Walk Report: Rhinog Fach & Rhinog Fawr

Now onto the last day of my weekend in Wales over the Bank Holiday, and I had amazing weather with clear views bright sunshine all day. You couldn't ask for a nicer Bank Holiday Monday; it didn't rain until after I had left the hills and was on my way home. The parking spot I had chosen for this walk was rather remote, but after the previous day it was a pleasure away from people for a couple of hours! Driving down the A470 from Capel Curig where I had overnighted I turned right off the road onto a small country road through two shut gates and over a cattle grid to bring me to the edge of a forest near the Rhinog Fawr National Nature Reserve (map ref: SH 6852 3021). Setting off through the forest I passed Graigddu-isaf and followed the signs to Bwlch Drws-Ardudwy (it was usually the yellow arrows that were pointing in the right direction).

Eventually I emerged from the forest with the two hills of the Rhinogs sitting in front of me. I stayed on the path for a bit before veering off to the left across the heather at the foot of Rhinog Fach looking for some semblance of a path up the north-eastern slopes. In the end I picked up a young stream that in the forest becomes the Afon Gau and followed that up the steep heather-clad hill-side. The going was tough as I followed anything that looked vaguely like a path sometimes walking up the stream itself just in an attempt to gain a little extra height. Just when things were looking grim I discovered a clear well-beaten path running up the hill towards the northern peak of the Rhinog (indeed it is probably the very same path that is marked on the map). Gladly following this path I ascended the final section of the hill onto the top of the small ridge that atops Rhinog Fach.

After taking in the stunning views all around especially across the pass to the awe-inspiring Rhinog Fawr I headed south along the top of the hill towards the summit at the southern end of the ridge. Here I had something to eat and reflected on the peacefulness of the surroundings and the utter lack of anyone else anywhere around me. A far cry from just yesterday. The descent was simple; I followed the stone wall that begins at the summit down to a wooden ladder and followed the path there south beside the wall down to the col between Rhinog Fach and Y Llethr. It was amazing to think that I had been on the top of that hill just two days previously and had gazed down at where I was standing but seen nothing in the low cloud. Now the skies were clear and the weather was fantastic.

Descending to Llyn Hywel I passed the first people I had seen all day, three men all walking together up Rhinog Fach. After exchanging pleasantries I beside the lake over the large stones on its northern shore and then descended the hill-side down past Llyn Cwmhosan to the plane at the top of Bwlch Drws-Ardudwy. Now ahead of me was a natural amphitheatre with seeming sheer wall of rock all around barring my progress onto Rhinog Fawr, however upon closer examination I saw a way up. North-east from the most northerly part of the conclave was an embankment of large stones and scree which appeared to show signs of previous passage. So began an absolutely fantastic walk up to the top of Rhinog Fawr. It began with a narrow passage through heather and then I was climbing over large stones before I reached a scree slope that I zig-zagged up. These different varieties of surfaces continued all the way up the steep hillside before the vague path plunged through a narrow gap between two great lumps of rock. A short scramble between the rocks brought me up onto a plateau where I found a clear path that brought me after a short time to the summit trig point. It was a thoroughly enjoyable ascent that enthused at every step; even now look back on it with fond memories.

I had not seen anyone during me long ascent and only seen those three men all day so it was quite a shock to discover the summit of Rhinog Fawr packed with people (all right, a slight exaggeration - there were no more than a dozen). These people had clearly come up the gentle slopes to the west unlike the route I was taking. In excellent weather on a Bank Holiday Monday I suppose it was unlikely I wouldn't see anyone else but after over half a days isolation all these people came as something of a shock! After finishing the remains of my lunch I headed steeply down the hill to the north-west (not via the east route) and joined a path that ran at the bottom of a steep rocky slope. Turning right along this path I headed towards Llyn Du descending very steeply down to the lake (these steep descents very quickly rid me of other people!). I was now in total enjoyment mode as I descended towards the eastern side of Bwlch Tyddiad.

Picking up the footpath through the pass turned east towards the forest. Entering the forest I followed the yellow arrows that led me beside the river past the Pistall Gwyn waterfalls back to Graigddu-isaf and thence back to my car. What an enjoyable walk in stunning scenery with excellent weather. The thing that I enjoyed the most this walk was that I'd picked challenging unorthodox routes up the mountains thereby missing all the people going up to Rhinog Fawr by the easier paths from Cwm Nantcol. The lesson to be learnt from this walk is that where you go is no way near as important as how you get there. If you want an interesting walk up a hill don't pick the easiest route up the hill; if weather conditions allow try a more challenging route. You'll get so much out of it. I know I did.

