The lovely snow capped mountain was staring at me quite
audaciously. It was teasing me to come and experience it up, close and
personal. I was in two minds—should I, should I not?? That it was a training
ground for legends like Edmund Hillary was not lost to me. And there
was that mind boggling number—1,085 meter high. It makes Snowdon mountain
range in Wales the highest range in the area. It wasn’t a mere tease but
flirting with danger for lazy city dwellers like me. So again the question
remained—Should I, Should I not??
The husband prodded. I rolled up my sleeves, let out a small
sigh and decided it was time to man up. And off we went. We gingerly started
our trek on this Alpine topography. The path we chose was easy but still less
used because the mountains can be a bit tricky with snow. Perhaps, it was this
prospect of danger that kept us going. That the only way is up and if we
falter…....well we did not. With each passing stretch the lovely village of
Snowdon seemed like a mere dot. The landscape of bluish-white Mountains was
beautifully broken by glistening, icy lakes and the mountain train which takes
you through the range.
Snowdonia has its fair share of legends. Its Welsh name Yr
Wyddfa means burial place and legend has it that the cairn at the top is the grave of
Rhita Fawr a particularly fierce giant who had a cloak made out of the beards
of all the kings he'd killed. Listening to these stories, we kept with our
pace. As you go closer, the gentle U of the Snowdon Mountains stare
right at you, the “U” was formed because of glaciers that were in the area some
18,000 years ago.
After about five hours we reached the peak, which was
perpetually playing hide and seek, despite reaching the top of the mountain. The snowy wind was
billowing with full thrust. It’s only with lot of willpower you try to move up
to reach the peak. Finally, we reached the peak. And it was like experiencing
God, the wind doesn’t kiss here it bites you. You reach top and you
feel very humbled. There’s a reason why it’s lonely at the top because no man
or beast is quite strong enough for nature. If the peaks decided to unleash its
fury; only the unseen God can save you. But then the view, the calmness of
mind, the agony of the untrained muscle is worth all the efforts.
Mountains are not to be underestimated. If going up is
challenging, coming down is equally is tricky. With each step I gingerly took I
felt the snow melting right under my feet, the surface stirring me a bit. It
was demanding every ounce of attention. Meditation! We reach down in about two hours
passing through hordes of pretty little yellow flowers and school of sheep
munching away oblivious to anything.
When you reach down, it’s a moment of realization--that Earth can really hold you down.
It’s strangely calming.
.