Snowdon Summits Traverse RD

QMD Walks

Snowdon Summits Traverse

Relevant Maps include: OS Explorer OL17 (1:25); OS Landranger 115 (1:50); Harvey Snowdonia North Superwalker XT25 (1:25); Harvey Snowdonia North XT40 (1:40)

Distance: c. 15.2 miles + Finishing leg (starting at Bethania)

All Listed Waymarks must be logged to complete the route. Note there may be a couple of GRs in the RD that are not Listed Waymarks, they are for clarification of the route.

Going: Demanding. Some rough ground. PRoW and FPs not always clear. Route finding necessary. Some Grade One Scrambles

Note: all CBs are direct and not based on FPs or PRoW. They are intended for main direction purposes only and not for detailed navigation. Route Description 1. Start at Yr Aran SH605515. Follow FP (CB 052) down to main path and TL CB 325. (NOTE: there are other descents off the summit on the north side to join the FP and these may be used.) Follow FP past Bwlch Cwm Llan CB 355 and ascend Allt Maenderyn SH604528/South Ridge (NOTE 1: as you descend Yr Aran and reach the flat ground keep to high ground on the RHS as much as possible on the faint FP, the ground to the left is boggy but the higher FP is reasonably dry; NOTE 2: the South Ridge is potentially a Grade One scramble depending on route). Join main FP, Rhyd- Ddu Path, TR CB 037 and follow up to Snowdon summit SH610543.

2. From Snowdon follow Watkins path down to and ascend Y Lliwedd (potential Grade One Scramble) across all three summits (Y Lliwedd West Top SH621533, Y Lliwedd Eest Top SH623532, Y Lliwedd Bach SH627532). Continue on with faint FP CB 085 to Gallt y Wenallt SH642532.

1. From Gallt y Wenallt BL and descend to flat ground and cross to Craig y Deryn SH637543. NOTE: There is no fixed route or clear FP to descend from Gallt y Wenallt and no fixed route across the flat ground to Craig y Deryn. The descent of Gallt y Wenallt can be tricky. You can follow the north eastern spur for some time to descend but as you get to the lower reaches it becomes increasingly challenging to cut back left to the flat ground. This leg is probably the most difficult bit of route finding on the challenge.

2. From Craig y Deryn ascend to Bwlch y Moch SH633552 CB 325. From Bwlch y Moch continue up to Crib Goch SH624551, CB 270. Cross Crib Goch, a Grade One Scramble, and continue on to Crib y Ddysgl SH611551.

3. At Crib y Ddysgl TR and follow faint FP, CB 355 to join later with PRoW Llanberis Path. Continue on past Clogwyn Station on ridge line, CB 337, to Llechog SH606567.

4. From Llechog cross the big cwm to Bwlch Cwm Brwynog SH590557 CB 235. NOTE: This is the second section of route finding. There are faint FPs across the cwm and ascending to Bwlch Cwm Brwynog but these are not always clear.

5. At Bwlch Cwm Brwynog TR on FP and ascend Moel Cynghorion SH586563, CB 328. Continue on FP CB 270 (FP is CB 250 then CB 310 but BR to ascend Foel Goch, not a summit)to Foel Gron SH560567 and on to Moel Eilio SH556577, CB 320. Descend from Moel Eilio (FP to Llanberis, CB 010, is the most straightforward descent).

Listed Waymarks as GRs (in order from Yr Aran) Yr Aran (Summit) SH605515 Allt Maenderyn SH604528 Snowdon - Yr Wyddfa (Summit) SH610543 Y Lliwedd (Summit) SH621533 Y Lliwedd East Top (Summit) SH623532 Lliwedd Bach (Summit) SH627532 Gallt y Wenallt (Summit) SH642532 Craig y Deryn SH637543 Bwlch y Moch SH633552 Crib Goch (Summit) SH624551 Crib y Ddysgl (Summit) SH611551 Llechog (Summit) SH606567 Bwlch Cwm Brwynog SH590557 Moel Cynghorion (Summit) SH586563 Foel Gron (Summit) SH560567 Moel Eilio (Summit) SH556577

Glossary BL - Bear Left BR - Bear Right CB - Compass Bearing FB – Footbridge FP - Footpath. Usually marked on 1:25 but not on 1:50 JNCT - Junction (paths/tracks cross/join) OA – Open Access PRoW - Public Right of Way. Usually marked on 1:25 and 1:50 Quad bike track - Two parallel lines going across the fell made by continued use by quad bike RHS – Right hand side LHS – Left hand side TL - Turn Left TR - Turn Right Track - A wide track that looks suitably for 4x4 vehicles