AN experienced and well-equipped walker from Salisbury slipped and fell 80ft to his death in Snowdonia, an inquest heard.

John Blackwell, 70, from Odstock, slipped while trying to recover a rucksack on Snowdon last December.

The retired shepherd was described by his wife Valerie as "very fit" and he enjoyed walking and cycling.

They were regular visitors to Snowdonia and had climbed Snowdon, Wales' highest mountain, many times in the past 30 years.

She told North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones they had walked along the Rhyd Ddu path to the summit and were heading back down along the same path.

Mrs Blackwell said the weather that day was clear but it was very cold and windy.

A short distance from the summit they had sought shelter from the wind to eat their lunch.

Mr Blackwell’s rucksack was blown down the slope and he had gone after it.

“He slipped and tumbled and fell over the edge,” Mrs Blackwell told the hearing held in Caernarfon.

After the alarm was raised a mountain rescue team were sent to the scene, and were joined by an RAF rescue team. The aircraft was able to reach the spot where Mr Blackwell had fallen and took him to hospital but he was pronounced dead on arrival.

A pathologist said he died of serious head injuries.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Mr Jones said: “Well equipped, well prepared and experienced walkers, not climbers, venture into the mountains.

“During their walk they slip. The slip becomes a slide or a tumbling fall and they suffer serious injuries.

“It reinforces my belief there is no such thing as a safe mountain.”