Snowdonia

Snowdonia. It's taken me a while. I've seen it twinkling in the distance but this is the first time I've properly mountained up. 

On the way North we got our first Welsh taster when we stopped for a walk in a place with an eleven-letter-long name, but which contained no vowels. Well Welsh.

First Number One: Snowdon. The second of my Three Peaks and something that I probably should have done twenty years ago. Still box ticked now. The weather had been rubbish the week before so it looked like it might not happen, but happen it did. Yomped up the Pyg track, which was really pretty but unpleasantly full of people. Snuck down by the Rhyd Ddu track, which - after the ridge at the top - was a lot less pretty but felt less like a queue.

First Number Two: puffins. Went out on a boat from Beaumaris to see a lighthouse and some seals. Managed to see a handful of puffins despite it being early in puffin season - I say handful, you would need pretty big hands, even though they were about two thirds of the size I expected. 

Beaumaris had its own chilli shop (what castle isn't complemented by a chilli shop?). Which was where I found out how spicy Carolina Reapers actually are. When they broke me last Summer they were officially the spiciest chilli in town. If I'd known that at the time I would have afforded them more respect. 

What else? Stayed in Bethesda, where a casual run is a little bit more hilly than Essex. Stopped at Llanfair PG for obligatory station pic. Visited the Devil's Kitchen (complete with full Welsh rain) and the Anglesey Sea Zoo which I last visited in the early nineties - my gut feel is it hadn't changed too much, still who doesn't want to see cuttlefish?

We had a break at Ironbridge on the way South. The bridge had put its pyjamas on, which added an element of ridiculous to the nostalgic detour.

Oh and there was a third first I'm keeping for myself. That one isn't for you internet. Hashtag new normal.