Miles and I have planned to do the 15 peaks for quite a while. The 15 peaks challenge was a spontaneous idea 3 or 4 days before hand when I saw that the weekend weather forecast was going to be perfect. We weren’t planning to challenge Colin Donnelly’s record of 4hrs 19mins but we had no intentions of hanging about. I photographed every summit and I use the time of the photograph taken as the approximate time that the peak had been achieved.
An early start to the day I get out of Bed at 5:00am grab some breakfast. I then doubled check everything is packed from the evening before setting off to pick up Miles. We stash some water supplies in a hidden location in the Ogwen valley before heading to Pen Y Pass.
Picture 1 Snowdon group at dawn
We arrive at Pen Y Pass at 6am and the car park is already beginning to fill up. Another group asked us to take a photo of them. Then off we go down the Pyg track
(6:05am) before diverting up the East Ridge of Crib Goch.
7:00am [1] Crib Goch (923 m) Welsh 3000s Time Begins now
Miles scampers off ahead while myself not the greatest fan of steep drops follows a little slower behind. I get struck behind a group descending down Bwlch Coch, Miles waits up then we jog towards the scramble of peak 2/15
7:34am [2] Garnedd Ugain / Crib y Ddysgl (1,065 m)
We hide our bags near the finger stone then dashed to the Snowdon summit, another group commented on the fact that we weren't carrying any luggage.
7:45am [3] Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa (1,085 m)
We jog down from Snowdon pick up our bags near the finger stone and continue running down the Llanberis path. Just before the Llanberis path cuts under the bridge and before the Clogwyn station we divert off the path and 8:04am we start the descent to Nant Peris via Cwm Hetiau (on the advice of Tom, Mike & others). I found parts of the descent quite slippy although most parts was run able. We arrive in Nant Y Peris at 8:33am, we take a quick toilet break at the park & ride before ascending the great slog (a boggy slog at that) up Elidur Fawr.
9:55am [4] Elidir Fawr (924 m)
We stop for a quick snack then we are joined on the summit by 2 men who were also attempting the 15 peaks challenge. They were rather shocked that we had reached the same point and started 3hrs after them. No hanging about we run down Elidur Fawr towards Mynydd Perfedd taking the path that contours Foel Goch (not 1 of the 15) towards Y Garn.
10:48am [5] Y Garn (947 m)
Time for an apple then off we dash down towards the Glyder Screes. Our water supplies were beginning to run low so we refilled our bladder bags from the stream.
11:29am [6] Glyder Fawr (1,001m)
On the Glyder Fawr spikes we stop for another snack and listened for a cricket score update (yes we carried DAB radio with us). Then we headed over peak 7/15 excluding Castell y Gwynt
12:08pm [7] Glyder Fach (994 m)
On the summit we were greeted by Tom who had been on the lookout for us whilst doing a couple of circuits of Castell y Gwynt. We refuel on some P-Y-B flapjack kindly supplied by Tom. We descend down the Bristly screes, at the bottom of the scree, we encounter some more familiar faces, its Gareth, Rachel and Adrian who are dog walking along the miners path. Tom joined us on the ascent of the south ridge of Tryfan.
Picture 2 Myself on Glyder Fach (photo courtesy of Tom Hecht)
12:58 [8] Tryfan (918 m)
The trip so far had taken its toll on Miles's knees and he was in a degree of discomfort so we took a steady descent down the west face gully and headed towards the Ogwen Cottage. At the Ogwen cottage, Miles decides that the rest of the hike would cause him too much discomfort and hitches back to Gerlan. However I was determined to see the challenge through. Whilst at the Ogwen cottage I replenished the electrolytes with a cup of Bovril and a sausage roll and refilled my bladder bag with the stashed water. I finally set off up the steep ascent the South Spur of Pen Yr Ole Wen around 14:40pm. I take my time on the ascent chatting to a friendly man that Miles and I met on the Glyders.
15:28 [9] Pen yr Ole Wen (978 m)
At the top I am relieved that the worst of the 15 is over with so I jog over Carnedd Fach towards peak number 10
15:54pm [10] Carnedd Dafydd (1,044m)
At the shelter I devour a handful of jelly babies making my way over Cefn Ysolion Duon for the final stretch. On the advice of others to save time and energy I contoured pass Carnedd Llewelyn towards Yr Elen
16:58pm [11] Yr Elen (962 m)
At the summit I take a quick picture the run down (I don't know how I managed to do this) to the next ascent
17:15pm [12] Carnedd Llewelyn (1,064 m)
In the shelter I devour more jelly babies and drink the can of coke that I purchased at the Ogwen cottage. I have a brief chat with some people walking their dog in the shelter before shooting off.
17:38pm [13] Foel Grach (976 m)
I stop quickly to take a photo then continuing running (on perfect fell running terrain).
17:54pm [14] Garnedd Uchaf (926m)
Another quick snap then I continue running towards the final summit (where did this energy come from).
18:11pm [15] Foel fras (942m)
I arrive at the Foel fras trig point. It was quite windy around there, polish off the remaining jelly babies and send out the text messages to inform people of my feat.
Picture 3 Trig Point at Foel-fras
Overall Time: 11hrs 11mins
Starting to feel quite stiff as I returned to Garnedd Uchaf, I trundled down pass Bera Bach and cutting through between Moel Wnion and Gyrn towards Rachub where I arranged to be picked up. After retrieving my car from Pen Y Pass, I decided to pick up a well earned take away with a few beers to cap an excellent day.
After thoughts
Although I would have been extremely happy with just completing the trip, I was extremely chuffed with finishing under 12hrs. I felt that I have really benefited from recent fell running training and actually taking part in some competitive events.
I would most definitely like to revisit the route and achieve a faster time (sub 10hrs one day).
I think the first thing that I should do is purchase some better gripping trail shoes. There some areas such as the descent of Cwm Hetiau and Bristly screes I found to be quite treacherous with my current trail shoes.