Walk Report: Snowdon via Yr Aran & Y Lliwedd

To try and continue my report of my weekend spent walking over the Bank Holiday I turn now to the Sunday when I returned to Snowdon for the second time in the month. This time the weather was considerably better and it was also considerably busier. Driving up from Dolgellau where I'd overnighted I parked in Nant Gwynant near the car park. Already it was full and I had to park in the lay-by at Bethania, by the afternoon the cars would be parked up and down the road on the grass banks. It was going to be a very busy day on Snowdon. I had picked an off-path route but it would not avoid the crowds at the crunch. One simply had to accept that if you are stupid enough to climb Snowdon in good weather on a Bank Holiday weekend you get everything you deserve!

Starting off I went along the track at the start of the Watkin path ascending into Cwm Llan. Before reaching the masses clustered around the Gladstone Rock I veered off to the left along the path towards Bwlch Cwm Llan. Keeping straight on at the old tramway I headed up to another old track which I took curving up the hill-side to reach a scree slope. Above the stones I came across a large hole in the ground no doubt another relic of all the mining that has happened around here over the years. Skirting the edge of the chasm I headed steeply straight up the hill-side until I reached the top of the ridge just above Clogwyn Brith. With the hard work over I headed off along the ridge looking out on all the people ascending the Watkin Path down below me. It was a pleasant stroll up the gradually steepening slope eventually reaching the summit of Yr Aran, the prominent satellite of Snowdon.

The behemoth itself lay before me to the north and was my next destination, that is if I felt like braving the crowds. I wasn't really here to go to the top and had even contemplated missing it out! Descending Yr Aran I returned to the Wall Ladder I'd crossed earlier and followed the wall around Y Geuallt down to Bwlch Cwm Llan. Quickly traversing the pass I headed up the ridge in front of me over Allt Maenderyn and above Clogwyn Du. Soon the ridge levelled off and I was joined by the tourist path from Rhyd-Ddu and dozens of tourists. The deluge I had been avoiding was now here, and there was now no getting away from it. From here on I was simply surrounded by people all the way up as we passed across the narrow ridge of Bwlch Main, and became even worse when we were joined by the people on Watkin path. The final climb up to the café was horrendouss as I weaved my way around people going up much slower than I was capable of even when heavily laden.

Actually when I reached the junction with the Watkin path I seriously considered going down it; the only reason I went on was so I could use the toilet in the café. So literally squeezing into the café building past all the people also trying to get in I used the toilet and then quickly left again. I had never seen so many people on Snowdon, with all the people walking up and the people taking the train up it was busier than a supermarket on a Saturday afternoon. Since supermarkets are not my favourite places I ran back to the path down to the start of the Watkin path without even going up to the summit. I'm sure the view was amazing from the top, it certainly was going up, but I never saw anything from the top; all I could see were people!

My next target was Y Lliwedd a hill I had intended on going over on May Day but decided against when it started raining heavily. Today the weather was completely different and my biggest problem was not the rain but the people of me walking slowly down the path. Setting off down the Watkin path I started using my greater confidence on steep slopes to skip past many of them as they gingerly made their way down. I wasn't in a hurry but I just felt like I would like to overtake all these people who were holding me up and show them that I am much more experienced at walking over mountains than they were. I know, it was very silly and pathetic and if I had been overtaken by someone racing down the hill like that I would have shaken my head at their carelessness and waited for them to fall. I didn't fall, instead I had tremendous fun just sailing down the rocky slope that it quite simply the most tricky part of the Watkin Path.

When I reached Bwlch y Saethau I left the main path and kept to the top of the ridge scrambling over the rocks near the edge of the cliff, simply for the fun of it, and after passing Bwlch Ciliau I began the scramble up Y Lliwedd. I thought I would now leave all the crowds behind me as the Watkin path continued to descend into Cwm Llan but quite a lot of people followed me up the steep rocky hill and I realised that I had joined the people attempting the Snowdon Horseshoe. These are the people who had earlier traversed Crib Goch and were now going over Y Lliwedd, all credit to them, but there was an awful lot of them. Rather undermines an achievement like that when so many other people are doing the same. Well, that's snowdon for you.

Keeping as close to the edge as possible I completed the scramble onto the top of Y Lliwedd and then (after a short rest!) headed over to the East Peak and then down to the lesser peak of Lliwedd Bach. The path now headed steeply down the hill towards Llyn Llydaw, but I was now to leave the crowds well atrulyely behind as I left the path headed across the pathless country to the east of Y Lliwedd. Skirting the boggy ground and rocky outcrops I kept to the higher ground heading towards Gallt y Wenaullt. At the end of this high peninsula I descended steeply down into the valley west towards the remains of a mine, which I reached by following an old wall low down in the valley. From the mine there is a right-of-way that led all the way back to the Watkin path, but after following it for a while I left it keeping north of the wall and the wood.

Crossing a wall near some sheep pens I came out overlooking Cwm Llan and all the crowds in the valley. Steeply descending the hillside I came down to the river which I crossed over some large stones which I are marked as a Ford on the map. I was now back on the Watkin path at the point where I had left it and all that was left was a simple stroll back down the path to my car. It was a good and interesting walk over a variety of surfaces including some fun scrambles. It was just a pity I was not alone.