So I have just got back from Snowdonia and I feel it is necessary to tell everyone how it went. Firstly because everyone is asking and secondly because I have reached my fundraising target of £2500!
Thanks to everyone that sponsored me, I’m so glad i reached before i went as this will be my motivation on summit night!
Anyway back to Snowdon or as it’s more commonly known – my weekend from hell! I kid you not, not one thing went as planned this weekend and the whole group (22 of us) were cold and wet for 48 hours.
Before I start i’d just like to reiterate that I did indeed buy all the correct kit, including waterproofs and expensive boots, so there is no blame there.
On Friday morning i headed off feeling positive, up beat and excited for the weekend ahead (Hey! how was i to know what a shambles it would be?) I arrived at the ‘hostel’ i use this term loosely, I have stayed in hostels before but this was a whole other kettle of fish. I got lost 6 times on the way there and arrived 2 hours before anyone else to be told that there was no signal or wifi and that dinner wouldn’t be ready for another 4 hours. Having survived my journey listening to One direction and eating donuts I was not best pleased!
After finding my ‘room’ again i use this term loosely, – it was more like a cave, and choosing a BUNK bed (there were 10, and can you believe a bloody bunk bed?) I then had to confront the fact that the bed was not made. For people that know me they know i would do anything to avoid making a bed, I was considering paying the hostel staff extra to make it for me, then i considered just putting the pillow case and mattress cover on but no I finally accepted that I needed to put the lime green duvet cover on the duvet. This was a very trying time for me let me tell you!
Anyway once everyone arrived and we were sat down to dinner we were briefed on the following day. The weather was looking to be horrendous and there was a 90% chance we wouldn’t be able to climb (are fucking joking? I came all the way to fucking Wales to climb Snowdon not make my own bed and share a room with 9 randoms for nothing!) Everyone went to bed feeling tired and deflated.
The next morning we were woken up at6.30 by the rain which was a treat! We were told to “layer up” so indeed we did. Just so you are aware of what layering means in Wales I wore,
1. normal top
2. thermal top
4. light fleece
4. heavy fleece
5. water proof coat
That was just my top half! We headed out to the mountain and climbed for a grisly 4 hours in the hail and rain and snow and thunder and rain and snow and hail and a bit of rain as well. We were 4 hours in and trying to stand up in the 90mph winds when we were told “No No we must go back it is too dangerous!” (again – are you fucking kidding me?) We walked/fell back down to find that our transport had a flat tire. We were then radioed to be told we needed Search and Rescue for someone on the mountain and to call someone for help (erm hello as the hostel staff lovingly told us there is no signal or wifi so how are we supposed to get help) I won’t bother to divulge but we basically got back to the hostel. wet and tired and freezing cold (-16 degrees) to find that the heating and hot water had broken. There was only one thing for it! – off to the pub for a baileys and some heating!
When i woke up Sunday morning after falling asleep at 8.30pm the night before I found we still had no heating or hot water so I decided to sack off the rest of the day and start the mundane 5 hours back to the beautiful and warm brentwood.
The weekend was cold, boring, wet and cold and we didn’t even get to the top of the bloody mountain! Do i feel more prepared for Kilimanjaro now? Slightly. Would I do it again? Only if i get lime green bed sheets!
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