Really missing North Wales

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

So are 180 illegally parked cars, that decided to make the Llanberis Pass road approaching Pen Y Pass Youth Hostel, a single road highway.

The parking fee is a measly £30, which is simply no deterrent to stop illegal parking.

The emergency services were very critical of visitors, and it would have been nigh on impossible for an Ambulance or Search & rescue vehicle to reach Pen Y Pass, as the road became almost single carriageway.

Gwynedd council have now decided to clamp down on illegally parked vehicles, saying that anyone blocking the Llanberis Pass will have their car towed away by the authorities.

Something needs to be done  because a fine of £30 does not seem to be detering visitors.

[richardh1905]

Inexcusable.

[snaderson]

I went to the Carneddau on Sunday and parked in the wee car park in Cwm Eigiau (I was walking the horseshoe). At 8:40 I got the penultimate space. By the time I returned around 15:00 there were cars parked for a hundred or so metres along the verges too, none really causing any problem. Despite all that, it was quiet enough on the tops, Carnedd Llewelyn being the busiest place. It was a glorious walk. The HM Coastguard helicopter appeared to be on a training exercise, hovering over the tops of Carnedd Dafydd, Yr Elen (where I was) and Foel Grach, before flying around the valleys beneath me.

[MkPotato]

I went to the Carneddau on Sunday and parked in the wee car park in Cwm Eigiau (I was walking the horseshoe). At 8:40 I got the penultimate space. By the time I returned around 15:00 there were cars parked for a hundred or so metres along the verges too, none really causing any problem. Despite all that, it was quiet enough on the tops, Carnedd Llewelyn being the busiest place. It was a glorious walk. The HM Coastguard helicopter appeared to be on a training exercise, hovering over the tops of Carnedd Dafydd, Yr Elen (where I was) and Foel Grach, before flying around the valleys beneath me.

That’s a great spot to start on the Carneddau. The only thing that bothers be is that the road to that car park is a complete nightmare!!


I’ve done the other side where you go up Foel Frach, round to Foel Fras then down past Dulyn. Lovely spot.


Keep meaning to do Eigiau, but can’t face that road. I actually did part of Eigiau by coming over from Ogwen side, over and down Llithrig, then along the south edge of the Cwm. The whole thing was a nightmare - it’s was the hottest day of the year, and that side of the valley is really bogging. I was exhausted and had to go straight up the north part of Helga Du past the old mine. I was even more exhausted after that!

[richardh1905]

That’s a great spot to start on the Carneddau. The only thing that bothers be is that the road to that car park is a complete nightmare!!...snip

I used to live in Trefriw (Conwy Valley), and would often walk up the steep road to Llyn Cowlyd, and then on up Pen Llithrig y Wrach and on to C.Llewellyn, back via Cwm Eigiau or sometimes continued on over Foel Fras etc and down to Roewen or Tal y Bont for a pint and the bus back.


I must have been fit in those days, doubt that I could do it now 

[snaderson]

The only thing that bothers be is that the road to that car park is a complete nightmare

It is - there aren't enough passing places! Met a car, a van and two cyclists on my way out, luckily in places with enough room.

I done the northern Carneddau from Aber Falls, and the others from Ogwen, so it was nice to find another route. Worth doing some more exploring of those valleys and routes to the tops I think.

Wrt to Dyffryn Ardudwy's comment, some changes at Pen y Pass afoot: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53514055

[MkPotato]

I used to live in Trefriw (Conwy Valley), and would often walk up the steep road to Llyn Cowlyd, and then on up Pen Llithrig y Wrach and on to C.Llewellyn, back via Cwm Eigiau or sometimes continued on over Foel Fras etc and down to Roewen or Tal y Bont for a pint and the bus back.


I must have been fit in those days, doubt that I could do it now 

That’s some serious distance and elevation gain!


I really fancy getting up into Cwm Caseg , up and over Yr Elen, then down the Cwm on the other side, and back into Bethesda.  Only seen Caseg from the top of Elen, but those two valleys are beautiful.


Means parking in Bethesda, something else I’m a little wary of!

[MkPotato]

It is - there aren't enough passing places! Met a car, a van and two cyclists on my way out, luckily in places with enough room.

I done the northern Carneddau from Aber Falls, and the others from Ogwen, so it was nice to find another route. Worth doing some more exploring of those valleys and routes to the tops I think.

Wrt to Dyffryn Ardudwy's comment, some changes at Pen y Pass afoot: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53514055

It’s quite nice above Aber Falls. Once you’re away from the falls, it’s just you and the ponies. I went up Llywtmor, then was going to go up to Foel Fras, but the weather came in. I took the direct route down to the reservoir Anafon, but it was really boggy, a ver hard work. (But of a theme in Wales - boggy!!)

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

The farmer who owns the farm at the top of the road, is also a total nightmare.

I realise he has a challenging job, trying to juggle a difficult life, amongst the barren mountains, but heaven forbid, if you encounter one of his vehicles on the steep approach road, you HAVE to let him have right of way.

Several years ago, before the waterboard altered the road, with the new pullins, before approaching his first farm gate, he simply stopped in the middle of the road, waiting for me to reverse a good hundred yards, to allow him to pass.

