SNOWDONIA
At the southern end of the Aran ridge is a huge boggy plateau that gradually rises to the summit of GLASGWM – one of southern Eryri’s secret gems, and a superb spot to spend a night in the hills.
Sometimes, you just need to go and spend a night on a hill. I’m sure many Trail readers will know exactly what I mean. When everyday stresses and anxieties get a bit too much, you start to yearn for a release. It’s that feeling of tired contentment you only really get from a big climb to a glorious summit, with the tantalising promise of a wild camp at the end of a long day. It is escapism in its purest form; it is getting away from unread emails, depressing news stories and social media; it is a way to savour a little taste of adventure and reconnection with the wilds.
As I say, I’m sure I’m preaching to the converted here. These days, more people than ever have got hooked on hiking in the hills with a tent and a rucksack. This isn’t at all surprising. For millennia, humans existed in the wild as nomadic hunter gatherers, living close to nature and intrinsically connected to the landscape around us. But something changed. We traded open spaces for crowded pavements, forest and fell for concrete jungle. We strayed. I’m convinced this is why going off-grid for a bit – and particularly heading for the hills – always feels like a return to the natural order of things. Because, let’s face it, we’re all still a bit wild at heart. Walking and wild camping helps to reconnect with the primal creature inside us all.
That’s my theory, anyway. Right, I’ll get off the soapbox. Luckily, having delivered much the same slightly overwrought sentiments to my other half, Ellie, she agreed to come along for a little micro-adventure. Not that she needed too much convincing, since she’s always up for a night in the hills, as is our blue merle collie, Cadi. Although I did have to promise El not to go ‘full caveman’ when we got up there – Ithink she was worried I was going to strip down to a loincloth, beat my chest and howl at the moon. I duly promised to keep a lid on it. Which was just as well really, because veteran Trail photographer Tom had also agreed to join us (although at this stage, I sincerely doubt there’s much he hasn’t seen in the hills). Next question: where to go?
We’re lucky enough to have all of Eryri pretty much on our doorstep, which hardly narrows down the choices. But since we were looking for solitude, we decided to avoid the hotspots and honeypots of the northern ranges. So, for once we wrote off Yr Wyddfa, cast aside the Car
