Tackling Snowdon at night in aid of Macmillan

Why hike Snowdon at night?

Other than the excitement of hiking the highest mountain in Wales in darkness – and hopefully getting a stunning sunrise to show for it?

Raising money for Macmillan – or any charity for that matter gives you an ever greater sense of achievement.

Who did you do this challenge with?

We signed up through Charity Challenge for our trip up Snowdon. There are plenty of options available, though.

Here’s what was included within our hike.

• Night time trek to the summit of Snowdon
• Celebration brunch after completing the challenge
• Raise money and make a difference
• Hike under the moonlit sky

How much does it cost?

There is a non-refundable registration fee of £40 – we actually got a 50% discount for booking early so only had to pay £20 each.

You then have a minimum total to raise of £325 – 80% of which is due approximately seven weeks before the challenge.

The remainder will be due four weeks after you complete your challenge.

How difficult is it to hike Snowdon at night?

This will be different for everybody. Depending on your own fitness levels, this challenge could be quite straightforward or could push you out of your comfort zone.

You can expect the following:

• Trekking for approximately eight hours continuously.
• Covering 21km of undulating terrain, with the added challenge of walking through the night!
• Ascending a total of approx 975m in a single night.
• Trekking as part of a team, supporting each and every team member to get through the challenge.

The important thing is not to be put off. Prior to the day of the challenge, you register for your preferred walking time.

The first registration group is 11.45pm and is aimed at people who feel they may be slower. The second group is midnight, and is for people who feel they are comfortable with a quicker pace.

Setting off from HQ as one big group, after about 15 minutes there is a stop and the group is divided into smaller walking groups.

What kit will I need for this hiking challenge?

For a challenge like this you should make sure you are prepared with all the kit required.

Don’t worry – this is made easy thanks to the organisers providing a full kit list.

Items can often be hired if you don’t want to buy them.

Items typically included are:

• A day rucksack (30-40L) including a waterproof liner – a bin liner is perfect.
• A small bag with spare clothes to change into after completing the challenge (keep this within your vehicle or there should be space at the reception area.
• A good pair of walking boots/shoes that have already been worn in.
• Hiking socks.
• Waterproof and breathable jacket (Gore-Tex or similar recommended)
• Waterproof over-trousers
• Windproof softshell or fleece jacket
• Lightweight fleece top
• Wicking t-shirt
• Trekking trousers (not jeans)
• Underwear light and loose
• Warm & sun hat
• Gloves (preferably waterproof)
• Water bottles/bladder (min. 1 litre)
• High energy snacks (tracker bars, dried fruit, chocolate, nuts etc)
• Dry-bags (or plastic bags) for keeping clothes and documents dry
• LED Head torch plus spare batteries (it is vital that you have a good quality head torch with a strong beam of 80 Lumens and beam distance of at least 40m – ask an outdoor shop if you are unsure)
• Walking poles (optional)
• Camera (optional)
• Small first aid kit – including pain killers, plasters, zinc oxide tape, compeed blister pads, antiseptic wipes, rehydration sachets etc.

What can I expect from this challenge?

Along with the usual expectation of completely unpredictable weather, you can expect an exciting fun experience.

Once in your groups, the pace is set by a guide at the front of each group, and kept together by one at the rear of the group.

Obviously the idea is to get everyone up the mountain safely. The guide at the front sets the pace and you are not allowed to pass them, and the guide at the rear ensures the group stays together.

The most difficult aspect of this challenge is keeping 20 or so people who walk at different speeds together. If you are after racing up and back down then perhaps the 11.45pm slot won’t work well for you.

The pace is slow and steady and as previously stated aimed at ensuring everyone has a positive and safe experience.

You will be walking for approximately eight hours, depending on the group’s speed.

We set off at 11.45pm and completed the challenge at 6.30am. As a result, the sunrise was on the way back down and not whilst we were at the summit.

There are plenty of stops along the way, too – this also helps to ensure the group stays together.

There will be many groups on the mountain at the same time, so these are crucial to ensuring you start and end the challenge as one team.