Mission accomplished!
For the photos click on
Our original plan was to do Snowdon/Carnedd Ugain on
Sunday as it’s not such a challenging walk. However, the weather on Saturday
was atrocious so we decided to save the Carneddau for Sunday and hope that the
weather improved. Saturday’s walk up Snowdon was wet and windy, conditions at
the top were truly horrible. Gale force winds and a total fog white-out.
Nevertheless we found a slightly sheltered place just behind the café and had a
delicious Tea no. 1. I had procured some first flush Darjeeling that
complemented the cake wonderfully. Although the Carnedd Ugain peak is a short
walk from Snowdon summit, it is along an exposed ridge and the severe
conditions would have made it a very dangerous short walk. We therefore decided
to make up for it with an extra effort on Sunday and to include tea on Pen yr
Ole Wen, a stiffer climb than originally planned. On reflection we made the
right call. The walk down the Miners Track became very pleasant as we
descended, still windy but much drier. Rachel’s boot inconveniently fell apart
and she put a spare sock over it to keep the sole on. It worked but, with the
toe of the sock flapping about, she was walking a bit like Mr. Chuckles! Then an emergency boot shopping expedition for Rachel, who enjoys buying shoes in any circumstances.
On Sunday we started the climb up Pen Yr Ole Wen in low
cloud. It was still breezy but nothing like the hoolie on Saturday. It’s a
steep climb, made all the more interesting by a proper scramble to get to the
summit path. The cloud lifted and we had a very civilized Tea no. 2 on what,
from a distance, we realized was a fairly sheer grass slope dropping 1000 feet
down to Ffynnon Loer (Fountain of the Moon). Ah well, mad dogs and Englishmen!
There were a few other walkers up there, including one American fell runner who
seemed to defy gravity as he leaped up the mountain. We followed the ridge and
dropped down and then climbed up again to Carnedd Dafydd. It feels like a very
solemn place and it’s not surprising that there are Bronze Age remains all over
the Carneddau. The scale and grandeur of those mountains inspires awe and
humility, our ancestors must have been similarly affected. Standards were
maintained for Tea no. 3 on Carnedd Dafydd, as we sat in a comfortable slate
windbreak on the summit. The tablecloth didn’t blow around quite so much.
Lots of high exposed rocky ridges and the Black Cliffs
dropping away on one side. You can see most of Anglesey, the whole Snowdonia
range, Snowdon jutting above the rest, and Tryfan below us looking like the
Lost World.
Then a long descent before the steep climb up Carnedd
Llewelyn. By this stage, although Ben was still doing that trick of
disappearing then reappearing 200 yards uphill, Rachel and I were knackered. We
were long past jolly words of encouragement. It was force of will and bloody
mindedness that got both of us up there. I have a lot more respect for my legs
now. Tea no. 4 on Carnedd Llewelin was a little more hurried, although to the
correct standards of course. By this time it was 16:00 and we were getting
twitchy about coming down in the dark. Ben skilfully found a path straight down
the mountain from the main ridge. A Mountain Rescue chopper offered a pleasant
distraction, buzzing around Tryfan like a giant wasp. We hoped that their
customer was safe and well.
It was a fell race against dusk on the way down. No stopping
to remove layers of now unnecessary fleece and waterproofs. It was like running
in a sauna. We got down as dusk fell and the light was failing as we walked the
short way back along the road to the cars.
Thanks to my wonderful wife Rachel and special thanks to Ben, who was an
excellent leader. Thanks to David and Einir at Gors Yr Eira B&B, who fed us handsomely and made us feel so welcome. And thank you most of all to everyone who donated so generously. You've helped us achieve our objectives: To raise money to protect tribal peoples and to raise awareness of their lives and their struggle.
Photos will follow - probably with a link to a photo page as there are lots!
*********
Update: T - 2. Have made shopping list for tea essentials and am checking Met Office website obsessively. Last workout in the car park today. Lots of lovely people have sponsored us and I'm getting loads of support and encouragement from colleagues so THANK YOU ALL! We're driving up to Snowdonia tomorrow afternoon so will post one more update tomorrow before we go. Darjeeling would be most suitable I think.
Update: Only 4 days to go. Jasper's training regime of walking up 10 floors x10 times at Trenchard multi-storey care park at lunchtimes seems to be paying off. Let's hope the knees hold out! Rachel has been walking up all the stairs she can find and spending hours on the exercise bike. Ben is in good shape anyway. Final preparations are underway, cakes will be baked and cucumbers procured. Watch this space!
http://www.survival-international.org/actnow/teafortribes
It's the 40th anniversary of Survival International and they want people to hold teas to raise money in their Tea For Tribes event.
We thought we'd do something a little different. On the 3rd and 4th of October Jasper, Rachel and Ben will be walking up the 4 highest peaks in Snowdonia, and having a proper high tea at the top of each of them. Tablecloth, tea set, cake (and cake stand), cucumber sandwiches -- the lot. We'll be taking tea on the summits of Carnedd Dafydd, Carnedd Llewellyn, Carnedd Ugain and Snowdon, and rattling collecting tins at fellow hikers and startled mountain goats along the way.
Jasper is 48 and works in local government. His interests include hill walking, sea kayaking, singing and cosmology. When Jasper read about the Tea for Tribes event he characteristically decided that he would need to do something dramatic and challenging, and so would Rachel.
Rachel is 32 and works as a TV producer. Rachel's interests include vintage hats, renaissance costume and living history. Naturally more drawn to eating cake than climbing mountains, she is looking forward to the feast available once the mountain peaks are reached. She will also be providing nice tablecloths and cups and saucers to make sure that the best teatime standards are maintained.
They have persuaded their friend Ben to come along too. Ben's interests include 1930s cars, design and fashion. His enthusiasm and experience as a scout leader should be invaluable, and his lovely girlfriend Simone is kindly baking them a cake! Apparently, Ben "hasn't lost any scouts yet" so Rachel and Jasper feel quite safe in his charge. He is a "jolly good chap".
And now to the purpose of all this silliness... we've just stolen this from someone else's page because it's such a good point:
"Survival International is an effective and fiesty NGO which is the only international organisation supporting tribal peoples worldwide. It was founded in 1969 after an article in the Sunday Times highlighted the massacres, land thefts and genocide taking place in Brazilian Amazonia. Like many modern atrocities, it took place in the name of 'economic growth'. Sadly, since then corporate greed and governmental complicity continue unabated worldwide"
And here's the official JustGiving blurb:
Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
So please dig deep and donate now.
