From summit to sea: adventures in Snowdonia

Written by Graduates Sonia Chummun and Utsav Paudel.

HTS’ annual trip this year was a 2-day stay in Snowdonia; Wales, packed with lots of thrilling activities. As new starters, we did not know what to expect. However, this trip was extremely well organised and went well beyond expectations.

20 of the 140 people attending the trip set off on a 157 km cycle, climbing 1900m from Stafford to Dolgarrog, whilst the rest of us took the train and met them at in Snowdonia on Thursday evening. The train journey was social and friendly, complete with a quiz hosted by Katie and Ben that definitely got us talking. Upon arrival in Llandudno, we wound down with some pizza and drinks, some of us having an early night (others not) for the big walk ahead the next day.

Routes

We started our day early on Friday to start our ascent of Snowdon. From here, the group split off into 4 groups based on the route they were taking: Crib Goch, Pyg track, Llanberis path and by train.

Sonia: I took the Crib Goch route and luckily enough, the weather conditions were ideal for this hike. Walk leaders were very supportive and careful and always made sure that everyone could keep with the pace. Some had the audacity to look down while scrambling on the knife edge while others preferred to stick their eyes on the rocks. That hike was not for the weak, which is why it was nice to have multiple options to reach the top. As a tropical person, the most difficult part for me was the freezing breeze at the top, yet again, my HTS colleagues were kind enough to lend me additional layers. Despite varying level of confidence, we all made it in time for the group photo. 

Utsav: I did the hike via the Pyg Track; a route 11km long with an 895m ascent. The route was challenging but benefitted from beautifully scenic views of the Llyn Lydaw and Glaslyn lakes, that really helped take our minds off the challenge. Groups reached the summit, with climbs of 2-3 hours and gathered for a photo at the top

We then started our descent via the Llanberis Path, followed by an afternoon of activities: Gorge Scrambling, Kayaking, Mountain Biking, Quarry karting and Ziplining.

Activities

Both of us did the zipline, which involved soaring over the Penrhyn Quarry, once the world’s largest slate mining quarry, at speeds up to 100mph, 500m above the breathtaking blue quarry lake. We could see the other groups below, quarry karting their way down.

We were weighed on animal scales to see whether we would need parachutes to slow us down, or the complete opposite, additional weight to keep us moving. This was when some of us realised they might need to slow down on the biscuits at work. We lay down belly flat on these surgery tables, were secured to the cables and off we went, some very silent others screaming for their lives. This was an amazing experience that truly pushed some of us out of our comfort zones.

After freshening up, we all headed out to a seaside restaurant in Llandudno to enjoy a three-course dinner, with mixed tables and Directors rotating around the room. It was a great chance for everyone to come together, reflect on the trip and chat into the early hours!

This trip was a great opportunity to meet and socialise with different people in the company, especially from different teams whom we’d rarely get the chance to interact with otherwise. It was a memorable experience, and we can’t wait for the trip next year!