lyrics from the song somewhere over the rainbow by Yip Harburg
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
Where the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come true
A few years ago I had an idea, a dream that one day I would like to climb Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa ) It was crazy I thought, wanting to actually climb a mountain, after all I don't even do hills very well!, I looked into how I could do it for charity but nothing ever happened until my life changed in June 2023 when I finally moved out of my parents home to move to Lincolnshire to live with my wife and to start a new job. That is where I got involved with Bro Pro UK, a men's mental health charity. This is the story of Bro Pro and how 19 men climbed over the rainbow to reach way up high!
Bro Pro by David Bruce.
My journey with Bro Pro started 4 years ago. It was a conversation that began over a pint. We had realised that guys in our town didn't have anywhere to go and talk other than the pub and for some, that wasn't ideal. We opened the doors of our Spilsby Hub one Thursday night and Bro Pro was born. Fast forward 4 years and we have 14 locations and 3 in the pipeline.
For me, Bro Pro is very simple, we provide a safe place for men to meet, socialise and talk. That's it! The rest is what you make of it ... It's your community. Gents, know your worth and remember, stay gold!
David
Founder of Bro Pro UK
Let the journey begin!
The Bus journey started from Bro Pro HQ in Spilsby on the Friday (14th) morning with a pick up in Horncastle which is where I joined the bus and then we were on our way, too late to pull out now, we were going to hike our way up a mountain! We arrived at the Hostel in Llanberis about 5.30pm, once we were settled in we could take in our surroundings, when looking across at the fantastic views from `Basecamp` (see 2 photos below) we could see several big hills but none of those were Snowdon, that was just a little bit bigger. It certainly gave us food for thought as we contemplated what was to come.
Llanberis high street by Wayne Waite Views from hostel and Church by Stephen Thompson
We were up early the next morning to catch a taxi at 5.20 to take us to the starting point where we were to meet up with other guys from Bro Pro that didn't travel on the bus and our mountain lead Kris Gleave. The weather at ground level looked fairly decent, some blue sky some cloud but it wasn't raining, yet! We were all in good spirits and looking forward to our adventure.
We made our way along the miners path, starting off fairly level with a gradual climb. The clouds were slowly starting to move in over the tops but would we get any rain, to be honest I didn't care and I don't think anybody else did, we were all in it together. We were getting to the top whatever the heavens threw our way,
Top 2 photos by Wayne Waite
As we progressed further up the mountain the weather changed and the rain was on but our spirits were not dampened. We saw some stunning scenery, lakes and mountainous terrain, We walked across a causeway splitting a lake in two and took the opportunity for a team photo in a break in the weather. We saw just about all weathers, rain, hail, sleet, thunder and lightning and an amazing rainbow where we walked right next to the end of it but alas no-one had a spade to dig for the pot of gold. Our mountain guide was quick to point out that if the storm had got any worse in terms of the thunder/lightning then we would have had to turn back because it would have been too dangerous to continue but that part of the weather held off, thank goodness and we could continue on our way passing some local residents on the way.
Video above of the changing weather conditions
Photos above by Steve Thompson
As you can see from the photo below I was quite wet but I wasn't bothered in the slightest. Even with the clouds and the rain we were still afforded magnificent views.
It is important to have the correct clothing and footwear when attempting Snowdon. Waterproof boots are essential when you are walking on paths that are more like streams after the rain we had. See video below:
Video clip by Graham Taylor
Teamwork on Snowdon staying together helping each other out.
As we approached the the top and the final part of our climb there was a sense of excitement, a final pause in our journey as we realised the summit was `just round the corner`
I was talking to myself, pushing myself for the last leg, it's not far now, come on legs you can do it. I started thinking about my best mate who died in a car crash in 2011, he loved exploring and adventures just like this, I wished he could have been here. I found the last section quite emotional as I reached the summit, a huge sense of relief as I realised just what I had achieved, pushing myself all the way, while my legs still moved, giving up was never going to be an option.
As you can see from the 2 photos above we didn't get the amazing views from the top we had hoped for but we did it, we all did it, we really did dare to dream of somewhere over the rainbow way up high! We conquered Snowdon together.
