Against Marpigz Fear of Heights: Day 2

Either Marpig am too busy with work or she is back to her wols mo life in the freezing cold UK. With the weather and temperature lingering around -2 to 5 degC everydae, Marpig, although not cold blooded, tends to switch btw hibernating at home or working like mad in the office

Anyw, have been hearing bad news since the new yr starts and no, letz talk bout scaling Snowdon & many other totally outdated Italy, Amsterdam, Prague and Korea bloggie entries!! This entry shall bring every1 up to Snowdon!! (refer to 22nd Nov 2008 for the 1st part!!) Brace yourself for a long entry!! (who says climbing mountains are easy?! Itz a long and tedious process!!)
From the map above, one could see tt therez more than 1 track to go up Snowdon. In fact, there are 6 (or even more) and herez a little bit of smth bout each track:

1) The Llanberis Track (Marpig descended via this track)

Supposedly to be the easiest track since itz incline is steady and not steep. But it is also the longest track. Although itz incline is not steep, there are still fatal accidents

2) The Pyg (Pig) Track (Marpig joined this track after ascending a steep rocky ascent via the Miners Track, see below)

No1 noes how the name came by although it mayb bcos of Bwlch y Moch (Pigs' Pass) over which the track passes. Anyw, itz a popular track and really gives climbers good mountain xperience!! Nice panoramic views!! More bout the views later!! Dont be taken in by the name assuming the word "Pig" means easy... heu!! itz not!!

3) The Miners Track (Marpig started with this track)

This is the most popular track up Snowdon, since it has flat sections (itz only the beginning!!) and with great views!! This track allows one to pass Llyn Llydaw (a small lake) as well as ruins of mine workings (photo of it later), around rocky cliff edge, Glaslyn (blue lake) b4 joining the Pyg track from the edge of Glaslyn and up to the summit

4) The Watkin Path

A "quiet and peaceful" track although Marpig am not too sure when climbing season peak with climbers... It is said to be the track with the greatest change in altitude since climbers starts at 60m above sea level to 1085m on Snowdonz summit. The track passes the Afon Cwm Llan river as well as the Gladstone Rock which commemorates the opening of the path in 1892

5) The Rhyd Ddu Path

It is also one of the easier tracks up to Snowdon, going up gently a broad ridge towards the summit. However, the last 100m are dangerous since it is a very steep slope with scree

6) The Snowdon Ranger

Another quiet track which was named after an early mountain guide who had his home near the starting point of this track. His home is now the Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel

Next, photo journal bout the day to conquer Snowdon!!
Woke up on a grey and wet morning... luckily the rain stopped but still a little bit of passing drizzle... See those little white dots amongst the greenery? Yupyup!! One th tt Wales has alot are sheep~~!! As the countryside view is so breathtaking (well, you got to be there to feel it!!) Marpig cant resist taking a "framed" photo!!So nice!! As though one could walk in/out into the photo... :DFrom where the log cabin was, Marpig & frens need to drive to the carpark at the bottom of one of the tracks called Pen-y-Pass where pple are getting ready to start the ascent
Hmmm... why did Marpig took a photo of the carz number plate? No... look closer...EEEKKK!! Itz a black slimey SLUGGIE!! OMG OMG OMG!! *shudders* So u see, one must look beyond the big ths around us to appreciate the smaller beings :)

As it was, Marpig & frens started with the Miners Track and along the way...Remember Marpig mentioned above tt the Miners Track will bring one pass the Llyn Llydaw? Herez the small lakeContinuing the track, one reached the blue lake (Glaslyn) & think tt is Snowdon...
Walking along the blue lake, one will pass the ruined mine working buildings
Getting closer to Snowdon...!! Notice the blue lake on the left...

The pathway on the left was where Marpig & frens trekked along the lakes b4 the climb bcomes climbing amongst scree and bcos it had rained (& occasional drizzle), the rocky scree has water flowing down, much like climbing a mini waterfall!! Terrain is wet & rocky as oppose to Msiaz wet & muddy tracks!!After gaining more height, Marpig looked back at the lakes as well as making a short stop (Marpig am feeling squeamish bout the height already!!)
More height and the clouds cleared for some sunshine although itz still cold!! And oh, doggie was making the climb too!! Poor little doggie with little paws!! Marpig watched it and saw tt itz shivering (from the wet and cold) as well as being afraid of heights!! Reason being, it doesnt dare to climb up (later) as the bigger dogs (labradors & german shepards, not in the photos) and the owner had to carry it up for the later part of the steep ascent coming up...
Doesnt look like the photos tt Marpig took? Well, it isnt. But it is the steep ascent tt followed until the summit. As Marpig am too scared by then, she didnt take anymore photos while crawling on all 4s to get up to the summit!! Gosh!!

And finally... the summit of Snowdon!!Too bad it wasnt one of those good clear daes... but still, itz the summit!!
Guess who made it up as well? :P
The little doggie!!

As mentioned earlier, Marpig & frens descent via the Llanberis Track, alongside the railway
The rest is just to go easy on the knees and heavy on phototaking!! Pictures tell a 1000 words!!Who says climbing are for the gungho? Itz very much a family outing too!!
Marpig says, this mother is GOOD!!
Mountain biking UP not down!! So 厉害喔!!
The little Welsh town below the Llanberis Track
Tall straight trees always reminded Marpig smth which Marpigz mom taught Marpig long time ago, "山中有直树，世上无直人"After the climb, Marpig & frens went sightseeing around North Wales the next dae although therez nth much to see/do...
Ice cream in Welsh is "hufen ia"... nope, Marpig do not know how to pronounce Welsh (there are not pronounced as their spellings do & dont sound English either)Take note JM!! JM & JG = 好朋友!!
The place Marpig & frens went was near the coast & hence, therez a mooring for yachts. And to top it all off the last dae, Marpig & frens went to have a game of crazy golf!!
And here ends Marpig Snowdon climb in North Wales!! Finally!! Took so long to complete!! Oh, just a couple of thingy; Welsh cakes are fantastica, specially when warm and splashed with butter!! Gosh!! Heavenly!! Another thingy, all the Welsh words etc (those tt looks like mispelled English) are Welsh, not tt Marpig spelt them wrongly... (you wouldnt noe even if it was mispelt anyw... hahahahahhaha)