Asthma Boy climbs Tryfan - pictures inside!

LordSplodge

LordSplodge

LordSplodge

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A bit of background before I get to the pictures.

I suffer from very serious Asthma to the extent that my Peak Flow is on average 350. A normal healthy male will blow around 600.

Recently I have been working very hard to get my lungs in good working order. Walking long walks, cycling, short runs (and I mean short! :D ) and have got to the point where my Asthma is a lot better.

I have a great interest in the outdoors and love climbing hills/mountains. I have even gone up Snowdon but via the Llanberris path ;)

So as a treat and a bit of a getaway from the stress of work I went to Wales last weekend and climbed all 3000+ feet of Trfan. Not an easy climb for a fit healthy person.

Ok on with the description:

Started off after a 3 hour drive. Weather was good with high cloud over the peaks. This was to chnage quickly. Here is the view from the Milestone Buttress. Not very far up but I was already a bit out of breath!

Milstone.jpg


The ground was so wet if you stood still you stared to sink! :eek: Just look at the snowmelt coming down!

snowmelt.jpg


Continued...
 
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After the initial climb the terrain levels off around a nice lake. But, what is this? Oh no! Cloud cover is coming down. Bugger! Oh and it is getting very, and I mean very windy!

ohno.jpg


Oh and it was getting a bit cold too. Just look at this:

cold.jpg


And so, undaunted I went onward and upwards.
 
Visabiltiy had dropped to nothing and a couple I met said they were not going for the summit as it was too windy. Me? I came all this way and only death or Asthma attack would stop me.

itsnotreallythetop.jpg


That looks like the top. It was only the South peak. Damn you!

Finally I made it. Adman and Eve. I did not jump between them!

yes.jpg


Excuse me looking like a gimp but I needed to dress well for the cold and wet!

Just had to get down...
 
Well done mate.

Being an outdoor guy as well, I love long hiking and trekking, most of my trips are about 16 miles though.

Looks good and well done :)

Be nice to know some of the kit you wore when pegging up those mountains.

edit - is that a macpac tekapo 35l I see on your back

LordSplodge said:
Excuse me looking like a gimp but I needed to dress well for the cold and wet!

Just had to get down...
Click to expand...

I always end up caked in mud.
 
And so the descent began...

It was a bit slippy...most of the way down involved my arse :D

slippy.jpg


It was a very long way down...

longwaydown.jpg


Got back to the car just a hell was unleashed.
 
Well done dude :D

I take it you weren't foolish enough to go up alone? :)

Some nice pics there.

[edit]Especially that last one!
 
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Hail the size of large peas. it hurt! :(

weatherturning.jpg


Oh and at one point I took my glasses of to clean them only to find it was ice that had formed on the lense. Great.

My legs ached so much the shook when pressing the clutch pedal on the way home...

Best thing I have done in a long time and a very great personal achievement. Remember my lungs are half as good as yours! :p
 
Well done dude, a worhtwhile experience i take it and good for the old lungs :)

And remember there is no shame in looking like a G|mp :)
 
Let me just resize a few more pictures...

It was very daunting looking from the car park. Boy that is big and steep!

bottom.jpg


Talking a breather...

resting.jpg
 
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For those of you not used to climbing when the hill fog or cloud drops this is what it looks like...

lostintheclouds.jpg


There is a very steep drop just to the left. Somewhere! :eek:

Oh hang on, look what I found...

dontlookdown.jpg


Phew. Just talking about has made me out of breath.

When the weather gets a bit better it is off to do the Glyders (you can see them covered in cloud in the small lake picture) and then after that it is the horseshoe I think! Anybody want to help me do the 15 3000-footers?

I need a lie down. Took two days off work to recover. My legs are not looking forward to the cycle to work tomorrow! Gulp.

Thanks for the support guys.
 
Spacky said:
Be nice to know some of the kit you wore when pegging up those mountains.


I always end up caked in mud.
Click to expand...

Lowe Alpine Walkabout 35 rucksack and Lowe Alpine waterproof outer layers. Bog standard coat underneath. Some generic mountain boots.

In the pack was: Glowtick, torch, compass, OS Map, emergency food, plenty of drink. Extra clothes.

I fell in a river near the bottom so the extra clothes came in usefull! :D
 
well done on what must be a massive achivement

loving the pics though, seems the fog came down pretty hard

and how far away are these mountains ? ok wales but roughly how many miles / hours to get there?
 
Ransom said:
well done on what must be a massive achivement

loving the pics though, seems the fog came down pretty hard

and how far away are these mountains ? ok wales but roughly how many miles / hours to get there?
Click to expand...

Thanks. It was hard!

I live in Derby. Snowdonia is about 130 miles and that works out at just under 3 hours. The last part of the jounrey is real twisty roads.

Worth the trip.
 
You should be proud dude, that's quite a trek for most people, let alone if you have breathing issues..

Nice one :)
 
Is it a bird?...is it a plane?.....No, it's Asthma Boy :D

Seriously though, well done. It can be a hard climb up there, especially in those conditions.

Hint and tip for anyone thinking of following in your footsteps. Don't look down :p
 
LordSplodge said:
When the weather gets a bit better it is off to do the Glyders (you can see them covered in cloud in the small lake picture) and then after that it is the horseshoe I think! Anybody want to help me do the 15 3000-footers?
Click to expand...
If we're making an outing of it I'm in :)
 
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