The Sherpa Buses have run up Llanberis Pass from the village for many years, however I have never in my 15 or so years living here every gotten on one. However early in the week when I was out for a stroll with a friend and her kids she said she was keen to head up to Pen Y Pass on the open top bus for a picnic. I thought it would be an ace idea, so tagged along today for the mini adventure.
The open top buses leave Llanberis at quarter to and quarter passed the hour, and arrive at PYP around fifteen minutes later. My friends 1 and 2 year old seemed to love the trip, and even for me it was a different perspective on the Pass that I have spent so much time climbing in. I was expecting the Bus to be empty, but having got on board outside Joe Browns we manage to get the best front row seats on the open top bus.
The bus steadily filled to Nant Peris, and then we were in the mountains proper. The view are spectacular, and one lady had gotten on the bus because of the 4 hour wait for the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Now given the Railway cost around £20 per person, and the Sherpa Bus a mere £3 per adult, it seemed that what you got was a really good value excursion, that would also allow you a short reasonable flat walk up the Miner’s Track, before heading back for one of the buses that turn up at quarter of an hour intervals.
We had our picnic on the Helicopter Landing Zone and then went for a short walk up the path. Which was so boring for my friends two year old that she started to want to climb all over the boulders on the side of the track. She seemed to love the idea that she was climbing a mountain. At one point another little girl saw her climbing the steep grass and wanted to have a go, but her dad didn’t allow it, poor thing. Maybe working as a instructor lets me gauge the risk and think well she be fine as long as I am right behind her.
We were gone for around 2 hours and the kids seemed to love it. It is a shame that the Sherpa Bus doesn’t try to market itself a little more as a great mini adventure for kids. As we got off the bus and saw another friend who said that her kids love the open top bus and a short walk from Pen Y Pass. A really lovely way to spend a morning.