Snowdon & Llyn Padarn

We entered majestic Snowdonia National Park to conquer mighty Mount Snowdon, maybe not today. We took the Watkins Path up the mountain, which zig-zags back and forth at a gradual incline. As we hiked higher, the views became increasingly spectacular. We could see for miles across rolling green hills and valleys. After an hour, we reached a dramatically cascading waterfall pouring down a sheer cliff face. We took a brisk but refreshing foot dip in the chilly pool at the base, invigorating our feet for the hike down.

Later, after recovering with a hearty pub lunch in the buffet car at the Llanberis station, we spent the afternoon at the scenic Llyn Padarn lake, located at the foot of Snowdon. My friend Scotty and I eagerly jumped into the crystal clear waters. We swam steadily for over 2 km, marvelling at the dramatic mountain scenery all around us. The water was brisk but refreshing.

Meanwhile Dana tried paddleboarding for the first time on the calm waters of Llyn Padarn. She started off a bit tentative, carefully climbing onto the board from shore and kneeling down, trying to balance. It took her a few minutes to find her footing and get comfortable maneuvering the long paddle while kneeling. But before long she was calmly paddling across the smooth, glassy lake.

I could see a huge smile on her face as she gained confidence gliding along the pristine waters with each paddle stroke. She paddled steadily for about 200 meters out into the lake before pausing to take in the postcard-worthy views of the Snowdon peak reflected perfectly on the lake's mirror-like surface.

After a short break to enjoy the scenery, she paddled back to shore, still smiling and clearly thrilled by her first paddleboarding experience. By the end, she was comfortably paddling with ease despite some ripples from passing boats. I could tell she absolutely loved the calming time out on Llyn Padarn surrounded by breathtaking alpine scenery.

Afterwards, we returned to Beddgelert for a delicious dinner at the historic Saracen's Head Inn. It was the perfect finale to a wonderful day. The food, beer and hospitality were wonderful. On the drive back to the campground under the stars, we reminisced on the hike, the castle, and all the laughs we shared.