Today, I Have Been Mostly... by Rob_Barber

It'll probably be a long time until we get weather like this again, so it really was the most important thing in the world to me that I get my ass up into Snowdonia this weekend, and for once circumstances worked in my favour to allow me to go today.

What a brilliant day it turned out to be too . Everyone was in such good moods up amongst Wales' loftiest peaks, not sure I've ever previously witnessed such widespread general happiness, anywhere . If this is what an Indian summer does, long may it continue.

I've had some great conversations with people from the length and breadth of Britain whilst scrambling about on Tryfan, over the Glyders, and down via Devil's Kitchen. Here perhaps was the most enjoyable chat of the day, for the simple fact it was with 2 lovely young ladies. It is perhaps the only dissapointing thing about hill walking that there just aren't enough women up there.

Now I've nothing against beardy middle aged men, who are by far the largest contingent on the big hills, and I've no sinister motives for wanting to see more women up there, I just cannot understand why it is the way it is.

When you get up there, the climb is so deeply rewarding, the views so stunningly beautiful, and no sandwich ever tastes as good as the one you are eating at 3,000ft. I cannot get my head around why women en masse are not interested - I mean, when all said and done, those views are equally beautiful for each set of eyes that have the pleasure of witnessing them.

You don't know what you're missing girls! So yeah, to meet a couple of lovely ladies with a full and deep appreciation of it and love for it was refreshing and really enjoyable . Almost wish I'd spent more time with them.

Aah but if I had, then I would not have met the couple who touched my heart most:

"I just wanted to have a look at them Idwal slabs" he said "I remember like it was yesterday the first time I climbed up them..." he paused "...that was 57 years ago..." he paused again "...they haven't changed". His wife then joined us and we got into a lovely coversation about the benefits of activity and the fears they have for the health of modern children.

Who could argue with them? Both fit, both nimble across the rocks, both solid and strong in the knees over larger steps of rough stone, neither looking a day over 60, neither the least bit daunted by the scale of the task in ascending these giant mountains, and both, in fact, 85 years old!

Our elderley have great value just like our hills, that is being missed by too many people.