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Dave - I can't believe what you wrote. I met Diane in Berlin and Dublin and she is a nice and caring person. That's what she told me several times. I bet she will even give us a massage when we are down from the mountain with a beer in our hand and her hands on our back.

For those of us not fit enough for the big mountain walks, I have details of a selection of alternative easier options ranging from 1 to 4 miles. We can discuss these options when we all meet up at Barmouth.

Margaret

Kudos to you for begining your training, Dave. A couple of people are worrying that they are not fit enough for these walks. No need to worry. Provided you are reasonably active in your daily life and have no medical problems (yet), you will be OK, although the walks will be demanding and tiring. We are walking to the tops of mountains. If all the exercise you normally do is to walk from the car to your office, get down to your local park pronto and follow Dave's example. We will take a nice slow pace and the aim of course is to get the entire group to the summits (and back) together. Yes, if anybody has a spare plane ticket to Barcelona and an LC ticket after these walks, I will gladly travel to the hospital to collect it from you. Shame to see it go to waste.

Henning wrote:I bet she will even give us a massage when we are down from the mountain with a beer in our hand and her hands on our back.

Dream on my friend, there is no time for such indulgences. I am a bit perturbed by the fact that many people seem to think they are coming on this trip to enjoy themselves. No matter, that attitude will be knocked out of you by the time we are half way up Cadair .

OK here's the deal on Snowdon Mountain Railway (thanks for bringing this up, Pete and Phil):

You do need to stipulate a time when you book, trains leave at half-hourly intervals.

You cannot join the train at any point other than the start point or the summit, especially not when armed with a sheep.

It is possible to get a train down from the summit having walked up, but tickets are only available on a stand by basis at the time, i.e. not guaranteed.

There is a £3.50 booking fee. As it seems daft for each person separately to incur this charge, I will book tickets for everyone a week in advance and you can settle up with me when I see you. So, if you definitely want to get the train that day, pl. let me know by Fri Sept 4th, so I can book on the Saturday. (If the weather forecast has a distinct air of dodginess about it at that time, we can delay the booking for a few more days.) Return fare £25, single £16, journey takes 2.5 hours including a half hour stop at the top (the stop at the top can't be extended - you can't stay for longer and get another train back down). So, Pete and Paula are the definites so far. Judith, Phil, Judy and Liz, you have time to think about it, and also Mambo, Linda, Ann Way and anyone else in two minds. Will email this message to everyone tonight as not everyone reads this thread.

Thanks Margaret for sorting out some walks for the non-walkers (!) I'm sure things will fall into place when we arrive in Barmouth and can talk to each other directly about who wants to do what.

Diane wrote:

Henning wrote:I bet she will even give us a massage when we are down from the mountain with a beer in our hand and her hands on our back.

Dream on my friend, there is no time for such indulgences. .

Diane wrote: I'm sure things will fall into place when we arrive in Barmouth

That's where my hope walks along.

Not sure if Phil is a man or woman, but from the list above , it looks like you have a lovely bunch of women to keep you company on the train Pete.
Now, does that mean I have a lovely bunch of guys to take care of me, if I get into any trouble on that mountain

Btw, I usually love to travel light, but as I have never went abroad to climb a mountain before, can anyone tell me what essentials I need to bring?

Hi Tinders. Phil is a man:-)

Essentials are your Irish good humour, a pair of (worn-in!) walking boots (plus thick socks), a full set of waterproofs, or at least a waterproof jacket with hood, made of gortex or similar high quality breathable material (I have a spare old one if you don't have one although I think you are taller than me and I can't guarantee it will fit, will bring it along anyway), a spare fleece, a small rucsac (to carry what you are not wearing plus your drink and food).

Tinders,
if you are flying with only hand luggage then wear your boots and waterproofs (or jacket) over your other clothes before getting on the plane. Some chocolate and/or a small flask might help flagging energy levels during the walks!

Margaret
(doing softer walks only with maybe a train up Snowdon and a walk down, depending on how fit I feel in 3 weeks time )

margaret wrote:Tinders,
if you are flying with only hand luggage then wear your boots and waterproofs (or jacket) over your other clothes before getting on the plane. Some chocolate and/or a small flask might help flagging energy levels during the walks!

Good advice, Margaret. Nice that you are thinking of braving Snowdon:-)

Close to Barmouth train station, five minutes walk from our B&B's, there is a supermarket where we can get water, ready-made sarnies, fruit, drink, chocolate bars etc, to take on the walks.

Is there a restriction on the number/size/type of chocolate bars we can buy??

Byron wrote:Is there a restriction on the number/size/type of chocolate bars we can buy??

No:-)

Thanks for making me laugh just before I drift off to sleep, Byron. Nos Da.

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, I love you all. You are such a great bunch of human beings. Thanks for all the advice. I am determined to do one of the days mountain walks, even if it kills me ( but I will die happy)

Thanks so much

I love dark chocolate

[quote="tinderella"]Ahhhhhhhhhhh, I love you all. You are such a great bunch of human beings. Thanks for all the advice. I am determined to do one of the days mountain walks, even if it kills me ( but I will die happy)

Thanks so much

I love dark chocolate [/quote
As the boy in the film brassed off famously said : " How do you die happy "
Thanks for all the info Diane and last time I looked I was definitely a man but because Jean says I am more like a mouse I have decided to do the decent thing and walk her up the moutain aisle ( Actually my health suddenly improved when I saw the twenty five pound ticket price ) . Therefore I will not be taking the train ! She has graciously offered to give me a piggy back if I get into difficulty . At this point she sarcastically points out that she has been carrying me all our married life .
I will decide on the day
If I walk or stay
So it's no train for me
By a wifes decree

My wife also loves dark chocolate I have just had to buy her some to appease her annoyannce at my lack of enthusiasm toward the mountain ( Is that how you spell enthusiasm . Now shes telling me to stop waffling ! So I will !!)

ha ha that was so funny to read Phil.. It looks like we will spend most of the 3 days laughing, and that can only be a good thing. Laughter is the best medicine and I am sure a few of us will be looking for some kind of medicine after the walks

Diane wrote: Better to take your own food up the mountain with you, eat it before you enter the summit building (Hafod Eryri), and then just buy a coffee in there, imo. I saw something on TV about the construction of the building, and the architecture seems more interesting than the food.

Excellent advice Diane, but does not the cafe only have "Knorr Cup-a-Soup", according to Margaret's rather excellent article. I'm a little concerned that anyone who doesn't have their own provisions is likely to die a slow and lingering death on the mountain. Lol

tinderella wrote:ha ha that was so funny to read Phil.. It looks like we will spend most of the 3 days laughing, and that can only be a good thing. Laughter is the best medicine and I am sure a few of us will be looking for some kind of medicine after the walks

Hi Tinderella
Too true about laughter being the best medicine washed down with a spoonful or two of alcohol . So I will be searching my joke book for all the ones relating to blisters , aching backs , dehydration , mountain rescue etc,etc,etc, . But tomorrow we are setting off for a couple of weeks in France on our summer vacation so I will not be posting for a while . I am not into this laptop mylarky ( is that how you spell mylarky ). I am going to learn french while I am there you never know it might come in handy up a welsh mountain . See you all in Barmouth