I'd campaign against anyone who proposed 4X4 safaris up Snowdon but ... well, good on him. Perfect riposte to all the po-faced pontificating.

I really cannot see what the problem is... Someone drove an off-road car off-road which is sort of what they are for. It's not like he was endangering other road users as there is no road.

He may have endangered himself, but surely that's his risk to take.

Crush the car, put him in jail for 60 days , may deter other idiots with the same idea, if not we'll have more "Craigs" up other mountains in their 4x4's being "Responsible" mind you lets hope they use a sat nav eh !

Rather than taking it down and crushing it, maybe the authorities should about eeping it up there as a tourist atttraction. After all it is a unique event.

I've walked up Snowdon and I can't see how he managed to do it without dropped right off an edge somewhere!

How come Jermy Clarkson was allowed to do this and this chaps getting done for it?

Mike C, I bet your one of those pathetic drivers who use a sat nav cos you cant read a map. get a life will you its time you lived dangerously.
DIB DIB DOB DOB BLOODY DO GOODER !!!!!!!

Yes, why that stupid Jeremy Clarckson can do it and nobody else can? why? is he any better?

What is all the fuss about. A good advert for the vehicle itself. No one was endangered, and I doubt that the route the vehicle took was damaged; apart from the odd wheel mark or two. If by Mr craigs actions, more money is raised for mountain rescue, then maybe he has done the right thing in a publicity stunt. Stuffy attitudes seem to be the norm nowadays where Britain is concerned

Actually, the route that he took was up the railway line, which could have easily been damaged. Give the 4x4 to the mountain rescue, and send a recovery bill to the pleb.

Having driven on roads in Wales I can say with authority that driving up Snowdon can't be much more dangerous.

I'd just like to remind "Off Roaders" that they are allowed up in the hills. Their just not allowed to bring their bloody cars with them!

Very clever driving it all the way there, donating the money to the mountain rescue who've now got to go up there and secure it!

If you're gonna drive it up, get it down as well - don't bloody leave it there!

Am I the only person reading this that thinks it is wrong. When I saw the Clarkson stunt I wondered how long it would be before people emulated him and it has started. In some people's view Snowdon summit is already spoiled by development but how soon will we see copycat stunts on mountains whose solitude & wilderness should be respected.

It'll have gone up the railway track, which isn't difficult at all, but could cause severe damage to the railway bed itself.

If he did take any other route then he likely would have put people in danger (as well as damaging the expensively maintained paths) as Snowdon is climbed 24/7 and you can expect to see people on that path pretty much any time of the day or night.

Plus it's not that one person did it now (frankly you could probably get a Fiesta up the train trackbed route so I don't understand the "achievement" myself, they got cars up their at the beginning of the last century).

It's the 1000 other idiots that will inevitably try it as well.

A 4x4 will damage the track bed whereas a heavy locomotive and carriages will have no effect at all?

The railway has a rack up the middle of the track, and a cog between the wheels of the locomotive that drives the train up the mountain. Either side of the rack rail are angle iron guard rails that keep the cog engaged with the rack, after an incident on the railway's opening day in 1896 that saw a train decending the mountain by the direct route (off the edge). If either the rack or the guard rails were driven over obliquely, they could be dislodged or damaged, with potentially disatrous results. The train, despite being immensly heavier, is designed to work with these rails, and by that reasoning, ought to not do any more damage than normal wear, unless something went wrong.

TOP GEAR stunt wheres the cameras

Snowdonia Park sevice ( Damage to THEIR Property) I thought it 's a National Park and belonged to all!!!!, leave it up there and charge £5 to be photographed standing next to it £4 FROM EACH PHOTO GOING TO MOUNTAIN RESCUE.

If this is the same guy then he need's a good stint inside. This is totally wreckless and puts all 4x4 drivers and groups in a bad light. This is seen as an insult to all the people who drive off road and do it correctly and stay on dedicated green lanes.

I realised this bloke was a simpleton when I saw his interview last time. I just didn't realise how simple!

