Switzerland - August 2008

I'd always wanted to go walking around the Matterhorn, breathing the pure Alpine air and experiencing mountain walking on a scale that doesn't compare to what England has to offer.

And so, in the August of 2008 I joined an organised walking group of about a dozen keen walkers and we flew out to Geneva.  We later arrived at the wonderfully scenic Alpine resort of Zermatt, situated in a valley with dramatic views of the Matterhorn, where we stayed in a basic chalet style hotel for the first night.
For the rest of the week, we generally slept in even more basic but civilised wooden chalet huts high up among the Alpine peaks, which exist so that walkers can continue on a high altitude circuit without having to carry tents and camping equipment.  The huts provide rugs and bunk beds along with an evening meal and breakfast for a very early start the next morning.

Zermatt

One of the nice things about Zermatt is that they have a zero emissions policy for transport; so the only cars allowed there are electric cars.  That way the air is kept pure, and there is no noise because the cars are silent.  If only Britain could adopt the same approach.

We would carry a picnic lunch between us and sit down to eat with wonderful views that you could happily look at all day long.

On the last day of the week we were glad to be able to relax in Zermatt, visiting the Matterhorn museum and enjoy walking around town without big rucksacks on our backs.  I went up in a helicopter that flew around the top of the Matterhorn. We could see climbers on the summit.

Snowdonia - March 2008

Tryfan (918m), in the Ogwen valley of Snowdonia, is one of the most famous and recognisable mountain peaks in Britain.  Many walkers climb this rugged mountain throughout the year.  Some scramble up the north ridge, but the popular route up is via the west side.  At the top are two large stones known as Adam and Eve.

I first saw Tryfan on a Snowdonia trip in 2003 and decided to definitely return one day to climb it.
A November 2006 trip to Snowdonia (Mark's idea), when we had to abandon an ascent of Crib Goch on the Snowdon horseshoe half way along the ridge due to poor weather, did not see the weather improve enough the following day to make an ascent of Tryfan worthwhile, so it was to be another two years before a Tryfan trip came to fruition.  But the March of 2008 was one of the coldest for a long time, with much ice to contend with on the route up Tryfan.

Tryfan as first seen, on approach up the Ogwen valley.

The icy climb up the west face.

Near the top.

Amazing scenic backdrops as Mark and I pause for a photo.

The Adam and Eve stones on the summit of Tryfan.