It’s never easy getting up early (well for me anyway!), especially when that ‘early’ is ‘really early’! I did at least get to bed at a reasonable hour, nestled in my down sleeping bag in the back of the van, ready for a hike up Snowdon in the dark…

All my students were packed and ready the night before and we all met as agreed at 04:30. Si had agreed to join us again after our battle up Cader Idris last Sunday and it was luck he did, because after arriving at Pen y Pass, we found that the parking was still only by reservation (I had checked this the week before and been wrongly informed that you didn’t have to book!). I had no choice but to leave Si and the team at Pen y Pass to begin the hike while I drove back down the Llanberis pass to park the bus and then run the extra 3km back up the hill! Not the start I was hoping for!

The mist and clouds were so thick as I climbed up the Pass and onto the Miners track, that the reflections from my headtorch meant that visability was only a few metres (like when you put full beams on, in the car in thick fog). It was actually easier to have no headtorch and let the faint moonlight guide me. I caught up the group around Llyn Llydaw and soon after a glow of colour appeared in the east.

Moments later we broke out above the clouds into clear skies. A magic moment.

At around 07:30, we all sat down to watch the sun pop over the horizon and have a breakfast of hot porridge, that we made from flasks of hot water. The colours just kept getting better and better.

After such an incredible show, it was temping to just walk back down! But the summit remained high above us still, so we pressed on and were glad we did as the cloud inversion on the west side of the mountain gave even more incredible views.

The summit pyramid glowed pink then orange as we ascended, then over the Col, a sea of clouds swept over to Ireland, with just a few mountain tops high enough to stand clear like little islands.

It was hard to know which way to look on the summit ridge as the views were in every direction!

In the distance, I pointed out Cader Idris above the clouds – it was hard to imagine the difference in conditions since last Sunday, where we could barely stand up in the gales! Today there was hardly a breath…

Sporting a ‘got out of bed early and set straight off up a mountain’ look, we celebrated on the summit.

It was a slow walk down the PyG Track and the clouds lingered all day in the valley, with the Llanberis Pass remaining full of thick cold clouds while we sweated in summer conditions above it.

As we reached the cloud level, we got treated to a Broken Spectre as a final little ‘well done for getting up early’ treat! All that was left was to retrieve the mini bus – this time I managed to thumb a lift all the way!

On arrival back at The Cottage, where the last late afternoon sun was out, I thought I’d have a quick nap before Clare and Josie arrived home. I pulled my sleeping bag out of the van and lay down. I must have instantly fallen asleep as they arrived back soon after to find the van and house open and me in a coma on the lawn. They moved cars, had a cuppa and then Josie left – without me even stirring! I’d be a terrible guard dog! Ha ha! After a restorative shower, I regained enough energy for a quick drink with Dan W in Bangor before getting into a proper bed! Mega day!