesday before. . .

Spent some time on google maps plotting what I thought the route was going to be.

This is roughly the route starting in the North and heading South, which means we'll finish at the top of Snowdon hopefully on Monday.

Blue pins = Peaks
Red pins = Youth Hostels


Link

Just staying in 2 youth hostels instead of the 3 I've put on the map. Rowen and Pen-y-pass. Two nights in each. So going to have to do a bit of a doubling back trick after the first days walk in the cars that we'll strategically place on Friday, hopefully we'll only have to do that once though!!

T minus 4 days to embarkation. . .

Tuesday before. . .
 
Had the meet up last night in Bradford!   Looks like it's all systems go! There's hopefully 7 of us doing it. Legs, Stav, Lyons, Walsh, Welsh Rob, Jim and me. Taking 4 cars down to Rowen on Friday after work. Should take about 2 1/2 hours to north Wales from Leeds.  

Got me boots out, fixed the wayward loops and bought some dubbing to waterproof them! Dubbed me boots when I got home and then read the tin that said do not use on suede! Guess what type my boots are? Should be ok though! Just hope they don't let the waater in!

Just checked the weather forecast and it ain't looking good, rain due most days over the weekend. I guess there's still time for that to change. I don't know how much you can trust metcheck as it seems to change as it gets closer to the day so here's hoping it does!  
 

It's all in the preparation. . .

Sunday before. . .
 
5 days to go before the big climb. Only just started to give it any thought. Walsh and Stav have been grafting behind the scenes booking youth hostels and planning the route and such. Gonna have a meet up Monday night and fine tune the plans! 
36 mile in total over 3 days climbing the 15 highest mountains in Wales! Should be challenging as a few of us wouldn't be classed as fit! I haven't done any exercise for a good year unless golf and fishing are classed as exercise! I reckon they should be!! 

I need to have a look at me walking boots as last time I used them they leaked and the lace hooks were bent out and kept tripping me up! There'll be none of that happening on top of Crib Goch!