Thursday 24th May – Beddgelert Forest Campsite

Earlier in the holiday we had dismissed the idea of going up Snowdon on the train due to the poor weather. We had reasoned that it was not worth paying £25 each to find the summit wrapped in cloud and with no views on the trip. However, the weather forecast for today was very good and we woke to blue skies so we decided to go for it. We knew that on good days the trains booked up very quickly so we set off for Llanberis, arriving just after 9. The board said that the next available train was 3 pm but when we went to book they offered us 12:30 and we took it. This gave us time for a quick visit to the National Slate Museum ten minutes walk away. I strongly recommend a visit here if you are in the area. Not only is it free, it is very interesting and the film, the giant waterwheel and slate-splitting demonstration should not be missed. The quarryman who gave the slate-splitting demonstration was a real entertainer and also gave me some good tips about splitting my slate - “split with the grain and make sure that the stone is wet”. He made it look so easy and the resulting slate tiles where incredibly smooth. I just wonder how mine will turn out! We didn't have time to see the quarry workers terraced houses or some of the outdoor exhibits – perhaps next time?

Back at the railway we boarded our train and discovered why they weren't advertising the 12:30 train as it was invaded by a party of Birmingham primary school children. They were in their final year and were actually very well behaved.

The views on the trip up were fantastic – across to Anglesey, down the Lleyn Peninsula and over many adjoining peaks and lakes. Everyone had taken coats expecting it to be cool at the summit but when we arrived at the top station there was not a breath of wind and it was hot. On the way we had seen many walkers on the various routes and they certainly looked warm with water bottles clutched in their hands. There was a very short walk up the hill to the summit and there we watched those that had walked all the way celebrating as they took the last steps. I was asked to take a group photograph of a family who had just walked up. One of the sons was part way through the John o' Groats to Land's End cycle, stopping off to walk up three peaks on the way! The family from Cornwall had joined him for this walk. The man's cousin had died of leukaemia and he was raising money for the cancer charity.

The journey up was accompanied by an interesting commentary but the trip down was commentary-free allowing us to chat with the other people in our compartment whilst still enjoying the magnificent scenery. A fantastic trip and well worth the money.

After a brief walk to a waterfall just above Llanberis, we drove on up the lovely Llanberis Pass and then down the next valley past the lakes of Llynant and Llyn Dinas through Beddgelert to the Forest Holidays Campsite one mile beyond. This is a lovely campsite on Forestry Commission land and we found a pitch backing on to the Welsh Highland Railway, surrounded by bluebells and lit by dappled sunlight shining through fresh green leaves of the forest canopy. Magical!

Photos: A steam train ascends Snowdon with the massive Dinorwig slate quarry in the background; A view from the roof of Wales; Jane and I looking as fresh as daisies after the strenuous ascent of Snowdon.............. by train!; the waterfall above Llanberis.