A dispute has broken out at Snowdon, Wales' highest mountain, with some visitors waiting more than an hour to reach the summit this summer. Arguments have flared as some climbers have jumped the queue to touch the metal plate marking the top.
The hot weather has driven a surge in visitors to Snowdon, known in Welsh as Yr Wyddfa, which stands at 1,085 metres above sea level. Social media videos show arguments between queue-jumpers and those waiting their turn, with one climber saying people should realise they're "not at Alton Towers for a ride".
Mixed views on summit queuing
As reported by the BBC, climbers have mixed opinions about queuing to reach the top. Some argue it's dangerous to overtake people near the summit, while others insist walkers should be able to go up without waiting.
Lucy Taylor said: "I think you should queue because it's really quite dangerous and everyone's trying to get up there - it's just not safe."
Tina Millard from West Bromwich disagreed: "I don't think that you should have to queue. It's a mountain, you should just be able to go up and that's it. We're not at Alton Towers for a ride. It's a mountain, it's for everyone."
National park urges patience
The national park has urged people to wait their turn when queuing amid the summer surge. Alun Jones, an area warden for Eryri National Park Authority, advised people to be "considerate and don't skip the queue".
In May, Jamie Richardson, 32, and Richard Thiedeman, 34, both from Lincolnshire, were climbing Snowdon to raise money for their friend with motor neurone disease (MND). They were reportedly booed from a queue at the summit as they reached the top.
Mr Richardson said a man "physically tried to stop" him from touching the summit point as he completed the charity challenge. A second person reportedly told him he "should be ashamed of himself".
The climber said there's "no policing" of the queue as it is based on an unwritten social contract. There are no plans to introduce formal measures at Snowdon this year.
No plans for formal measures
A spokesman for the Eryri National Park Authority said it had "no plans to intervene in a dispute over hikers queuing at the top of Yr Wyddfa". He added: "There are three quarters of a million people summitting annually, so queues are likely to be expected in peak times."
