Wales - Snowdonia

Also known as Eryri in Welsh, Snowdonia is a National Park in north Wales only a couple of hours from Liverpool. Best known for having the highest peak, Snowdon, in England and Wales (mountains are higher in Scotland) at about 1085m.

Went with a bunch of coursemates in five cars. We stayed at the University of Liverpool's chalet in a village callen Deiniolen. Lots of fun and games, including a board game called Articulate, in the evenings.

All of us managed to get up to the top of Snowdon, by various routes, all tiring, some via more adventurous routes than others. While we were there, there was a mountain rescue helicopter that picked up a climber that fell a few hundred feet. A few of our group met up with some of the unfortunate man's hiking companions who saw him fall.

I was trying to climb that same route but chickened out. It was a bit steep for me and the wind was very strong. I thought I might be blown off the mountain. For those that know me you will know why I thought that. And less than ten minutes after I turned back to go to the easier path, a helicoptor appeared to airlift the climber who fell. But a few good climbers in our group successfully walked the more difficult path, Crib Goch. The name does sound a bit scary, doesn't it?

Apart from that, all of us had a very good time indeed. Great camaraderie and lots of sore knees and limbs. Lots of good food and drink. A rather European group, Italians, Spanish, Greek Cyrpiot, Indian, Norwegian, German, Scots, English and Irish etc.

And the local sheep breed here are the Lleyn. See Lakes District sheep.

The waterfall is Swallow Falls, a stopover on our way back to Liverpool where we had a nice lunch.