If you are thinking of going up Snowdon, here are some of my tips/advice you should bear in mind.
Wear a decent pair of walking boots/shoes making sure they are worn in and not new on the day.
Wear appropriate clothing
Take a Rucksack to store spare clothes, snacks etc.
Drink Plenty of Water.
Take snacks like protein bars or the traditional Kendal Mint Cake
Be prepared for all weathers, take waterproofs with you.
Take a First Aid Kit and Blister Plasters (use at first sign of a blister).
Take Electrolyte Tablets, they Support Muscle Function and Prevent Cramping
Best time to walk up Snowdon especially the first time is early morning to avoid the crowds at the summit.
Walking up Snowdon with a group of people is better than on your own. Team Spirit and helping each other out to get to the top.
You might want to try a night walk to see the Sunrise from the summit.
Check this link for information on the different walking routes up Snowdon
What goes up, must come down!
We had the option that once we had achieved our goal of reaching the summit that we could get the train down. But for me, I thought that if I have walked up then I'm walking back down, or at least hobbling down. After a short break in the visitor centre at the summit for drinks and any souvenirs we wanted to buy It was time to make our way back down. The views from the top were still shrouded in mystery and mist but we hoped it would clear on the way down.
As we made our way down the mountain the mist and low cloud slowly cleared to leave some quite magnificent views. It was a slow walk for me aided by my walking poles as my legs were starting to tire and thankfully there was a halfway hut where we could grab some refreshments and everybody could catch up before the final leg. We came down the Llanberis path, often referred to as the tourist route and supposedly the easiest but it was still tricky in places with large boulders and a lot of loose shale to contend with. We saw some very interesting sights on the way down including Spiderman in a pink tutu and a team of people pushing and pulling someone in a mobility scooter. Below are some photos of the views as we came down:
And finally we reached the end and the beginning of the Llanberis path and we were off the mountain officially, our job was done, Snowdon was conquered.
I asked the guys to describe the experience in 1 word and also if anyone would like to write a bit for this blog about why they did it and what it meant to them.
Wayne:
I joined Bro Pro as I needed to talk to people as I was struggling mentally and since, I have met some genuine nice people. I got the opportunity to climb Mount Snowdon with some amazing people, it was a fantastic day, didn’t matter the rain or hail, nothing could wipe the smile off my face. It was a fantastic experience and gave me confidence in believing myself and that if you put your mind to it you can achieve anything you want to do.
Graham:
Snowdon for me was less of a physical challenge and more of a challenge of mindset. I’ve generally kept fairly fit and active, but fallen out of doing things that stretch myself due to family commitments, lack of time and over the last few years an ever increasingly stressful job. I left that job at the start of this year and it’s been the best thing I’ve done in years (other than having children). Snowdon was the physical representation of that change. It changed my focus and got me going again in an environment that was challenging, but with a group of chaps who would put no pressure on me to perform and achieve. More it was a group effort and group pace to ensure everyone, regardless of age, size or fitness, completed it. It was a real team effort and everyone bought into it and everyone had each others’ backs. As a result we got to the top through some pretty adverse conditions and every one of us felt a sense of achievement. Along the way there was chat, banter, laughter, joy, and a little bit of “why am I here?” But at the end of the day it was a great trip that set a target, challenged us and was enjoyable. And we hit that target together, as a team.
Now isn’t that what life should be about?
Summary
I think the lyrics from the song The Climb sum up life pretty well, we all face our own challenges in life and sometimes life can be a struggle but you should never be afraid to ask for help to get you through to the other side. The walk up Snowdon proved to me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
There's always gonna be another mountain
I'm always gonna wanna make it move
Always gonna be an uphill battle
Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose
Ain't about how fast I get there
Ain't about what's waiting on the other side
It's the climb
(Lyrics to The Climb by Jessi Alexander and Jon Mabe)
A fantastic version of the song sung by Michael Ball
I would like to thank everybody on this trip for making it such a memorable experience and for being there for each other.
If you are struggling and need someone to talk to then please do contact one of the organizations below
ITS OK NOT TO BE OK
Comments