Llyn y Gader Short Walk from Rhyd Ddu

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Llyn y Gader Short Walk from Rhyd Ddu Details

This shorter walk is suitable as an alternative route to Snowdon for when conditions aren’t ideal, or if you’ve only a few hours to spare in the evening. The final descent is particularly impressive during the sunset, and it’s worth timing it to suit.

1 The route starts from the Rhyd Ddu car park, with the Lon Las Gwyrfai path proper beginning on the other side of the main road. It’s clearly signposted, and well built, making it an easy start. It takes you around a cottage (just about visible below), where you’ll need to turn left towards the lake rather than right for the Nantlle Ridge just beyond.

2  The track now crosses a causeway, complete with overkill eyesore mesh fence, along the edge of Llyn y Gader,with some excellent views all around, before arriving at an old quarry at the far end. Here the path veers left, along the actual lakeside, before entering the forest.

3 The path remains easy to follow through the forestry, which soon joins  a forestry track. Ignore the first junction to your right, and continue until you join another forestry track where a waymarker clearly points left. Follow the track from 300m, cross the WHR and arrive at the road junction.

4 You’ll need to turn left along the road  until you reach Fridd Uchaf in 600m, but be wary of traffic on this section as there’s no pavement or verge. This is also known as Pitt’s Head, named after a nearby boulder that looked like the then Prime Minister. It was also historically part of the Beddgelert Path up Snowdon which has been taken over by the Rhyd Path, but is now rarely ever used.

5 The track is easy to follow through Ffridd Uchaf farm, before heading uphill past a stand of trees and then onto open hillside. The section from the farm to the Rhyd Ddu path is just shy of 1km in distance, and has a few wet sections. This section is also the only significant bit of climbing on the route.

6 There’s a great big rock that proclaims you’ve arrived at the Rhyd ddu path where you’ll need to turn left and back to Rhyd Ddu.

7 The final descent on the Rhyd Ddu path is straightforward, but with excellent views towards the Nantlle Ridge as well as being a prime spot for sunsets (even ITV Weather agrees with us!). The track eventually joins a farm track, where you turn left to cross the WHR and arrive at the Rhyd Ddu car park. Turn right at this point if you want to visit the village, which has a tea room and an excellent pub.

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader.
Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

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