I knew owning a dog would change my life, but never realised how much. I’ve always loved outdoor pursuits like cycling, hiking and fishing. Once I gave Luna, my beautiful cockapoo a home, though, I quickly developed a stronger love for all things outdoorsy.
It helps Luna gets as much out of it as me. That’s what led me to think of pushing things and taking on a bigger challenge. I think people thought I was a madman for contemplating hiking Mount Snowdon with Luna, but I felt sure we’d be able to do it. All 1,085 metres of it.
Although concerned she might get too excited or hurt herself, I didn’t think the exercise or distance would be a problem. In fact, if anyone was going to suffer from exhaustion, it was me, not her.
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Choosing the Route
Planning was crucial. The path I decided to take was the Llanberis Path. It works out as 7.5km in both directions and is considered the longest route to the summit, but also the gentlest gradient. Notably, this path runs along the Snowdon Mountain Railway line and the Snowdon Race is held along it annually.
Tips That Helped Me
Not only did we live to tell the tale, but we had a fabulous time. Some tips that helped include:
· Making an early start – helped avoid the crowds and gave Luna fewer distractions and me less to worry about.
· Keeping her on leash – apart from when we were at the off-leash areas, I kept her on a tight leash. This meant I could keep a close eye on her.
· Bring enough to eat and drink – as we were going to be out and up the side of a mountain for several hours, I made sure there was enough to eat and drink for both of us.
· Be dog-led – rather than making her meet my pace, I went as slow/fast as she wanted.
· Enjoy it – most important of all, enjoy the time.
Summary
I would thoroughly recommend a trip to the top of Mount Snowdon with your dog, as it gives you a special shared experience and there are some fantastic views. It’s not the hardest to do but will give you an enormous sense of achievement for completing it.
