Saturday 14 July 2012

Snowdon, North Wales



Snowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) in Gwynedd.The name Snowdon is from the Old English for "snow hill", while the Welsh name – Yr Wyddfa – means "the tumulus", which may refer to the cairn thrown over the legendary giant Rhitta Gawr after his defeat by King Arthur. As well as other figures from Arthurian legend, the mountain is linked to a legendary afanc (water monster) and the Tylwyth Teg (fairies).


Lowry, Jan Gabrial and Tom Forman stayed at the Gorphwysfa Hotel at Pen-y-Pas in early October 1933 arriving on the 1st. Lowry, Jan Gabrial and Forman walked up Snowden from here via the Pyg Track .Later Lowry and Forman went rock-climbing. (Jan Gabrial Inside The Volcano Pg.27-28).


Lowry refers to climbing Snowdon in his novel Under The Volcano when Hugh Firmin recalls a visit to Snowdon in Chapter 6 when he climbed the mountain via the Parson's Nose.







No comments:

Post a Comment