Asthma Boy climbs Tryfan - pictures inside!

[LordSplodge]

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! ) 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!

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

Continued...

 

[LordSplodge]

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!

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

And so, undaunted I went onward and upwards.

 

[LordSplodge]

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.

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!

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

Just had to get down...

 

[LordSplodge]

And so the descent began...

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

It was a very long way down...

Got back to the car just a hell was unleashed.

 

[LordSplodge]

Hail the size of large peas. it hurt!

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!

 

[LordSplodge]

Well done dude

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

Some nice pics there.

No I teamed up with some of my Welsh relatives!

 

[LordSplodge]

Let me just resize a few more pictures...

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

Talking a breather...

 

[LordSplodge]

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

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

Oh hang on, look what I found...

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.

 

[LordSplodge]

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


I always end up caked in mud.

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!

 

[LordSplodge]

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?

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.

 

[LordSplodge]

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

Nice one

Thanks, I am determined to get my lungs up to a good level. Going cheese rolling in May!

If we're making an outing of it I'm in

Read this first. The trip would take me about 2 weeks. This says a fit person can do it in one day around midsummer.

WALK x002 The Welsh Three-Thousanders - Snowdonia

Length : 31.5 miles - 51 km Ascent : 11,900 ft - 3630 m Grade : Severe


This is one of the great endurance walks of Snowdonia. It is not for novices and should only be attempted if you are fit, competent and able to navigate in poor visibility. The route can be subject to rapid changes in weather and what might be a nice day when you start could soon become a nightmare. Whatever the circumstances always be prepared to abort and admit defeat.

For most people completing 50 km on flat, easy surfaces will be a challenge. To complete the same distance over tough mountain terrain including ascending (and descending) a height equivalent to a third of Everest then you have put the route into context and perhaps immediately decided to leave it until another year! There are some sections where speed is impossible and this is compounded when tiredness starts to take over.

There have been many theories put forward about the route and the one given here begins at Pen-y-pass and finishes at Aber Falls. Obviously there are many ways this can be completed and the route provided here is based on personal preference and includes the hardest sections in the first two thirds of the route. However do not underestimate the final third as you are crossing remote areas far from major roads with any problems increased by fatigue.

At this stage it would be best to define the peaks in order of appearance. They are :-

Peak Height (ft) Height (m)
01 Crib Goch 3028 923
02 Garnedd Ugain 3494 1065
03 Snowdon ) 3560 1085
04 Elidir Fawr 3031 924
05 Y Garn 3106 947
06 Glyder Fawr 3277 999
07 Glyder Fach 3261 994
08 Tryfan 3002 915
09 Pen yr Ole Wen 3208 978
10 Carnedd Dafydd 3425 1044
11 Carnedd Llewelyn 3490 1064
12 Yr Elen 3156 962
13 Foel Grach 3202 976
14 Garnedd Uchaf 3038 926
15 Foel-fras 3090 942

The fittest will complete this route during the hours of daylight in summer but for those less used to walking then completion in two or three convenient sections spread over a couple of days would be more appropriate.

Much of the route is covered in the walks contained on this website so the broad outline given below should suffice :-

A - Starting from Pen-y-pass follow walk x036 and descend from Snowdon towards Llanberis as far as Derlwyn (grid ref. 589588) before dropping down to the main road west of Nant Peris. This is "off path" and care needs to be taken to keep away from crags. If in doubt head down to Llanberis and walk up the road.

B - Locate the lane by the Chapel in Nant Peris (grid ref. 605585) and follow the path into Cwm Dudodyn. Reaching a footbridge (grid ref. 608596) strike off due north for the summit of Elidir Fawr. This ascent is one of the least interesting of the route and is a real test of character. From Elidir Fawr the onward route to Tryfan is straightforward with the descent from Glyder Fach best accomplished down the steep scree path just to the west of Bristly Ridge. Care also needs to be taken in locating the descent route down the north ridge of Tryfan. If in doubt retrace your steps to Bwlch tryfan ans use the Heather Terrace. Parts of this section are covered in walk x019, walk 186, walk 088 and walk x001 although most of them have been described in reverse order!

C - Having completed the descent from Tryfan attack Pen yr Ole Wen by the west ridge as described in walk 150, which takes you through to Carnedd Llewellyn. The next summit, Yr Elen, is and an out and back route from Carnedd Llewellyn before you regain the main ridge and head north to Foel Grach. The remainder of the route from here to the Aber Falls car park is covered in walk x021.

D - Give yourself a pat on the back!

Still in?

 

[LordSplodge]

Well done on your climb/adventure up the mountain, looks like great fun! I'm going to be doing some Volcano walking/climbing when I go to Lanzarote next week, looking forward to it muchly.

The volcanic rocks in Lanzarote are very sharp. Mind you, I was there during my honeymoon so not a lot of climbing was done but quite a bit of diving was!

 

[LordSplodge]

If we get a few going and pair up into teams, and my partner has poor-visibility navigating abilities and is able to keep up with me, I wouldn't mind a little wager on it

Maybe not all 15. But a "OCuK Snowdonia Mountain Challenge" sounds like a brilliant idea to me!


Say. Tryfan & The Glyders and then off to Crib Goch for a challenge?

 

[LordSplodge]

Bear in mind I've no idea what I'm doing and own no gear. If it gets arranged and the date is good for me I'm there

Don't worry about gear. A good friend of mine runs the Duke of Edinburgh award at the school I work for. I can borrow kit that is needed.

Don't worry about knowing what you are doing - it's common sense. Don't take risks and quit if it is getting to difficult. Anyway as a Yorkshire man it should be instinctive!

 

[LordSplodge]

I'm sure it would be, I just need to be in the situation where I can put it to the test

Get organising man, stick my name on the list

I have started a thread to see what interest we can gather. Your name has been added. Hope you won't regret it!

 

[LordSplodge]

 

[LordSplodge]

I have my own Peak Flow meter.

My average is 350 and my sons is 600. The wife who used to smoke blows on average 450.

But your doctor also keeps his eye on it. Lowest I ever scored was 60. I was in a bad way.