Set the alarm clock for 5:01 am

How to use the online alarm clock

Waking at 5:01 am gives you a quiet starting point for a Snowdon summit sunrise, before boots, layers and breakfast have even entered the picture. You are only just coming round, so the immediate job is to sit up, clear the early-morning fog and remember why you chose this minute. By 6:00 am, you can be fully dressed and moving towards the mountain.

A dawn climb can begin in a silent house, yet the sound chosen here still needs to cut through a fan, rain against the window or someone else stirring nearby. Set the volume high enough to be unmistakable and play a brief test before relying on it. If you close the browser page or allow the phone or computer to sleep, no signal will sound, which could leave the Snowdon ascent starting too late for sunrise.

Because 5:01 am takes a substantial piece from the night, the previous evening matters more than heroic intentions after the alarm. Packing your waterproofs, head torch, water and route notes before bed removes decisions from a groggy start. An earlier bedtime also protects more of the sleep that remains before this wake-up, while a second alarm on a separate clock provides sensible backup for such an early departure.