Leonard Cohen Walking Weekend, or Isn't It A Long Way Down?

[kwills]

Maybe it would be best to leave it untill next April,as we seem to get the best weather then!
February has been dry and sunny for a few years recently,but most tourist places can be closed.
Portmeirion though will be open.I don't think the Snowdonian train will be running,but if you're fit enough it's no problem.If you get the weather here it is well worth coming,because the scenery is fantastic.
If anyone needs a place to stay in Porthmadog just pm me and I'll see what I can do
kwills.

[Diane]

Hi Everyone,

Apologies for the delay in sorting out a new date for the Leonard Cohen North Wales Walking Weekend. It was all, as they say, due to factors beyond our control. Had we gone ahead with the original date, it would have clashed with the Berlin weekend.

We propose a new date - 10th to 14th September 2009. Fingers crossed that it's convenient for everyone.

The itinerary remains as listed at the top of this thread. Briefly:

Thurs 10th - Arrive at Barmouth

Friday 11th - Walk via the Pony Path to the summit of Cadair Idris

Saturday 12th - Walk via Llanberis Path (or take mountain railway) to the summit of Snowdon

Sunday 13th - Trip to Portmeirion

Monday 14th - Return home

Everyone to book their own accommodation. There are a couple of nice bed and breakfast establishments we have checked out on the sea front, along Marine Parade, that may do a deal for us. We recommend staying on or near Marine Parade because it is very convenient for the rail and bus station (and the pubs), it will be nice to all stay close together, and also we will meet on the sea front each morning before we set off. Details of these accommodations to follow early in the new year. It will be best if you are prepared to book your accommodation in the Spring, as Barmouth is small town, and a popular destination.

Liverpool, Manchester or Birmingham Airports are best for those coming from overseas. We will put up train information as the timetables become available.

It's a long way off, but please confirm your attendance by emailling Diane or Tim, by 30th June 2009. We will remind you to do this:-). This will give us sufficient time to figure out the weekend's transport arrangements. Please email, by this time, this info:

1. Your full name, nationality, and mobile telephone number. (Plus details of any companions)

2. Whether or not you are coming on the mountain walks. (If you are not, you can either join Margaret's gentler itinerary, which she will arrange closer to the time, or just do your own thing, and meet with the rest of us in the pub in the evenings.)

3. If you are doing the mountain walks, please answer this question: Are you are driving to Barmouth, and if so, are you willing to use your car over the course of the weekend, and would you be willing to take passengers (sharing petrol costs), and if so, how many extra can you carry?

Hope to see you there.

Thanks!

Diane and Tim

ps If you have not also had this message by email, and want to be on the email list, please let me know your email address.

[mat james]

unfortunately I'll be in Ireland around that time.

[margaret]

Mat, that's no excuse. Ireland is but a short hop across the Irish Sea on a budget flight to Liverpool

Margaret

[Diane]

Hey, Mat, Margaret's right - you'll be within spitting distance. It'd be really excellent to meet you and your lady. Please don't rule it out - I guarantee you will be happy you made the choice to come along if you do.

[liverpoolken]

There was a very interesting programe on BBC 2 the other night that told the story of William Camden's journey through England and wales in 1586. Included was a section showing Nicholas Crane, the presenter, climbing up Snowdon. So for those folk unfamiliar with North Wales this might well be of interest..........

........see link at end of post.......

The Welsh bit and the climb start at about 35 minutes in, just slide the timer bar below the screen along. However I'm sure the whole programme would be well worth a look.
By the way it doesn't always pee down with rain in North Wales, it just seems to pee down with rain all the the time in North Wales:-)

The BBC programme note:-
When William Camden's Britannia was printed in 1586, it staggered its Elizabethan readers. Nothing like it had been seen before. For the first time, the entire British Isles had been described in astonishing detail: the mountains and rivers, the history and customs, the climate and the people of each and every county. Britannia was an encyclopaedic tour of the whole country in a single book.
In this three-part series, Nicholas Crane rediscovers this 'lost' masterpiece as, on an epic 5000-mile hike, he battles the elements in search of Elizabethan Britain. He looks at England and Wales first.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... and_Wales/

Ta Ken

[liverpoolken]

WARNING THIS POST CONTAINS STRANGE WELSH WORDS

I think if you watched Nicholas Crane's documentary I fear you may have got the wrong impression of climbing Snowdon. All that scrambling about on scree was I'm sure just for the camera. Diane has suggested that we will be taking the Miner's Path up Snowdon. Here are a couple of pictures of the Miner's Path.

