Walking Forum

Main Boards => Long Distance Walks => Topic started by: PeteL on 10:59:23, 10/06/18

Title: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: PeteL on 10:59:23, 10/06/18


Just written up my Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route) trip from the last week in May. Very enjoyable route, a good selection of summits, particularly Cadair Idris, the circuit of Moelwyn Mawr & Cnicht, and the excellent rocky terrain of the Glyders. Also some nice lower level bits inbetween the tops, including the superb forest alongside Nant Gwernol, and the cracking stretch of Afon Glaslyn leading up to Beddgelert. I used a mix of campsites and wild camping, which worked well. Summary:


Day 1: Easy start up to the grassy summit of Tarrenhendre, then lovely section down through forest to Abergynolwyn, where there was a cafe. Fairly gradual ascent up to Cadair Idris on obvious tracks, where I spent the night in the luxurious surroundings of the summit hut.
Day 2: Descent from Cadair Idris down the rocky shoulder of Gau Graig, then a marshy section and minor road to Dolgellau. Nice stretch along the New Precipice Walk, then grassy hillside to Y Garn, and rather rough rocky descent through deep heather. Faint path through marshy ground then easy track to the A470 crossing near Coed y Brenin. Wild camped a bit further on.
Day 3: Easy going to Trawsfynydd where there was a very small shop. Crossed over the reservoir, with great views of surrounding hills. Marshy section then firmer going up to the superb shoulder which leads past lots of little crags to Moel Y Ysgyfarnogod. Descend to Penrhyndeudraeth where there is a selection of shops & pubs. Pushed on for a few more hours and wild camped.
Day 4: Superb circuit of Moelwyn Mawr and Cnicht, past lots of old mine workings. Nice stretch from Aberglaslyn along the river to a very busy Beddgelert. Easy walk along the valley to the small campsite at the bottom of the Watkin Path up Snowdon. Hot showers!
Day 5: Up to summit of Snowdon via the shoulder of Allt Maenderyn, and then descent via a very busy Pyg Path to Pen y Pass. More descent, then climb up to Carnedd y Cribau and Carnedd Moel Siabod. Long descent to Capel Curig and small campsite. Hot showers again!
Day 6: Superb circuit of Glyder Fach, Glyder Fawr, Y Garn and Carnedd y Filiast. Rough descent through heather to track past huge slate spoil tips to Beddgelert, where there were a few shops. Long climb up to Carnedd Gwenllian, then to Foel Fras. Wild camped a bit further on.
Day 7: Short stretch to meet up with North Wales Path, which went past Sychnant Pass and descended to reach Conwy just before lunchtime.


A few pictures:


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/trawsfynydd2.jpg)


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/moelwynmawr2.jpg)


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/cnicht4.jpg)


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/afonglaslyn2.jpg)


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/ylliwedd1.jpg)


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/goat1.jpg)


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/glyderfawr3.jpg)


(http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/fullsize/ygarn3.jpg)


Full trip report and more pictures on my website, I can't post links here unfortunately, but google "Pete's trip reports" and look under the "Walking" dropdown   :)


Pete
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: Kukkudrill on 14:20:40, 10/06/18
Lovely photos and an excellent trip report on your website  O0  Just to save others from googling, here's a link to Pete's full trip report:


http://www.c8h10n4o2.org/walking/snowdonia/index.html
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: adalard on 12:56:12, 11/06/18
Yes, a fantastic overview of the trail and great photos.  O0  I hadn't even heard of the Snowdonia Way until a couple of weeks ago.


I think I'd find the encounters with cattle a bit scary - especially that long-horned one on the first day, it looks like something out of a horror film!  :o 
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: Slogger on 14:42:00, 11/06/18
Thanks for your report very interesting and great photo's. Much of the Snowdonia way will make part of my Cambrian Way, when i can get round to it.
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: PeteL on 22:24:39, 11/06/18
You can't see it on the photo, but there was a fence between me and the spiky-horned cattle, on Day 1!


I had not really though much about it at the time, but apart from the bulls that followed me on Day 2 (which were fairly calm), and a field of placid bulls just before the Trawsfynydd bridge, I didn't really come across any other cattle. I suppose the fact that most of the route is either on high fells, or lower open moorland, means it is more sheep terrain than cattle terrain. It might be different on the low version of the route though....  
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: redeye on 20:40:02, 12/06/18
Looks fantastic. Will read it all when I have more time. Nice one 👍
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: adalard on 15:31:36, 13/06/18
I had not really though much about it at the time, but apart from the bulls that followed me on Day 2 (which were fairly calm), and a field of placid bulls just before the Trawsfynydd bridge, I didn't really come across any other cattle. I suppose the fact that most of the route is either on high fells, or lower open moorland, means it is more sheep terrain than cattle terrain. It might be different on the low version of the route though...


Yes, that's definitely one advantage of keeping higher up. I'm a little wary of cattle since some took a run at us a few years back, and the wife of someone I used to work with was killed by cows too on a family walk.


I was surprised to find some grazing on the lower slopes of Tryfan as we headed up the waterfall path to Llyn Bochlwyd yesterday. I haven't seen them there before and wondered if they'd been introduced to improve the diversity of the grassland there.
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: Gwydion on 12:04:00, 14/06/18
Hi Pete, excellent report, very informative.

I bought the guidebook last month with the idea of walking the trail in late August. I don't have it with me at the moment but I do recall the mountain route was suggested as 9 stages. How did you find doing it in just 7?

The way you've done it works out at about 28km per day, which is what I would normally walk, but it may be a bit too much for me to keep that pace over a week.

Cheers
Title: Re: Trip Report: Snowdonia Way (Mountain Route), May 2018
Post by: PeteL on 21:01:25, 14/06/18
Some of the days in the book for the 9 day schedule look quite short, probably because they always have to end in villages for B&Bs. But if you are geared up for wild camping then you can easily extend some of the shorter days.


Having said that, the amount of ascent, and the sections of rough untracked ground which need navigation, slow things down a bit, so I found my average walking pace to be a bit lower than it would be on a well worn and well waymarked trail.


I did end up with some quite long days, although with such good scenery and surroundings I didn't mind that, it was really enjoyable being on the move on deserted fells in the evenings!


Pete