The ‘HOW’ of LAHOW – SNOWDON!
The mighty King Arthur: he slew Rhita, a great and terrible giant. When his warriors cast stone and stone upon him, they created this mountain.
You ask: Did the clouds clear and the sun smile down on your ascent? No on both counts. Rain? Well, only misty drizzle. Wind? Only up to 35 mph, but on the lower slopes we were sheltered by the mountain. Were you the only ones up there? Not exactly – see below. In a word? Fabulous. Both wonderful and painful to make use of new muscle groups. Every member of the party made it to the top, none using either e-power or fossil fuels.
Wainwright strides again – He contemplates the hills,
and heads off up the Pyg track
Helpful local forecast. Right on all counts except one: there were indeed intervals, but they were not sunny.
Sinister characters on the desolate summit, some unable to stand without support.
The famous Summit cafe. We puzzled why so many took the train up only to see nothing, to have coffee in a spot that could’ve been anywhere, and to go home again. Triumph of hope over likelihood?
Most joyful moment of the day: Glynis and Liz arrive at the Summit cafe, fearing that the Lahow party may have moved on down some other way, while the said party is fearing that Glynis and Liz may be missing, possibly for ever… when suddenly faces light up as all see each other through the throng, and it dawns on the newly arrived that they can after all have a bowl of soup. (Naturally they had no money).
THE DESCENT
Having come up the Pyg track, we descended via the Miners’ Track, in places a well-built stone structure along which miners used to carry their tools and products (copper, iron).
Old pole crammed with coins; and a public-space artwork made of copper and iron and watercolours, designed to turn in the wind and change its surface with the batterings of time
Tomorrow’s road 
For more about the Mozambique work and needs, or to donate, go to:
lahow 
Thank you for this blog. It gave me great memories of walking and climbing all over that area when I was younger. You are tough guys to make it up and down at your ripe old ages.
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