Number 7: Climb a British Mountain

The British mountain part of this challenge wasn't just a nod to the fact that economically I will probably never manage to leave these shores again. I mean it was mainly that but also because I do have previous mountaineering experience.Five years ago while a bright eyed young English teacher in Japan I scaled the mighty mount Fuji on the eve of my 25th birthday. Fittingly years later and now more of a bitter/journeyman English teacher I set off to Snowdon with one of the same people I had scaled Japans highest peak with, my good friend and one of Hulls finest John Ullyet. Making up the trio was of course the other half of London's most unpolished sketch act Mr Lee Gant.
The mood of the trip was captured instantly as having told the lads to be at Euston for half eight to catch the eight fifty train, I swanned up at about 8.47 myself having had to return home for my wallet. With Gantie nowhere to be seen, Mr Ullyet and myself boarded the train cursing the fact that the bumbling Leicester bred idiot had the tent with him. Visions of Gant sprawled under a pub table in crouch end wearing only hiking boots and crying flooded my mind as I turned the air blue.Then a familiar voice from behind me confirmed that he was on the train and the trip was back on. Edmund Hillary and the boys we weren't.
After an uneventful journey to Bangor we boarded the bus to Snowdon increasingly aware that we were leaving it a bit late to get up and down one of the highest mountains in Britain. The ominous blackening skies seemed to be frowning down at us as we arrived at the campsite and began what can only be described as a shambolic attempt to put up the tent. I cant really say anything as I didn't really do anything apart from hand pegs to Ullyets strong northern hands. A troop of experienced campers watched us and sneered as we eventually managed to get the tent looking a bit like the picture on the bag. Time was running out and it was 4.15 before we were on the right path to snowdon after two abortive attempts. With the climb estimated to take five hours up and down we were going to have to work hard to beat the dark.Picture below of me and John before the climb:

So it was then that our expedition began. The hundreds of normal people gaped at us in disbelief as we swaggered in the opposite direction to them and headed up the hill. The beautiful scenery was accompanied by some pretty tasty weather and we were soon all soaked to the bone and becoming increasingly dismayed by the fact that the peak seemed to be getting further and further away. There was also a bit of a dense mist settling in and by the time we settled down for a cup of tea in the halfway hut visibility was getting poor. This fact didn't stop Gantie and I from buying a postcard each and engaging in our usual abusive banter that we probably could have left till later. I'm not going to lie, the final stretch was hard, it was misty, it was freezing and  the going was getting hard. Digging in we kept the image of a well deserved pint in our heads and powered for the summit. At just after 6.40 we did it.I'd like to treat you to a picture of a beautiful shot of rural wales but to be honest it was so misty this photo could have been taken anywhere. It wasn't though, it was up the top of Snowdon, you can ask John and Gantie!

Shortly after this second photo, Mr ullyet succumbed to a bit of vertigo and in his words " Had to get out of there pal!" . The mercurial Northener was soon just a speck in the distance as he arrowed in on the pint and started descending the mountain double quick. Gantie and I eventually caught him up and we all basked in the glory of a job well done. Then with his customary awfulness Gantie exclaimed that
"No ones stacked it yet. It would be well funny if someone stacked it!"
Cometh the hour, cometh the man I stepped up and embarked on a spectacular fall that saw me fall head first into a gnarly mountain rock and bounce up with what I initially thought was a fractured skull. The boys had the good grace to not laugh for five minutes although I could tell gantie was biting his cheek. Here in all its glory was my injury:

Once my worst fear had subsided( I would have to get stitches and wouldn't be able to drink) we completed the descent and wandered into a friendly looking mountain hostelry. If we'd made a few misjudged moves earlier in the day then heading into the Pen-Y-Ceunant tea house certainly made up for that. As soon as we stumbled in our new friend Steven was pouring us three beers, popping TCP on my war wound and then putting our soaked clothes in his tumble dryer as we chilled out in front of the fire.I can fully recommend visiting Steven if you are in the Snowdon area, check out his website on www.snowdoncafe.com.

He's da man!

Here's Gantie and I with our aforementioned host.That's about that then for this challenge, big thanks to my fellow climbers and to Alan Cusack for the kind loan of his tent!Challenge Seven completed!