A trip to north Wales with members of Hertfordshire youth Connexions staff volunteers and friends.

Everyone was staying at the Herts Snowdonia centre, I arrived late on a thursday evening after struggling through traffic, and was introduced to everyone. We had a brief discussion about what everyone was going to do the next day, some members agreed on  a trip up Snowdon via the Watkin path, a start time was decided upon and people drifted off to bed.

Next morning the weather looked fine and when everyone was ready, we stopped for a group photo and left the centre around 9.00 am.

We walked up the Watkin path in sunshine, most unusually it was even slightly too hot to start with! and there was much stoping to readjust clothing. After around thirty minutes the path passes some waterfalls and pools, which on a warm day would be most welcome to dip into.

After passing the falls, we began to spread out a little as the path began to steepen. I was walking with some of the group at the back and we had a discussion about the types of fun you can have when out in the hills – types one to three; type one being fun enjoyment now, type two retrospective fun and type three fun you survived!

We made a decision to regroup at the col between Snowdon and Lliwedd, when we arrived the wind was a lot stronger and the cloud had come in. While we were waiting for the rest of the group to catch up, some people took photos of the lakes and we talked about the mythical beast, the Afanc, and how it came to located in Glaslyn.

Once we had regrouped and had some food, we set off up the stepper slope towards where the Watkin path meets the Rhyd Ddu path. Some members of the group found the steepening slope and particularly the rocky parts a bit of a challenge, but everyone reported that they were having fun – albeit type two fun in some peoples cases.

On arriving at the top of the path, there was a small patch of soft snow which we all negotiated safely and headed up towards the summit. On the way the cloud would break occasionally, giving beautiful views south towards the coast, but they were only ever  fleeting. Everyone went to the top and photos were taken and well as many selfies.

The decent went down the same way as the ascent, as far as the path junction, then we followed the path down the south ridge. Intially it was quite narrow and complicated, with patches of old soft snow, but soon we were on the broad shoulder heading down to the col between snowdon and Yr Aran.

From the col we headed down across Cwm LLan, avoiding the boggy areas and rejoined the path we had come up at the waterfalls. Everyone then returned to the centre, pleased with their day out on the hill – some more tired than others

A good day on the hill…