Queen's Commonwealth Baton Relay Visits Snowdonia

© Chas Muskett

Eryri Harriers carrying the baton to the summit of Snowdon  © Paul Jenkinson
Eryri Harriers carrying the baton to the summit of Snowdon
© Paul Jenkinson

Welsh climber Calum Muskett carried the Queen's Commonwealth Baton during the relay through Snowdonia before the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July this summer.

The Queen’s Commonwealth Baton relay has been in Wales for the past week and on Thursday it visited Snowdonia. An early start saw the baton bearers from Eryri Harriers running club take the baton to the Summit of Snowdon where they were joined by Paralympic Gold medal winner Aled Davies. Unfortunately the weather didn’t mirror the perfect conditions Sir Chris Bonnington had when he carried the Olympic torch to the summit in 2012 but it was good to see an active local club with so much history in the area take an active role in the proceedings.

Calum Muskett with the 2014 Commonwealth Games Mascot; Clyde  © Chas Muskett
Calum Muskett with the 2014 Commonwealth Games Mascot; Clyde
© Chas Muskett
The torch was then to take a whistle-stop tour of the area which saw Sir David Brailsford cycle the Baton alongside Llyn Padarn next to Llanberis where the rowing event in the 1958 Commonwealth Games took place. BBC one Show presenter Alex Jones carried the Baton along the Menai Straits handing the baton to the Commonwealth hopeful sailor Mari Davies.

I had the privilege of carrying the baton into the Beacon Climbing Centre outside Caernarfon where I was joined by the North Wales Youth Climbing Academy and the Welsh Sports Minister. We got the Commonwealth mascot Clyde the Thistle attached to the climbing wall. With paddles for hands and flippers for feet he wasn’t ideally prepared for climbing but was a great hit with the kids - behind his cartoonish smile it was difficult to see how much he was enjoying hanging off the wall, fortunately he didn’t have a spiky personality!

The day finished with a live broadcast of the BBC One Show from the docks in Caernarfon where the baton was carried along a 5km race to Welsh hammer thrower Osian who delivered the baton live onto set. With one more day left in Wales the baton will continue its journey towards Glasgow for the start of the games on the 23rd of July.


Calum Muskett is sponsored by: Black Diamond, Podsacs, Rab and Scarpa


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