Workers constructing Snowdon's new visitor centre have quickly come to realise that this is a mountain where you can expect the unexpected, be it the weather or just simply the unusual. Today, if you were up near the summit you might have caught Mike Peters, lead singer of the Welsh rock and roll band, The Alarm, playing to an appreciative audience.


Mike Peters flanked by two Welsh Guardsmen at Snowdon's summit.

The short set was part of a weekend's fund raising efforts for the LOVE HOPE STRENGTH Foundation, a charity formed by Mike Peters, to raise awareness and funding for cancer research projects. Mike himself was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 1996 and Leukaemia in 2005. He bravely beat both cancers into remission.


Mike Peters with supporters who joined him on a fund raising walk up Snowdon.

Over a 100 supporters including doctors, nurses and fans joined Mike for the sponsored walk up the Llanberis Path to the top. The walk was kindly supported by the Welsh Guards. Mike arrived at the misty summit and quiped looking over his shoulder: "that was a long way to come to play on a building site." Everyone's efforts in reaching the summit were rewarded with the day's only clearing in the clouds, timed to perfection just as the music started.


Mike Peters feeling on top of the world...well Wales at least.

Distinctive with his trademark spiky blond hair, Mike's airy concert included two renditions of the 1983 Alarm hit-song, 68 Guns. The group were founded in 1981, born out of the British punk movement and in 1982 were the opening act for U2. Mike plans to play at Everest Base Camp this October.


Assistant Site Manager Edwin Roberts planning the next move in a portacabin
at the summit.

Visitors to the summit this weekend will also include runners coming ashore at Caernarfon from boats taking part in the Three Peaks Yacht Race.


Hewden machine operators have endured grey murky conditions for the last
two weeks.

Such distractions of late are probably welcomed by the two hard working Hewden plant machine operators who've had less than a handful of days off since work resumed in March on the highest peak in Wales and England.

Over the past week the weather conditions at the summit have been unpleasant with the top of the mountain rarely emerging out of the cloud and frequent heavy rain showers. However, digging out the footings for the service wing is nearly completed. The remaining foundation units stored at Clogwyn will then be moved up to their final resting place.


The steel framework as it stands.

Down in the Llanberis yard, the stonemason Robyn Hughes, has been finishing a test panel of the exterior stone cladding that will be used to face the new visitor centre. The Welsh quarried granite panel has a twist in it and with all the different angles has clearly required a high degree of skill to build.


The granite cladding test panel.

Robyn has been working with stone for 50 years since leaving school at the age of fifteen. He recounted that his father had told him that Robyn's great-grandfather, Moses Williams, who lived in Nant Peris, was a striking figure being 6 foot 6 inches tall and worked as a Snowdon guide. Perhaps the steep section of the Llanberis Path below Clogwyn Station, known as Allt Moses, is named after him? Incidentally, for anyone interested in the history of the mountain guides on Snowdon, a new edition of 'The Botanists and Mountain Guides of Snowdonia' by local author Dewi Jones has just been re-issued by Llygad Gwalch at £9.95 (www.gwales.com)


Stonemason, Robyn Hughes, putting the finishing touches to the test panel.

Phase One has been completed and while the numbered pieces of the steel framework are being carefully assembled, the foundations for the service wing are being dug out at the other end of the site.


Steel erectors putting together the frame of Hafod Eryri.


Digging-out to make space for the service wing.

Rock-netting is being installed to cover the steep back-wall of the site to prevent any loose rocks falling on to the workers below. The fine weather forecast for the week ahead will help ensure the good progress being made at the summit continues.


Celtest Ltd and Colin Jones (Rock Engineering) are responsible for stabilising
the back wall of the site with rock netting.