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SNOWDON (Episode 100)

SNOWDON

 


Listening Link 

This morning the air brings the gentle cool of herbed Autumn and a tinge of car fumes.

 

Alt text says this week’s photo is two women taking a selfie. I say it is me and my sister fresh faced and ready just before our midnight walk up Snowdon. I also say we looked fresh faced in a rather different way when we had completed the walk!

 

It has been well over a year since I decided it would be a good challenge to climb Snowdon. I needed a long lead in period to enable me to work on my fitness levels, and I am very glad I did because it was definitely a challenge! It was one of those experiences that had me digging deep for reserves of energy and determination, and my legs are telling me they know I have climbed a mountain. It felt exciting to walk up in the dark and to tackle Snowdon in a way I have never done before, and there were times when not seeing how much further there was to go was very helpful.

 

I remember writing on this blog about counting a rhythm of eight when out walking and I had to laugh when on the steeper inclines I heard myself counting to four in my head as my way of keeping going. Slow and steady and not stopping, on some sections was a super helpful way of cracking on, and those four steps at a time helped. I learned that I do indeed need to walk with walking poles so that will be next thing to practice. I do have some, but had not really factored them in properly to my walking so did not take them with me. My knees are fine today, but were telling me on the descent that they would benefit from the joy of walking poles. Time to crack that rhythmic walking. Other parts of my legs are saying “Wow, thank goodness you gave us some practice, but we are definitely letting you know we have had a challenge.”

 

It was good to share the experience with my sister, Katie. She said quite a lot on the way up the mountain at times, including some swear words, and now she says: “Although I found some of the journey slightly terrifying and at one point did cry thinking ‘Oh my God what the hell am I doing?’ I now feel a great sense of achievement and actually am contemplating climbing a mountain again.”

 

We celebrated meeting our challenge by having a lovely meal out, and then zonked out shortly afterwards. We even got a medal and were presented with these when we arrived back at the community centre for our breakfast. The group we went with raised more than £31K for Macmillan and as well as our donations for taking part in the walk we raised an additional three hundred and fifty pounds.

 

It feels good to be writing about a medal for this one hundredth blog, and it would also be lovely to know what the air smells like where you are today to mark this occasion. Do let me know!

 

Here’s a poem for the full moon because it was full and bright above us as we took our trek.

 

 

STOP EATING THE LOVE HEARTS

 

We scatter snow warmth,

swell soft gifts.

 

Thank you, thank you.

 

Near wayside evening birds, 

more bread.

 

Thank you.

 

Then all our food gifts –

love hearts.

 

 

Refrain.

 

 

(N.B., this poem was found in the traditional hymn ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’ and after it was found it was gifted its title.)


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