Climbing Snowdon early pregnancy?

[MsBallen]

Has anyone got any experience climbing Snowdon in early pregnancy? Aibu to even consider it? Is there anything worth knowing? I would be getting the train there in the morning and when I finish.

To be fair I do want to go and have done for the last few years. The advice saying not to do it seem to mention they don't think I'm fit or prepared enough as I haven't done it before, nothing to do with pregnancy apart from a couple of people who were sick in their first trimester. I'm not sick I haven't actually got any symptoms really apart from bloating which shouldn't cause any issues walking. I have conceded that going alone may not be the best idea so it's not that I'm not listening.

It's not dramatic.

Mountain Rescue are called out all the time in the summer because people who are woefully unprepared/unfit/inexperienced take themselves up mountains and get themselves in sticky situations.

If you have no experience in the hills, it's common sense to make sure you have someone with you, surely?

Thank you I will check this out!

Depends how fit you are, anyone with average to good fitness will be fine

You've had advice from people who did it pregnant but were experienced hill walkers - from the other angle, I wasn't pregnant when I did it but I did do it as someone who, like you, was reasonably active but hadn't done any hill walking before. It was hard but perfectly doable - I did the easiest path and that really isn't that hardcore, at least in good weather. I wouldn't have fancied it in the first trimester, though, as it always made me feel so tired - though to be fair you are likely to feel at worst the same and at best quite a bit better at 11 weeks than you do at 9, and if you're contemplating it I'm guessing you don't feel the fatigue I felt at being 9 weeks pregnant! I absolutely, absolutely wouldn't do it alone in your circumstances, though, so if you can't find someone to go with you I would stop even contemplating it.

To me it's not about the pregnancy or the going alone - it's the lack of preparedness. If you're going to go, for heaven's sake please get ready for it first by walking offroad somewhere uneven with your walking boots on. There must be some kind of rough ground where you live?

I'm not being dramatic and I didnt say people wouldn't help I said it would be unfair to rely on strangers to help rather than doing the walk with company. I think it is irresponsible to encourage inexperienced walkers to attempt any walk alone no matter how helpful strangers are.

Hardly a 'climb' just a slightly strenuous walk. Tell yourself, you're pregnant, not ill! I was racing dinghies for a long time with no problems.

Sounds like you want to prove something but you will get no prizes for making stupid decisions. You are pregnant, attempting something you haven't ever done before and thinking of going alone? Come on, give your head a massive wobble and come to your senses.

And have a look at the Llanberis Mountain Rescue social media. They have multiple call outs daily all summer.

If you go (and I think I wouldn't in your position) make sure you bring lots of snacks and water!

Maybe read the thread. I agreed going alone is foolish.

I wouldn't have done it earlier in pregnancy and I am a regular hiker because I had zero energy and felt horrific. My friend did it once and an irresponsible couple with no idea about walking/climbing became stuck and my friend risked her life trying to help them as the weather turned and they were injured having never walked that far before or on that terrain.

If you’re doing Snowdon I’d say go up on the Pyg trail.
it starts with 20 mins of uphill, if you’re ok after that, carry on. It’s ‘level’ for 10-15 mins then catch your breath.

But what train is this you’re getting there?

I'd agree with this.

If you were a regular walker pre-pregnancy then I'd say yeah, go for it. But you aren't! Going up a mountain, alone and without adequate preparation is a recipe for disaster when not pregnant.

I did 21 miles at 6 weeks. DS fine. I’d have kept doing it if the physio hadn’t stopped me at 28ish weeks, I’m still not back up to fitness a year on. Do what you can whilst you can.

This train that you're going to get there and back - you do realise there's no station in Llanberis right? Nearest station is Bangor which is 12 miles away, so almost an hour on public transport.

Yes I realise this hence why it's taken me so long to save to go.

I used to work on the mountain. A few years ago a poor girl was taken up the Watkin Path while pregnant by her idiot boyfriend and his equally moronic brothers. She had no clue what they were planning and was utterly unequipped for the conditions (was wearing flimsy trainers, the Watkin Path is challenging). We took her down by train (not an option at the moment, there is engineering work on the top section so all trains terminate at Clogwyn and Hafod Eryri is closed).

A family on the train took pity upon her and took her to wait in Pete's Eats while her boyfriend descended back to Nant Gwynant. She didn't even know where they'd come up from (I flicked through my photos on my phone until she recognised the scenery). When he did eventually turn up, the mother from the family gave him a bollocking to match the one the Summit Duty Manager had given. I don't think that it sank in how foolish he had been. I felt so sorry for her, I dread to think what sort of useless father he turned out to be.

So OP, if you are going to go up, then make sure that you are properly equipped for the conditions, both on the top and bottom. Appropriate footwear is essential too, in your case I'd recommend high-legged boots to mitigate against the risk of a twisted ankle - I wear hiking trainers when I fell run, but I accept that there is a risk in doing so.

Remember that there is:

• No access to the building at the Summit
• No trains from the Summit
• Nowhere to get drinking water once you've left Llanberis
• No food above Halfway House (if she's open)
• No shelter if the weather turns
• No space on trains (even from Clogwyn) if the winds are high/demand is low/demand is high/something's broken down...

Are you planning on doing everything in one day? How far are you travelling from? Llanberis is an hour from Bangor by bus, or 45 mins from Betws-y-Coed. The train service to Betws is sparse, only six per day. I've done the Llanberis Path in 1hr 10mins up, 1hr 30mins down, but equally I've seen people take four hours just to reach Clogwyn, never mind returning.

Pay fir a guided walking group
www.snowdonia-adventures.co.uk/summer/guided-hiking-snowdonia/snowdon/

But first do ramblers groups or similar from your city every city uk has access to countryside walks

Forgot to add that there are also no toilets above Halfway House (and the ones there are only open while the café is open, there's a charge for non-customers to use them, and it may be cash-only as there's not much of a signal).

Thank you and that poor woman!

I was planning to try and find somewhere to stay for two nights so I can get there, rest and take in local sites then set off up Snowden Early the next morning then stay again to sleep as I may be too tired to navigate home later. I have sturdy walking boots recommended at the camping shop as well as an emergency bag thing that turns into a bright orange tent (because I'm paranoid and read about a guy who was saved because they saw his bright trousers). Also have waterproofs, a sun and winter hat, a litre bottle of water and walking poles as well as torch, whistle planning to get a map and compass nearer the time. I don't feel completely unprepared at all it was merely the pregnancy aspect that was stressing me a bit.

Here's a question- have you been pregnant before? I ask because when I was pregnant first time, I was totally blindsided by some of the symptoms, one of which was massive dizziness and fatigue.
I'm a lifelong hiker and was fine at 9 weeks apart from a bit of nausea, but at 14 weeks I went for a short 5k walk with a mate and about 3k in, had to stop and sit down while she went ahead to return with emergency snickers bars- I was sheet white and shaking. So be prepared for unexpected loss of energy, good to hear you're planning on going with others.

I have unfortunately ended after 12 weeks. Am 9 weeks currently exact same zero symptoms. That's really worth knowing I'm wondering if I should take a little camping stool and definitely taking snacks for along the way. I'm considering postponing until after my 12 week scan and definitely going to either find someone to go with even if it's someone off one of the women's adventure groups or a guide tour. Thank you that's absolutely the sort of thing I was looking for.

You seem determined to do it. My last point to you is that being able to walk 6 miles on the flat is nothing compared to walking 4.5 miles up a mountain and then the same down again on an unmade path.
Suggest you find the steepest land near you and see how you get on walking up that carrying all your kit including a couple of litres of water.
For what it's worth, I think it's a terrible idea to do this alone.