You know the feeling. You’ve arrived at Ogwen with some mountain newbies, or those who know better and have left the crampons at home (“Well it wasn’t snowing in Surrey!”) and the mountains are wearing their full winter raiment (that’s enough Showell Styles for one post). Climbing Tryfan, for it’s more a climb than a …
After countless walks up the touristy routes – these sort of walks are the ones left if I’m looking for a change. However, there’s no better way to get to know familiar hills from these unfamiliar angles with the ridge of Braich y Ddeugwm providing an unparalleled view of Tryfan’s impressive East Face (impressive from …
In the Shadow of Tryfan – Eastern Ridges of the Glyderau Read More »
A classic traverse of the expansive Carneddau from Ogwen over to Aber via Drum. This route avoids the loose scree ascent from Ogwen and follows a much more satisfying scramble up the south eastern shoulder of Pen yr Ole Wen before crossing Carnedd Dafydd, Llywelyn and down over Drum to Aber or Llanfairfechan. The Route …
Creigiau Gleision is a rarely visited peak to the north of Capel Curig in the Carneddau mountains of Snowdonia. You are most likely to have seen it when looking east up the Ogwen Valley towards Capel, or on the A5 entering Capel Curig. Whichever one, if you have seen it then you’d be aware of …
It always adds a bit of interest when we can do a walk with a theme. Usually it’s up and down, but nothing extra. This walk follows the skyline of the Carneddau from Rachub, across to Carnedd Uchaf, Foel Llefn, Drum and finally Tal y Fan. You could continue onwards to Conwy if you wished, …
These reports will be appearing on the site – as and when – and will be in as utterly random an order as we can manage. We’ve planned the route from Chester to Machynlleth – and will be adding the route as we complete the relevant sections to the site. We’ll put the whole itinerary …
Walk the Wales Coast Path from Conwy to Llanfairfechan The Upland Route Read More »
As walkers, especially hill walkers, our heads are easily turned when we hear any large and dramatic mountains being mentioned. The Aonach Eagachs and Tryfans, the Scafells and the Snowdons, Ben Nevises and the Buchaille Etive Mors– all the glamorous big names of the hills. We rarely think of those shorter hills, those foothills of …
You can treat this as a 2 day walk, or as a lengthy summer day walk. I decided to take it at a more leisurely pace and do it over a weekend, camping at the peaceful Llyn yr Adar again (how wrong would I be!). The Route The walk starts from Dolwyddelan (which is on …
Dolwyddelan Circuit – Moel Meirch and Ysgafell Wen Read More »
This a short, but satisfying walk from Ogwen into Cwm Idwal and then up to Cwm Bochlwyd in the Glyderau. Worth doing for the views at every single point along the walk, especially Cwm Idwal and you haven’t the time to make it to the tops. We did it as an evening walk with the …
Cwm Idwal and Llyn Bochlwyd Mid Level Snowdonia Walk Read More »
You can go out and do some short trail runs, we’ve plenty of those on the site, but if you’re serious about your trail running then how about a 27km epic through the most spectacular scenery in Snowdonia? It’s also ‘mainly’ downhill, though still packs around 500m ascent according to my mapping software. I think …
The Nant Ffrancon Trail Run – Capel Curig to Bangor Read More »
Pentrefoelas is a small village on the A5, on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park. This is a route into the hills on the opposite side of the valley to the national park, visiting the edges of the Hiraethog moors The Route Click here to view the full description and download a route guide. …
To the area where the dam broke above the village of Dolgarrog in 1925, killing 16 people. The Route Click here to view the full description and download a printable route guide and map.
There’s more prehistoric archaeology in these hills than you can shake a stone at. The Route Click here to view the full description and download a printable route guide and map.
An interesting route for a mid level walk, or for those into ancient archaeology. The Route Click here to view the full description and download a printable route guide and map.
A walk in the Conwy countryside up an ancient hill fort from Llanefydd. The Route Click here to view the full description and download a printable route guide and map.
The twin lakes of Crafnant and Geirionnydd nestle in the eastern foothills of the Carneddau, and this route takes you around both lakes on an interesting circuit. There’s a short section of ascent in order to cross from one valley to the other. For a longer route from Capel Curig, see here. The Route Click …
Llyn Crafnant, Geirionnydd and The Bard Taliesin Read More »
The dramatic Cwm Idwal feels rugged and mountainous but is still a straightforward family walk with very little ascent considering the terrain. The view across Llyn Idwal is dominated by the craggy facade of Twll Du or The Devil’s Kitchen. While the path is good around most of Cwm Idwal, there are some rougher sections …
An easy ramble from Roman Bridge between Betws y Coed and Penmachno that explores the low hills nearby. Lowly they may be, but they provide an extensive panorama back towards the high Snowdonian peaks that defy mere altitude alone. The Route Click here to view the full description and download a printable route guide and …
A Walk to Tyn y Coed Uchaf and Cwm Eidda from near Betws y Coed Read More »
Cwm Wybrnant lies between Penmachno and Betws y Coed and the Ty Mawr (Big House) was the home of Bishop William Morgan who translated the Bible into Welsh. The valley is so called as a flying snake or dragon called the gwiber used to dwell in the valley, if you believe that sort of thing. …
Ysbyty Ifan is a small village that’s off the beaten track. The only road that passes through, is the Migneint road from Ffestiniog; hardly the M25. This is a moderately easy walk from Ysbyty Ifan to the viewpoint of Bryn Llech, and has extensive views back towards the main summits of Eryri. The Route Click …
This is a straightforward circuit that you can do at almost any time of the year. Starting from Capel Curig, the route travels over moorland, into two beautiful valleys containing lakes, and finally some forestry (there’s got to be a down side!. Its highest point is only about 340m, and the distance about 15km. The …
I can’t think of another walk that has two summits with such unusual names, Hill of the Slippery Witch and Hill of the black hunting hound respectively. Now I haven’t a clue why they’re called that (I feel some research coming on) but some fields and even hills are named after the farm that farms it (possibly vice versa too). As for Pen …
Pen Llithrig y Wrach and Pen yr Helgi Du from Capel Curig. Read More »
Another route up the shortest and most northern of the Carneddau. This time via the roman road from Aber and over both Foel Llwyd and Tal y Fan before descending to Capelulo or continuing onwards to Conwy. OS Map Required Explorer 017, BMC Map, Landranger 115 The Route Looking over the maps left me with a lot …
Her: “I’m going to the Hairdressers, it’s costing £60…” Me: Splutters coffee across room Her: “I’ll drop you off for a walk on the way” Me: “Oh, all right then” OS Map Required Explorer 017, BMC Map, Landranger 115 The Route So it was that I ended up on a frozen morning in Rowen in the Conwy Valley. I …
