Sir Chris Bonington holds the Olympic Flame on the top of Snowdon during the Olympic Torch Relay. LOCOG
The Olympic Flame has visited the summit of Snowdon, the second highest peak in the UK, on day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
The Flame travelled up the 1,085 metres in a miner’s lantern which was carried on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which takes some of the 350,000 people who visit Snowdon each year, to the summit.
At the summit the Olympic Flame was carried to the highest point on the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay by world renowned mountaineer, Sir Chris Bonnington, who was returning to place where he started climbing. He made the first British ascent of the North Wall of the Eiger in 1962 and led the expedition that made the first ascent of the South Face of the Annapurna in 1970, the biggest and most difficult in the Himalaya at the time. He went on to lead the successful expedition making the first ascent of the South West Face of Everest in 1975 and then reached the summit of Everest himself in 1985 with a Norwegian expedition.
Chris, said: “This was a very special moment for me and it totally exceeded all my expectations. I think it’s not only the honour of carrying the Olympic Flame to the top of Snowdon, but also the fact it’s part of a long journey for me which goes back to 1952 when I first started climbing here on Snowdon and spent New Year’s Eve in an empty cafe in the bitter cold. So this really is a lovely exercise of passage for me and it was lovely to share it with my fellow climbers and people who love the hills and to feel their warmth and approval.”
Snowdon or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh, meaning tomb or monument, is located in the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. It covers 823 square miles and is home to over 26,000 people. At the summit the temperature can reach 30 centigrade in the summer and -20 centigrade in the winter. The winds can get up to 150 mph.
Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales, said. “The Olympic Torch Relay has provided Wales with a wonderful opportunity to show the world just what we have to offer as it has travelled past some of our best known landmarks from historic castles in Caerphilly and Beaumaris to modern icons like the Millennium Stadium, through our towns and cities and along our stunning coastline. What better way to show the natural beauty of our country than to have the Torch visit our highest peak with one of the world best-known adventurers.”
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The Olympic Flame has visited the summit of Snowdon, the second highest peak in the UK, on day 11 of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay – presented by Coca-Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung.
The Flame travelled up the 1,085 metres in a miner’s lantern which was carried on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which takes some of the 350,000 people who visit Snowdon each year, to the summit.
At the summit the Olympic Flame was carried to the highest point on the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay by world renowned mountaineer, Sir Chris Bonnington, who was returning to place where he started climbing. He made the first British ascent of the North Wall of the Eiger in 1962 and led the expedition that made the first ascent of the South Face of the Annapurna in 1970, the biggest and most difficult in the Himalaya at the time. He went on to lead the successful expedition making the first ascent of the South West Face of Everest in 1975 and then reached the summit of Everest himself in 1985 with a Norwegian expedition.
Chris, said: “This was a very special moment for me and it totally exceeded all my expectations. I think it’s not only the honour of carrying the Olympic Flame to the top of Snowdon, but also the fact it’s part of a long journey for me which goes back to 1952 when I first started climbing here on Snowdon and spent New Year’s Eve in an empty cafe in the bitter cold. So this really is a lovely exercise of passage for me and it was lovely to share it with my fellow climbers and people who love the hills and to feel their warmth and approval.”
Snowdon or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh, meaning tomb or monument, is located in the Snowdonia National Park in North Wales. It covers 823 square miles and is home to over 26,000 people. At the summit the temperature can reach 30 centigrade in the summer and -20 centigrade in the winter. The winds can get up to 150 mph.
Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales, said. “The Olympic Torch Relay has provided Wales with a wonderful opportunity to show the world just what we have to offer as it has travelled past some of our best known landmarks from historic castles in Caerphilly and Beaumaris to modern icons like the Millennium Stadium, through our towns and cities and along our stunning coastline. What better way to show the natural beauty of our country than to have the Torch visit our highest peak with one of the world best-known adventurers.”
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