We drive from Conwy to Llanberis in Snowdonia, where we are staying at the Legacy Royal Victoria Hotel. It's not time to check in yet, so we park the car, and stroll across the road to Llanberis Station, the start of the Snowden Mountain Railway. The acrid smoke of the steam engine hits the senses immediately. The hiss of the brakes, the billowing steam all builds an air of anticipation.
Tourists mill around the station or line up for their turn to catch this famous train to the top of Mount Snowden, the highest mountain in England and Wales.
We ascend into towering grass covered barren mountains, rocks scattered down the sides, like a giant once hurled them down from his mountain lair.
Along the way we pass hikers hunched over by backpacks making the ascent the hard way. We chug by them waving at each other, thinking, "You must be mad."
The return trip to the Summit of Mount Snowden takes around 2 hours 30 minutes. As we chug up the mountain a thick mist obscures the best views. We can barely see more than ten metres.
About an hour later we arrive at the summit. It is freezing, the cold biting straight to the bone. Thankfully, there is a ski lodge style building at the top, selling hot food. My hot chocolate and Cornish pastry never tasted so good.
You have half an hour at the top until the next train, but don't miss it because it is a long walk down.
Soon we are shuffling back the way we came, everyone hoping the brakes hold. The mist starts to clear, and we can drink in the beauty of Snowdonia again.
If you ever get to Wales then you simply have to do this train trip.
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FACTS SHEET:
Snowden Mountain Railway
Llanberis, Wales
Website: http://www.snowdonrailway.co.uk/
