A team of Shropdoc staff headed to Wales to take on the daunting challenge of climbing Cader Idris.
The trip was arranged by Dr Simon Chapple as an outing for the Shropdoc Shufflers, who are made up of staff from across the organisation who like to get out and about each month for walks or ‘shuffles’.
The walk went very well and according to plan with the weather being kind apart from a strong wind, especially at the summit cairn that made standing still for a photograph quite challenging. The team definitely needed their Shropdoc bobble hats at the top.
Dr Chapple said one of the tasks he set himself was to make sure the team were up to the task with a programme of preparation – something he feels strongly about having had problems on the mountain previously.
At 2,930 feet, Cader Idris is the highest mountain in southern Snowdonia, and its three recognised trekking routes are extremely popular with large numbers of people making the climb every year.
Dr Chapple said: “All the recognised routes up Cader Idris are rated as hard and strenuous so good preparation is key if you want to avoid getting into trouble on the mountain.
“We instigated a two-o’clock Squat Club for some weeks prior to the climb for the team to get into shape and that was an interesting experience! We got a few funny looks in the office each day, but it proved useful and the whole team said it had been beneficial in preparing for the task that lay ahead.
“I broke myself on the mountain a few years ago by not preparing properly for the climb so I wanted to make sure that we were all well prepared – hence the two o’clock Squat Club.
“Another thing we all agreed on was to travel to Wales together in a minibus – a more environmentally-friendly option than all of us taking our cars, which is something we are all passionate about at Shropdoc.”
The trek took a total of five and a half hours to complete with a brief stop out of the wind in the shelter at the summit for hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows that Dr Chapple carried with him for the team of six who took part!
The team plan to tackle the Arans in Southern Snowdonia next.
