ROUTE 3 JUNE 2017 Snowdonia 14.6km/8¾ miles 7-8 hours Strenuousness lllll Navigation lllll Technicality lllll TrailROUTE 100s STATS2 Welsh 3000s 1 Looking to Crib Goch from Y Lliwedd. Southern Snowdon Horseshoe WORTHINGTON KATE Check out Wales’ main attraction using some Descending Bwlch Main. quieter ascents and descents to enjoy Yr Wyddfa’s fine ridges and peaks, says Kate Worthington. his is a very fine outing indeed, height towards Snowdon’s summit on and hitting Wales’ highest peak the steep, upper section of the Watkin TSnowdon (Yr Wyddfa) is the cherry Path. Regardless of your relationship on the top. On your way, take in the glory with the summit cairn on Snowdon, it’s of finding a quiet way onto the majestic a breathtaking vista on a clear day – to peaks of Y Lliwedd and work hard to gain the Glyderau in the north, Moel Hebog and the Nantlle range to the south-west and the Moelwynion to the south-east. And whisk yourself away along the mountain’s attractive Bwlch Main and southern ridge, towards your final triumph, Yr Aran. This beautifully shaped peak stands guard over Snowdon’s southern hemisphere, protecting the beguiling Cwm Llan below a great route for a dry, calm, long from the worst of weather coming in summer’s day. And why not try an ‘alpine from the coast. This final peak is a fitting start’ to get ahead of others heading to finale to a robust route over rocky ground Snowdon’s summit from other directions? Heading to waterfalls. and slender, enticing rocky ridges. It's Enjoy the challenge! JUNE 2017 TRAIL 105 Thurso ISLE OF LEWIS HARRIS Lairg Ullapool ISLE OF SKYE Inverness Portree Shiel Bridge Aviemore Inverie Aberdeen Mallaig Invergarry Braemar Fort William MULL Oban JURA Glasgow Edinburgh ISLAY Berwick-upon-Tweed ISLE OF ARRAN Ayr Jedburgh Ballantrae Dumfries Newcastle Newton Stewart Londonderry -upon-Tyne Stranraer Carlisle Always take ROUTE 3 a map out with Donegal Belfast Keswick Penrith you on the hill SnowdoniaMiddlesbrough JUNE 2017 Windermere Kendal Northallerton 14.6km/8¾ Inglmileseton 7-8 hours Bentham York Lancaster SkiptonSH627506 At this ridgeline, and you’ll point your ascent route direction. A path follows 1 pointLeeds you’ll be always be able to hunt out met the ridge (signposted the wall. Dublin Liverpool Manchestandingster at the start of route options slightly towards the Watkin Path Rhyl Conway what’s signposted as the away from the crest of the at SH609542). Continue 8 SH615515 Keep a Bodelwyddan start ofSh Snowdon’seffield Watkin ridge if needed. See the onwards and descend lookout here for ROUTEBetws-y-Coed INFO Path – having parked in mighty Snowdon rising along Bwlch Main, where the path drops off Llangollen the DerbSNPAy car park. Start from Bwlch y Saethau at Snowdon’s southern the ridge, down a stony Barmouth easily through native what looks like an ridge. There are a couple chute onto steep grass Dingle Tralee Peterborough Aberystwyth Birmingham impossible angle. of rocky steps, but this is a below the ridge. All the Waterford woodland, on a good track Killarney which ascends gradually wonderful descent route. while there is a faint track Cork Cardigan Hay-on-Wye SH615540 After a Reach Bwlch Cwm Llan to follow, where passage Kenmare Distance 15km towards the dramatic Brecon Gloucester 5 (9¼ miles) waterfalls spilling out rocky descent and and pick up an old stone of feet have found a weak Oxford crossing a good path wall that hugs Yr Aran’s line in the ridge. Descend TotalPembro ascentke 1312m from Cwm Llan. across the wide bwlch to rocky northern ridgeline carefully, roughly north Time 7-8 Swhoursansea Cardiff Bristol SH622516 At a gate Snowdon, you’ll – a couple of rocky east, finding traces of Start/finish SNPA 2 marked ‘Access have to gain steps to path here and there as car park at Bethania Minehead Land’, take a faint path further you negotiate past an old (SH628506) Southampton descending towards theBrig htonheight copper mine, towards an Nearest town Exeter riverPoole below you and towards 6 old tramway (now path) Beddgelert cross a flat, slate bridge. Bodmin Plymouth Terrain engineered On the other side there 5 paths; steep, grassy are plenty of picnic uplands; mixed spots. You may see people boulders; narrow taking a dip here on a hot ridges; steep slopes on day, even though the 4 occasion water’s always cold. With Maps OS Explorer a boundary wall on your (1:25,000) OL17; left, climb away from the OS Landranger river towards a stile (1:50,000) 115; taking you into woodland. Harvey Superwalker Now you’re gaining height (1:25,000) Snowdonia towards Cwm Merch on North a fairly clear path. Accommodation 3 Red Dragon Holidays, 3 SH628521 Use a 9 Nantgwynant gate through a stone (01766) 890351 wall here, and continue along a rough path to the Public transport 7 8 remains of an old quarry 2 Snowdon Sherpa at the head of the cwm. Traveline Cymru Once there, cross a stream 0871 200 2233 and gain an old stone wall Guidebooks Great rising away from it. You Snowdon’s Mountain Days in are now on open, grassy summit. Snowdonia: 40 classic slopes where you can Route-find carefully, negotiate 1 routes exploring easily pick a steady route keeping to a scree path will take the Snowdonia by Terry north-east towards the away from rocky bluffs mind off the Marsh, pb Cicerone skyline above you. and the precipitous edge ascent in the legs! Tourist info of Snowdon’s very steep The Snowdon Hub 4 SH632535 Lliwedd eastern ridge. On reaching SH607516 at SH618518. From (01286) 870636 Bach (Small Lliwedd) the ridge above, turn 7 Reach a small here, you’ll see the lower www.electric is a fitting title for this north-east to Snowdon’s flattening after a stony section of the Watkin mountain.co.uk fin-shaped rocky outcrop. summit area – it will be ascent, then use a good Path below you. Best café Caffi A wonderful view into obvious when you reach path to the south-west Gwynant, Bethania Snowdon’s cwms is Hafod Eryri, the Visitor up towards Yr Aran’s SH621520 Now (01766) 890855 attained from this start of Centre building. summit – and enjoy the 9 you’re back on the the fun, scrambling over views! Return to Watkin Path, above the Y Lliwedd’s east and west SH609543 From SH607516 and use waterfalls and river you peaks. Always take note 6 Snowdon summit, a prominent stone wall crossed at the start of the of the steep drops to your your descent route heads to 'handrail' in descent, day. Retrace your steps right on Y Lliwedd’s south-west, back to the in an east-south-east back to Bethania. GET THIS ROUTE GRADIENT ON YOUR PHONE! PROFILE Start Gallt y Wenallt Y Lliwedd Snowdon Yr Aran Finish LFTO.COM/ 1400 TRAILROUTES 1200 In association with METRES 1000 ABOVE 800 SEA 600 LEVEL 400 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 200 MILES 0 2 4 6 8 OS Maps KILOMETRES 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2017 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 001/17 GAIL JOHNSON / SHUTTERSTOCK / JOHNSON GAIL 001/17 MEDIA SURVEY. ORDNANCE 2017 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN 106 TRAIL JUNE 2017.