Its true then - the majority have lost their sense of Humour.

Or is it irony? No, Its humour. What a sad nation we have become.

You know. just once in awhile, its good to stick it to the man!

How is this a good thing? Those claiming it's good publicity are surely mad! It'll just inspire more numpties to give it a go.

It's not as if someone managed to get a Robin Reliant up there, this is a 4x4 doing what it's supposed to do they could at least have some originality

How long will it be until some bright spark decides to let the handbrake off and send it off down the mountain?!

It's about time someone got a grip of this situation, idiot driver and irresponsible posts on numerous sites. It was an irresponsible act by yet again an arrogant and pompous english idiot. The sooner he and anyone else who had similar ideas is locked up the better.

Thank heaven at last a bit of Humour, Not as if the mountain is going to collapse is it, lighten up people, just British sense of adventure, Why did we climb Everest or any other mountain? because its there and not been done this way before. Just give him his car back with a bollocking. been done now why would anybody else try it....

Cars have been up before, this will be the 4th or 5th+, and like I said you could probably get a Ford Fiesta up the rail track itself.

It's no achievement (getting one up Scafell Pike [or one of 100+ other mountains and hills] would be difficult).

All it does is encourage other idiots to do the same thing, damaging the paths (which take a LOT a labour to keep maintained) and/or the rail bed (which could cause a serious accident).

That driving to the top of Snowdon via the train track is a the top of his 50 things to do before he dies just shows what a muppet he is.

No 2 is probably eat a wine gum without chewing or some other such "monumental" and "impossible" task. ;-)

S Jones, would you be happier if it was a Welsh idiot behind the wheel ?

If he had left it up there loaded with free woolly socks and Kendal Mint cake the ramblers would probably have ignored it for a few weeks.

Its a shame the charities rejected his donation attempt, maybe their snubbing was the trigger to do it again?

Good effort Craig but there are dozens of charity rallies you could have taken part in which would have been much more memorable.
Morocco has lots of mountain roads and is generally warmer, drier and friendlier than where you have been going.

by golly , as if a railway , cafe and tarmac path aint enough !!!!!!!

I've said it before, I'll say it again- The mother of the stupid is always pregnant.

John boy- how does this turnip muncher in particular put 4x4 off-road drivers in a bad light? I think you all do an equally admirable job of that without any help.

Mr Tyke- can I come and drive round your garden then, please, I'll be responsible ? Can I get to work on your car with my angle grinder? After all, it's sort of what they are for, as you say.
What a great legal defence for shooting that is.

Dear Mr Tubbs, I bet YOU'RE (notice the spelling) one of those ignorant uneducated halfwits that thinks driving 4x4's through the countryside is living dangerously.

I find it ironic that the stern po-faced people who drive their big BMWs far too fast on tarmac roads causing countless road traffic 'accidents' get all holier than thou when criticising 4x4 drivers who have the temerity to drive their vehicles off road.
I've not heard of anyone being killed on an unsurfaced green lane by a 4x4, but the tarmac boy racers cause endless mayhem.

Chris- interesting use of a straw man, where do you get the idea that critics of off-roaders are all speeding in beamers? -Or is there some history between the 2 camps? Enlighten us.

Dear S. Jones

I / We gather you are Welsh (English Idiot comment!).

I take that as a racist comment.

At least we Brits (English in this particular case) can laugh at ourselves with out being racist.

Thats we Brits (the overwhelming silent majority) will always overcome adversity.

You see, its always been like this, ever since the Romans invaded.

Thank heavens for the Great "British" Eccentrics.

Other wise we would be Europeans. (Good lord NO!)

Sorry for the late response, I've been working till late.

£3,000 to bring the Vauxhall Frontera down the first time, and the driver offered to drive it down. Who is really taking the Mickey here?

1,000's of people/tourists erode the mountain each year, it's been developed at the summit with a cafe, it has a train track carved into the side and this guy is irresponsible?

And if you see the prices Snowdon Mountain Railway charge for a return ticket you would want to drive too.

