On Top Of The World

A hike up a welsh mountain that took us to adventures above.

There they were, thick, thunderous and threatening as we began our long hike together, looking down on us, taunting us to go on, before they would do their worst. 

But we were ready for them as we piled out of the parked cars with our backpacks, sticks, stout walking boots and rain jackets. They seemed far away at first, but as we climbed ever higher we got nearer to them. Their angry, grey volume released rain over us as we hurriedly pulled up our hoods and trudged on up the slope through the boggy terrain, noticing the slow, rising damp as our boots squelched along the path. Heads down we marched on undeterred, following our leader, who gave us confidence to keep going. Stopping and starting again as we caught up and paused to think and share our thoughts. 

So far the clouds had meanly obscured our views, and tauntingly swept around us. At times we felt as if we were walking into them. But gradually they thinned out, as they resigned themselves to accommodating us in their hills. And as they parted just a little, we began to see. Blue sky was tentatively poking out, as if  through a window to welcome us and as the clouds lifted, the outlines of hills, trees and fences were revealed. Encouraged and with an increasing sense of freedom, we climbed on. As our senses were stimulated, our eyes fell upon sheep, ponies and cows contentedly grazing in the distance. 

We were reminded that the Welsh name of the mountain we were climbing translated as “Top of the Castle.” We sensed the majesty of God. We reached a peak and were rewarded with breathtaking views. A sense of exhilaration and achievement, despite the clouds that had potentially stopped us in our tracks. But we kept going, meandering along the paths like the mighty river below us. Our eyes feasted on the beauty around us and as we looked up, we were drawn to the creator who lovingly designed it all. 

The clouds allowed the sun an appearance, warming us as we pulled back our hoods and dried off a little. As nature opened up to us, our senses increased.  We could smell the heather, the gorse and the vegetation as it bathed in the glistening damp from the rain and the pureness of the mountain air. We began to taste the wind in our mouths and the sweet, juicy bilberries, plucked from around our feet as we wandered along, still following, the path, the fence or wherever the landmarks drew us. We could feel our hands brushing against prickly plants, tickly grasses and sharp leaves and we balanced over rocks and squeezed along the narrow spaces our feet found. We could hear the wind and bleating of sheep that increased as we approached them. And at times we enjoyed the stillness of being there, away from the business of life below, feeling on top of the world.

At last the changing, cotton wool clouds, now fluffy above us were smiling. They had at last  accommodated us and all was at peace, as tired and somewhat buffeted by nature we slid our way down the final long, wet, grassy slope to the awaiting cars below.