Last Wednesday Mrs Grinder had the bright idea that we should tackle Snowdon.

Managed to get a pitch on the camp site at Beddgelert, so Thursday morning it was breakfast at Petes Eats and a very enjoyable, if slow, climb to the top, we hung around at the summit for a couple of hours to allow the cloud to clear so we could get some photos. Quite a result for a couple of middle aged unfit people.

Now the important bit...

The summit cafe / facilities will close on September 3rd and demolition will commence almost imediatly, the new visitor centre and facilities will not open until the Spring of 2008. Trains will only run to Clogwyn, not the summit, temporary toilets will be available at Clogwyn. If you are contemplating Snowdon in the next 18 months this may be important to you.

Mrs Grinder has mentioned Ben Nevis, and I caught her looking at rental cottages in Fort William for October time :loopy:

End of an era!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/4396006.stm dated Nov 2005

"The proposed cafe complex, which would also include a new terminus for Snowdon Mountain Railway, must be completed by no later than early summer 2008 to qualify for the European funding.

This means the existing 70-year-old existing building, once called "the highest slum in Wales" by Prince Charles, must be demolished in autumn next year to allow contractors on site."

And....just for added interest......here's the webcam view of the summit RIGHT NOW (isn't the internet amazing?):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/webcams/pages/snowdon.shtml

For once I'm with Prince Charles. It's always seemed such a shame that one of the most beautiful specs on these isles have a naff transport cafe on them. We did Snowdon the easy way (train up walk down) a few weeks ago so I guess I really will have to walk it up and down next year. We may detour to the Rangers Route though as I thought the main track was a bit full and touristy for me.
We too have considered Ben Nevis. There's a charity (Marie Curie I think) who do a sponsored Ben Nevis walk most years. We were thinking of joining that but may go for a test walk later this autumn.

Last time I was up there the “transport café” was a most welcome sight, albeit one that was dimly perceived through the mist & rain that we’d endured whilst ascending the Watkins path, we just had time for a cup of hot tea and a kit-kat before the café closed for the day.

On the way back down we passed some fellow hikers struggling up the final stretch.
They remarked how much they were looking forward to getting out of the rain and purchasing a hot Bovril at the summit.

We didn’t have the heart to tell them it was closed (and the last train had gone too!)

End of an era!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/north_west/4396006.stm dated Nov 2005

"The proposed cafe complex, which would also include a new terminus for Snowdon Mountain Railway, must be completed by no later than early summer 2008 to qualify for the European funding.

This means the existing 70-year-old existing building, once called "the highest slum in Wales" by Prince Charles, must be demolished in autumn next year to allow contractors on site."

And....just for added interest......here's the webcam view of the summit RIGHT NOW (isn't the internet amazing?):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/northwest/sites/webcams/pages/snowdon.shtml

Looking back I don't really know what gave me the 'Internet idea'!!