I agree totally with Darren. (And several other several commentators)
However........

If somebody else does it - with a different car - then thats crass stupidity and pointless.

If the same guy does it a third time, in the same car - then that is really funny! (but maybe not four)

Who doesn't get it?
(BTW If John boy is who I think it is, he's never taken his 4X4 off the road anyway - and can't drive in snow either!)
Have a great weekend.;-)

Dear MR IAN JONES, so all 4x4 drivers are numpties? ok well this numpti is:

1, member of GLASS,

2, member of Tread Lightly Trust

3, member of CRAG

4, member of 4x4 RESPONCE

5 Works very closely with the emergancy services

6 oh did I forget to say I'm also a NURSE who in the winter time not only does district nursing rounds but also assist other car users who are stuck/stranded in the snow and Ice do you want me to go on? or just think of it this way when YOU are stuck in the snow and a 4x4 comes along side what are YOU going to do carry on struggling or ask for help

One other thought why dont you look up GLASS and the Tread Lightly Trust you might be very supprised

Mr Numpti

Tubbs,
Don't Own a Sat nav,Do read a map to a High standard never been lost i the cairn gorms or sutherland yet !,dont need a gps either, am a do gooder though,Vocational licenses too.Sat navs Bad, Maps Good :)
Have a life,lived it too !
Up the Scouts
To You.

Interesting debate. I dont condone vehicles driving on the mountain. However having witnessed the building of the new cafe on Snowdon and the complete rebuilding of the summit, together with nice wide steps and re-design of the summit platform for the benefit of tourists who come up by train, I think more damage was done by the re-building exercise. Lets not forget they had JCB's on the summit hacking it away to build the new cafe. For the interested, I was on the summit yesterday and took a photo of the vehicle in question, a comparison of reg numbers proves its the same vehicle, though this time he has charity phone numbers on the bodywork.

https://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=10150468597923047&set=a.135253858046.135131.595303046&type=1&theater

Hello Everyone (both supporters and 'condemn him into the lungs of hell' people!

Craig Williams here!

Sorry to all who's extremely anal retentative about this little one-time... oops sorry two-time action.

x3 times would be immensly funny but alas, I'm now looking at another mountain outside the UK because what has been said about Britain being so-far-stuck-up-their-own-arse-for-capitol-gain/punishment is indeed so true.

Now as for this 'train track' business.....

1st the 'center ratchet' system has been measured and it is taller then my ground clearance of both my sump-guard and differential of Trusty's rear axle..... hence making this vehicle 'ground out' if placed upon the track. So that rukes that out INSTANTLY! It goes withoput saying that this was done as a 'personal best' achievement and in that the sheer fun/adrenalin and excitement was by driving & winching up the mountain LAND..... yes L A N D ! This vehicle was modified by my own hand over about 8 mounths on & off to due such activities. The Snowdon Mountain Railway 'suggests' that when I 'turned around' (at the point beside the railway line) they say i had to enter onto their track...... this i admitted to maybe driving only on the gravel area to make the turn, to which I was told 'We own 3metres width including the gravel so you've been on our track'!.... So straight from the horses mouth that ENDS that issue! sorry for the uneccessary debate everyone has been having. Meanwhile It goes to a Trial Hearing' to determine this 'Tresspass' or aquital on mittigating circumstances. oh, and as for 'he's a complete and utter muppet' Do you honestly think a person wouldn't go and see if it's possible first and do a risk assessment themselves? who's the fool now?
You fead the Media with a sensationaled glourified story.... because that is what you all want to hear!... Truth is, I had already recognised how simple is was to do 8 months ago!
Anyway, thank you all for all your comments.

Just an after thought.

What ever the debate of right or wrong. It would appear that there was no real damage done . I don't believe there was any danger to anyone else other than Craig Williams himself ( if any) at all.
To give this man a 22 month sentence is extremely excessive . I can't believe we would spend huge sums of tax payers money taking this man to court in the first place. At the very most a police warning should of been given not to do it again.
Sledge hammers and nuts comes to mind.