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I have been up to a fair bit over the past couple of weeks, and have travelled a fair way during that time. Last update, we were heading to the Peak District to do some hiking for two nights but not exactly what we expected. We thought when hearing the 'Peak' word that there could be at least a couple of mountains around the place but, nothing at all really. The area was still nice though and very green with rolling hills, so that made the walking nice and easy. Once again we were camping each night in a paddock, which we had know idea if someone was going to come after us with a shotgun or not, but the insects were bad enough as soon as the sun started to set. I have know idea what they were but made us have a early night both times and gave us a great itch. On the last day we climbed over the highest mountain and I decided to take a short cut through the middle instead of going around the top of the mountain following the track to save time. That was a big mistake because we ended up finding ourselves in the middle of a massive maze of trenches. I think there is a photo on here but the sides were very slippery and took a couple of hours to manage to find our way to the other side but was pretty funny.
Of course when we finished, our hiking, and we were back in Manchester, we were starving so we went to a "all you can eat" place with the hosts we were staying with. We had already chosen this chinese place to go to, even before we went hiking, as the guy we were staying with recommended it saying he can eat 6 plates, so of course i had to challenge it.
It was on when we got there, I have never stuffed so much food in me before, in so little time, in the end I was scared to move and later on I couldn't even move. The other guy wasn't much better though, so that was ok. Anyway all you can eat places are tops!
The next day, we headed into Wales to a town called Llandudno on the coast in the North and is the best city we have been to for chilling out. Heaps of people recommended it back in London, saying it still has the old charm and is still quiet, but someone forgot to tell that to the other thousands of tourists there. All the bulidings were still nice and old and there are places were we could get away from everyone still. The mountain on the corner of the city has great views of the city and that is where we decided to camp for our first night, hidden in the trees. The views are great though especially at dusk and we were lucky it was a calm night in the bay.
In the morning we had to get up early in case we were spotted by someone and hoped onto a bus going to Conwy to see the Castle. A little bit of history, built by King Edward 1st between 1283-87 and the surrounding town wall is 1.2K long and still standing strong. The castle was more impressive from the outside but thought we had better go inside this one and check it out. We would love to check out more places like this inside but they are soo expensive to get into and for us we just cant aford it every time. So we spent a couple of hours checking it out before walking around the walls and through the town before going back to Llandudno for the night.
We decided not to stay on the mountain again that night, so headed to the other side of town where there was some bush land. We walked and walked and couldn't find a place anywhere at all and couldn't go to a hostel because the travel info place said there isnt any on town. It got to the stage where it was near dark and we had nowhere to go, so I just went up to a place a knocked on the door asking if we could have a patch of land for the tent. Told him our situation and that there was no hostel or camp site in town then he just says " I own the hostel in this town" out of the blue! What are the odds, a town of 50,000 ppl and we just happen to knock on his door and it turns out his wife grew up only 2 hours away from us back in Tassie. He ended up driving us to the hostel and we got a room so worked out well.
To the Snowdonia Mountains in the morning for some more hiking and the second highest mountain in the UK. I went a day before Kylie to do a little more hiking and to try and find a campsite. I was planning to stay up on the mountain somewhere but the weather forecast was to be bad, so stayed down low for the first night. I was set up by the afternoon so went for a hike that evening and it turned out to be harder than climbing up Mt Snowdon. Mainly I lost site of the track and had to crawl up a ledge of wet slate which was not easy at all but good fun though. Luckily that day, the sun was out so got to see some nice views all around because the next day it was terrible and was pouring all the way up the mountain and I was soaked. I went up on the sheltered side and when you walk up over the final ledge the wind hits you and near knocks you over and it is freezing! I was only up there enough time to take a photo before heading down a different way which was a mistake. The fog had really set in then and I was going to try and go along a more difficult way along a ledge only marked by a goat track as the way up was nice and easy. Started heading and I just happened to bump into a couple only 10m away from the summit and the girl was crying and the guy was looking real worried and they were so glad to see me as they had know idea where they were at all, and they have been wondering around for 3 hours in the fog. They asked if the summit was close and it was only 10m behind me but couldn't even see it, thats how bad it was. I started to worry a little after seeing this but kept going and they said it was a pretty steep climb and it definately was and trying to follow the tiny path was difficult. After about 1 1/2 I was on the edge of a cliff and had know idea where I was so grabbed a rock a threw it into the fog just in front of my feet but didn't even hear it land so thought best not go that way. Looked on the map and found a path like the one I came up on that should be close by and headed in that direction found it and followed that one to the other side of the mountain.
But the thing is, now I was on the complete opposite side of where I was supposed to be and was another 10K walk back around the base but made it eventually to find Kylie standing there after she had just come back from the top as well. Just happened to bump into each other there since we were not meeting up untill tomorrow back in Bangor where Kylie was staying so I packed up the tent and headed with her for a good night sleep and plus I was soaking wet along with most of my gear so the tent wasn't too inviting at all.
Next day we were heading to Cardiff for a couple of nights and it was a 8 hour bus ride there and was not looking forward to that and I then got a phone call from back home with some not so good news so needed to get home as soon as possible. Well from then until now it has been a blur really from making it to Cardiff and staying with a local couple and their family and having a few to many drinks and and now I'm back home and have been here for 3 days and heading back in another 2 days to fly to Germany. It has been a mad rush since trying to catch up with everyone and the jet lag really hitting hard, but it is good to be home for a short time even though not for the best reasons. I have to say thanks to the Hall twins for what they have done the last few days and Denham for Wednesday it was great to see ya there mate.
So tomorrow heading to watch the unders and hope they beat bloody Longford then going to Bug's big 21st bash and so glad it turned out to be on this weekend then Sunday somehow make it to Launni by 9am to go back to London.

Thats all for now and next time will be from Germany..

There is a heap of photos as well this time

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Photos

Llandudno
Up on the Great Orme

Llandudno
Down at the beach and Kylie at the end of a boat ramp

Snowdonia
A drowned rat up at the top.. It was freezing up there and blowing a gale

Snowdonia
Heading down the complete wrong way

Peak District
The bloody bugs there traped us in the tent. They were really bad and gave us a good itch

Peak District
First night camping in the Peak area

Peak District
We had to try and follow this kind off tracks to the other side of the mountain. Was like a massive maze

Manchester
The bid wheel there kinda like the one in London but not as big

Comments

[Erin]

Hey Guys
Hello there Kylie and Slug, Once again gr8 photos! I can't believe the views from the places where you have camped! I hope you are having fun in Germany!! Love Erin