A Pinnacle Reflection

Anika

Hi. My name is Anika, I’m from London, and I did Outward Bound’s Pinnacle expedition in Aberdovey in July 2024.

I am currently sitting in the sun and eating chocolate, and hence transported back to our expedition: summer weather, and lots of munching.

It wasn’t always sunny though. Of course not, it’s Wales! But whether through pouring rain and fog, or sunshine and meadows, one thing was certain: the Pinnacle expedition made my world bigger. I met cool people through my peers and instructors; I learned how beautiful the British countryside is; I learned that I was capable of more than I thought. It was so much fun and even now, eight months later, the memories pop randomly into my head.

The memories make me laugh: fitting seven people on a kayak; watching a friend run into… being waist deep in a bog; a bouncy ball that traversed mountains in a grocery store bag. Some memories show growth: I picked up a bee for the first time, then a wasp, and then snails (my arch-nemesis) off my bag.

Which somehow, for me, feels as significant as having climbed mountains with a massive backpack, scrambled up another, rock-climbed, bouldered, and camped where there was no one else but us and sheep. I watched my teammates-now-friends grow too, facing and losing fears (of heights and bugs and being unable to look in the mirror) until we were freer than we had ever been!

And of course, I have memories that will forever make me smile: long chats while walking, the first night I slept out under only the stars, and the view at the top of Mount Snowdon.

The tale of that day on Mount Snowdon starts at 2 am because all wanted to catch the sunrise. The early start was made easier by seeing some blue shooting stars! The route we took (Watkin path) was not easy, and at points we were using our hands on some steep and rocky bits. While we got to the summit a little after sunrise, the sky was clear and still imbued with pink. We could see all the way to the sea. So, we took our time at the top, snacking and snapping.

Crisscrossing down the mountainside, we took the Miner’s trail to reach a lake where we cooked breakfast and took well-deserved naps. A few miles down at Pen-y-Pass, we got extra tents for our ‘solo’. For us, our solo meant that after reaching our campsite we dispersed until morning to be alone for the first time, relaxing and reflecting.

If you are a young person considering the Pinnacle, you should do it. Whatever your reasons, whatever your doubts: you will become stronger and braver throughout. Our team came with varying levels of experience, from seasoned hikers to those who had never spent a night outside. I went because I had done a DofE expedition which I loved immensely.

The Pinnacle expedition perfectly ignited my spark of interest in outdoor adventures: I can’t wait to have more.