Wales - part 2
The Hike
Since I was truly a beginner hiker by any adult standards, I left the decision with my guide to choose our route and destination. I booked the guide online a week before my trip and received confirmation via phone call when I arrived at Llanberis. At the outset, I was having mild anticipation anxiety. The individual who phoned me did not give me a description of my prospective guide, Nick. Whilst waiting at the meeting point, I noticed that most of the men approaching the area were clad in Lycra — sporty cyclist’s outfits. I was dreading that one of them would come up to me and introduce himself as my guide. My heart would have probably arrested! Ha-ha-ha. Luckily, Nick was outfitted appropriately—hiking shirt, pants, and boots! Nick was local, a very experienced hiker/climber, biologist, and an environmentalist in his own right. He came with Oscar; a five-year old sheepdog that is afraid of sheep!
Nick was in control of the maps and compass while Oscar was our protector that would occasionally bark at sheep and other unfriendly dogs on our way up to Moel Elio. The funny thing was, thirty minutes into the hike, Nick offered to carry my rucksack. I must have looked like a pathetic, struggling hiker! Needless to say, I took his offer. The rucksack was weighing me down as the ascent became steeper. We occasionally stopped to either catch our breath (mostly me, gasping for air!) or to take a sip of water and a bite of the energy bars I brought with me.
Nick and Oscar guiding me along Snowdonia's trails.
We took a longer break nearing the summit. Nick produced a thermos from his rucksack and offered me a cupful of hot fruity drink that was quite refreshing after a few hours of hike. It was like having a picnic with juice and power bar. I was sitting on the ground with my back leaning against this boulder; Nick was lying on his side on a grassy area, and Oscar sitting and just watching us with his curious eyes, tilting his head once in a while. I took a few long breaths and had a long look of the exceptional gift of nature surrounding us. Nick and I had a nice chat. He asked me about my culture and he told me about his. He had a few interesting questions about my work in forensic mental health and I asked him about his environmental projects. He also shared that his fiancée, who was also a guide, used to be an air traffic controller at Heathrow Airport. As we continued the hike, he spoke about this tiny chapel, pointing towards the other side of the mountain, where they would be tying the knot.
The hike took longer than anticipated because I was slow. Thankfully, Nick was very patient and accommodating. The view from high up the mountain was simply spectacular! It is forever etched in my visual memory.
For our descent, Nick decided that we would take a shortcut and pointed to, what looked to me, a very steep mountain side. My facial expression must have shown shock because my thought was, “This is where I would break my neck and die!” It was then that Nick lent me a pair of his walking sticks which were lifesavers for an amateur hiker like myself.
Moel Eilio in Snowdonia
As we began our descent, we came across a few individuals who apparently were training for the Snowdonia marathon. I was in awe! As an amateur hiker, Moel Elio was a challenge for me and to witness these individuals running up and down the mountain with such skill and ease was truly a humbling experience.
Nick and Oscar guided me through heights I thought were unconquerable! This was one pivotal hiking experience that I would never forget. I met a few people in this journey: Ken, the taxi driver who welcomed me in Bangor; the bed and breakfast owner who scolded me for not leaving a note to say I was going to a 6 to 8-hour hike, and reasoned that someone down the base needed to know where I was headed, so they would know when to expect my return–if I were not back at a certain time, they would call for help; my great guide Nick and his amusing furry friend, Oscar, who helped me navigate and conquer what I thought was out of my reach.
The village of Llanberis in North Wales
That evening, alone in my cosy room at Plas Coch, I felt that I have not only overcome physical and mental challenges, but also arrived at an absolute one-mindedness…that I am my own person, a free individual who will continue to connect with people, places, and nature.
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For other photos I took during this journey, check out the Wales in Captured Images
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