I waited a good ten minutes hoping he would relent and reverse barely a few yards back up the road, to allow me to pass, but he wouldn't.

In a way, i do not blame him, having to endure the thousands of cars using this narrow approach road, but using the Eigiau road is always a lottery, and its a shame, its the only way to access wonderful Cwm Eigiau


Regarding Cwm Caseg, make sure you take your waders with you, as its one of the boggiest areas i know of, in the whole of Snowdonia, its waist deep in places.


The long walk into the Cwm, from Gerlan, is amongst the best wilderness walks in the whole of Northern Snowdonia, and over the numerous times ive done it, ive only met one fellow walker, its even quieter than the Rhinogs, which takes some beating.


The stunningly beautiful Ffynnon Caseg, has to be the finest picnic locations anywhere in North Wales, and thankfully its litter free, and so quiet.


Last year, i spent a good hour, enjoying a boiling hot Pot Noodle i had warmed on my jetboil, and cheese and pickle sandwiches, lying down infront of the lake, so peaceful and tranquil.




Cwm Caseg, a magical place, and thank the LORD it requires a lot of energy and effort to get there.


Just imagine the top of Snowdon, when you contemplate the beauty and peaceful solitude of an unspoilt Ffynnon Caseg.

[fernman]

It’s quite nice above Aber Falls.

....But after you've climbed the scree path to the top of the falls, the slippery wet rocks you must work your way around have been the cause of a few deaths 

[snaderson]

Really liked the look of Cwm Caseg and the North East ridge of Yr Elen. Not as scrambly as it appeared, I read, so maybe up Crib Lem and down that way.

[richardh1905]

....But after you've climbed the scree path to the top of the falls, the slippery wet rocks you must work your way around have been the cause of a few deaths 

Hmm - once descended this way in winter, and was caught out without crampons by a nice glazing of ice on the path skirting the steep slopes above the falls. But in normal conditions I wouldn't regard it as particularly dangerous.

[MkPotato]

The farmer who owns the farm at the top of the road, is also a total nightmare.

I realise he has a challenging job, trying to juggle a difficult life, amongst the barren mountains, but heaven forbid, if you encounter one of his vehicles on the steep approach road, you HAVE to let him have right of way.

Several years ago, before the waterboard altered the road, with the new pullins, before approaching his first farm gate, he simply stopped in the middle of the road, waiting for me to reverse a good hundred yards, to allow him to pass.

I waited a good ten minutes hoping he would relent and reverse barely a few yards back up the road, to allow me to pass, but he wouldn't.

In a way, i do not blame him, having to endure the thousands of cars using this narrow approach road, but using the Eigiau road is always a lottery, and its a shame, its the only way to access wonderful Cwm Eigiau


Regarding Cwm Caseg, make sure you take your waders with you, as its one of the boggiest areas i know of, in the whole of Snowdonia, its waist deep in places.


The long walk into the Cwm, from Gerlan, is amongst the best wilderness walks in the whole of Northern Snowdonia, and over the numerous times ive done it, ive only met one fellow walker, its even quieter than the Rhinogs, which takes some beating.


The stunningly beautiful Ffynnon Caseg, has to be the finest picnic locations anywhere in North Wales, and thankfully its litter free, and so quiet.


Last year, i spent a good hour, enjoying a boiling hot Pot Noodle i had warmed on my jetboil, and cheese and pickle sandwiches, lying down infront of the lake, so peaceful and tranquil.




Cwm Caseg, a magical place, and thank the LORD it requires a lot of energy and effort to get there.


Just imagine the top of Snowdon, when you contemplate the beauty and peaceful solitude of an unspoilt Ffynnon Caseg.

I agree that you definitely feel a bit more distant from civilization in the Carneddau. Obviously, they're not actually that isolated in terms of distance from settlements, but the relatively long walk-ins, and the previously mentioned poor road access, seem to mean there's quite a sense of solitude. (I tend to go during the week, so it's rare to seem more than the odd person).
I really need to bite the bullet, and do that walk to Caseg from Bethesda.
Caseg, the boggiest place in Snowdonia? That's a pretty high bar! The Carneddau are a bit of nightmare in general. I've been caught out several times, and always end up knee-deep whenever I go off the main paths. As I said before, when I went to Eigiau from the Ogwen side, going up-and-over Llithrig was bog-fest on both sides (should have chanced going down the scree - looked a bit steep though), then the southern side of Eigiau (away from the path, as I couldn't cross the river) was really hard work, and very wet. It's almost a perfect glacial valley though (like Pen Llafar/Caseg)

I've also taken a short cut down the grassy slopes between Dafydd and Black Ladders, down to Lloer. That's another very boggy area. (I guess the clue should be that there's a lake there).

[fernman]

Cwm Caseg looks really enticing from this trip report, I hope vghikers won't mind me posting a link to it:

https://v-g.me.uk/Trips/G0105/G0105.htm

[richardh1905]

Cwn Eigiau is interesting in that it is the site of a massive ancient landslip - the entire north eastern face of Pen yr Helgu Du has slumped down en masse at some time in the dim and distant past.