What Not To Do In Snowdonia….

We decided that as we have plenty of articles on what to do in Snowdonia, some people need to know what they really shouldn’t be doing in Snowdonia or any other National Park, for that matter! However, it’s probably a waste of time writing it on here as if you’re on Mud and Routes we’re assuming you’ve got a bit of savvy to start with, so we’re hoping you all re-share this on social media if you agree!

1 – Leaving their litter where they please… If you can carry it up, carry it down. Not only is it empty, it’s lighter. Neither are the bags used by footpath repair teams to hold rocks meant to be used as bin bags. Some other poor sod has to carry your rubbish down. This includes EVERYTHING, including food waste – especially orange peel and banana skin.

2 – Campfires… We’ve all seen the romantic notion of a campfire when camping, but generally speaking it’s an absolute no-no in the UK National Parks. Some people don’t know this, and still we find this sort of damage far too often. I’m not sure if I’m more annoyed that they caused the damage or that they weren’t even skilled enough to get the campfire going properly in order to get all the wood burned.

3 – Marking Trail Blazes … I spotted these on Carnedd y Filiast in Snowdonia and they’ve only appeared when some vandal spray painted the rocks last summer. Someone’s got the idea of covering them up with rocks, which is a good idea in some respects but read no 4 for why it may not be!

4 – Adding to Cairns. In who’s book is it a good idea to lift up the materials that constitute the footpath and pile them up on the side of the path? There’s a misguided tradition that you should add to the cairn, which may have been fine in the 1930s but falls flat when you’ve upwards of quarter of a million people walking up certain mountains.

5 – Adding your own Signage – We really don’t know what all this is about. We’ve not blurred out the details, so feel free to ask them. Collecting money for a good cause is noble enough, but any karma you think you’re building up is more than negated by this.

6 – Dubious Toileting Habits.. Peer into one of the many drains on the side of Snowdon’s busy paths and you may well see a tee shirt disposed of. Don’t be tempted to pick it up. It’s been used for the one and final time, and not for the intended purpose. The only thing more disgusting is the stinking heap concealed beneath. For everything you don’t want to know about going potty outdoors – click here.

For more info on leaving no trace in the great outdoors, read this article. We’re also looking into the impact our activities have on the outdoors this summer, with an article on wild camping without waste being one, as we strongly believe that we should respect the outdoors at Mud and Routes.

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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.