27th March. There's Probably a Mathematical Model for This.

By 9am Junior is refusing to eat a second breakfast of tinned salmon at 3000 ft.

We have been traipsing through a Tolkienesque landscape of rock, snow and mist and have seen only wild goats.

This was all part of my theory of course about climbing Snowdon even mid-week. Getting up at 5 am in order to avoid the crowds.

Below the summit we are surprised by two other people coming past, then a retired type coming down clad in crampons, ice axe etc.

We acknowledge each others presence even exchange comments about the weather, glad to see another human being.

The summit is arctic but there are more people now who have come up the 'easy' way still each individual says "hello."

Descending, the cloud begins to clear revealing what looks more like a beginners ski slope judging by the masses of fellow walkers toiling up the snow, old people. Families, labradors and even groups of 'young people' having a 'larf', uttering expletives.

At some point acknowledging others abruptly stops and turns to conscious ignoring, then slides further to callous disregard.