The first photo is taken from just after the Miner's Track and the Pyg Path, which is the other popular walk up the mountain have merged. The point at which they join can be seen a little way down the path.
The Miner's Track can be seen descending right to Glaslyn and then to Llyn Llydaw below that whilst the Pyg Track descends along the slope of Crib y Ddysgl at a higher level.

The second photo is taken looking down onto the Miner's Path as it crosses Llyn Llydaw, (BTW for those non-Welsh speakers amongst you Llyn is Welsh for lake) from the Pyg Track.

So now you have learnt two things today - the Welsh for lake is Llyn (lots of double 'l's in Welsh) and that Wales is a beautiful country.

There is nothing like walking to get the feel of a country. A fine landscape is like a piece of music...it must be taken at the right tempo. Even a bicycle goes too fast.

Ta Ken

[damellon]

Lovely photos but I don't see any sherpa stations.

[Diane]

Diolch yn fawr for the photos to whet everyone's appetite and the alert to the new Nicholas Crane program, Ken. It’s the Llanberis path, not the Miner’s Track we have planned for Snowdon. It starts a little lower down the mountain than the Miner’s but is a clear route, and at a more constant gradient. We may just have the odd aching limb or blister from the Cadair climb the day before, so this ‘easier’ route seemed a sensible choice. Another reason is cos it starts at Llanberis, where those who wish to can take the mountain railway to the summit or visit the hydro-electric power exhibition (or take a flat way-marked walk). There are also eateries and all the usual village amenities. In other words logistics are easier. Not to say we don’t have the option to vary things a bit at the time depending upon entire group’s agreement.

King Arthur’s sword Excalibur is in Llyn Llydaw. I think it would be highly poetic if we volunteer somebody to dive down and attempt to retrieve it. Damellon, I know you don't want to go up top of the mountain, so I'll put your name down.

[Diane]

There was a major operation last night on Snowdon to rescue two injured climbers, in bad weather conditions. Eight rescuers were also injured:

http://www.grough.co.uk/view/2009/01/11 ... mph-winds/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7822915.stm

[liverpoolken]

Diane

Sorry for the confusion. I don't know where I got the idea that we going to use the Miner's Path from.
I think I may have given damellon a bit of a turn.

Seeing as we intend to stroll up Cader Idris the day before I think that you have made the right desicion to use the easier Llanberis Path, which I presume is the path that follows the railway line.
During a rather energetic youth I think I must have climbed/walked up all the known ways up Snowdon except for the Llanberis Path, or as we tough hairy ars*d Northerners call it The Ladies' Path.

Reading your links about the rescue on Snowdon I see that the Mountain Resue team had to bring down 17 climbers over Christmas. Two friends of mine have been driving out from Liverpool just for the day every Christmas Day for at least the last 20 years to climb Snowdon. I was talking to them on New Year's Eve and they were telling me how they have watched the Llanberis car park get busier and busier over the years. When they arrived at the car park Christmas Day just gone at 7:30am. it was full and they had to park along with dozens of other cars on the road outside the pub.

It sounds as if it's pretty busy up there on Christmas Day.

So it's the Llanberis Path then, which I sure is good news for Henning's old legs.

Ta Ken

[Diane]

The Christmas day trek seems popular Ken. Quite a nice way to avoid all that Christmas pudding overindulgence. I've not walked in North Wales for almost two decades, ever since I discovered the joys of mountain biking for which there are ample trails here in South Wales, although nothing like the scenery. Really looking forward to this weekend of re-acquaintance with the beauty of Snowdonia. The entire weekend is planned with regard to Henning's legs, and Henning's feet. Soon he will have to go for a test run. Yes the Llanberis path sort-of follows the railway. Here's a nice pic of the train from the Snowdon Mountain Railway website. Some interesting info about the history of the railway on the site. I see it costs £23.00 for a return to the summit (or £16.00 one way(!)). We will have to sort out pre-booking for those who plan to use the railway because of how busy it could be.
http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/

snowdonrw.jpg (171.55 KiB) Viewed 2698 times

It seems the new summit cafe will be complete by the time we get there. http://blog.snowdonia-active.com/ - Thanks to Rob for the link.

Only today did I discover that there is an arts festival on in Barmouth 5-12th September centred in the Dragon Theatre. The program isn't available yet, but last year they had Willy Russell, a Beatles cover band and a male voice choir. It would be marvellous if we could get along to a male voice choir, I'll be keeping my fingers crossed on that one.

Accommodation info. to follow shortly.

[Diane]

Patrick McGoohan, star of The Prisoner filmed at Portmeirion has died.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/ja ... actor-dies

[Tony]

He won't be coming on the Walking Weekend then, will he?

[Diane]

Tony, long time no see. Is the way you say "coming" as opposed to "going" a clue that you might be considering coming along I wonder.