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I had a mate give me a lift out to the Rhyd Ddu train station , with the intention of a 2 day wild camping trip ticking about 10 tops over the 2 days.
I'd never been to this part of Wales (west of snowdon that is) and seeing all the mountains in this area had me sizing them all up.
- Y garn from Rhyd Du path
- Mynydd Mawr from Rhyyd Du path
- Meol hebog, Moel yr ogof, & Moel lefn from Ryhd Du path
I started to head up the Rhyd Ddu path and Immediately saw The Welsh Highland lines old Steam train. snaking through the valley the sound was lovely. half way up the path I took some pics of the mountains west of snowdon and I also got my first look at Yr Aran.
- Welsh Highland train
- Yr Arran from Junction off Rhyd Du path
the path was pretty easy and I was looking for a junction where the path splits off to the east and heads to the saddle between Snowdon and Yr Aran the path wasn't very clear and coming and going to I just kinda stopped looking for it and went cross country the vis was good any ways so I headed to the saddle. Once on the saddle
I dropped my rucksack slightly off the path so I could nip up and tick Yr Aran while atempting to save a little bit of my legs.
- Yr Aran from it's saddle
- Snowdon from the saddle
the walk up was steep with some scramble sections and made for a really nice walk I only saw 2 small groups of people on this hill and it was very nice to almost have the hill to myself. the views over Blaenau Ffestinog hills were brilliant and once again more hills i've not climbed so there were a lot of pictures taken.
views over to Snowdon and Y Lliwedd were also lovely.
- Y Lliwedd from Yr Aran
- clodwyn Du Ridge and Snowdon from Yr Aran
after nipping down to Collect my rucksack I started to make my way up the other side of the saddle to Snowdon I had no Idea that this ridge was so tough it really took it out of me the plan was to do Y Lliwedd and it's tops then double back and head up snowdon to set up camp some where near Crib y Drsgyl, but the Clogwyn Du ridge had really taken it out of me. so I decided to hit the Cafe first to re-fuel and rest my feet for a good hour before taking on Y lliwedd because I knew the Double back was going to Kick my ass.
once I hit the cafe it was like a night club sweaty and hot inside I got a warm drink and quickly went to sit outside the cloud had came down and there was no views so i just pulled out a book and chilled for an hour or so.
- Heading up Clogwyn du to Snowdon
- Some nice Scbamly sections but I was to tired to appreciate
- Looking back to Yr Aran
at around 16:00 I left the cafe on fresh legs with the intention of Climbing Y Lliwedd and doubling back to Snowdon. I started to descend the Watkin path. Now i've Climbed 80 Munros and 30 Hewitts and loads of other hills but I have never experienced a path as s!*%^ as this. the Guide books say Steep Scree but this is hardly Scree it was a mix of loose boulders, wet grass, loose soil and steep steep steep.
- Y Lliwedd and the Watkin path from the top of the watkin path
- Clogwyn Du and Yr Aran from watkin path
- Crib Goch from Watkin Path
- Looking back to the top of the Watkin path
- Hewitts to the West with the Irish sea behind.
I have never had such a hard time climbing down something ever I was working for every inch and thinking i've got to climb back up this?, by the time I had reached the saddle to Y Lliwedd my fresh legs were gone. I now had nothing in the tank and called Traveline Cymru to organise a bus and Luckily there was one in just over 2 hours so I decided to Climb Y Lliwedd and Descend to Pen-y-pass.
- Heading up Y Lliwedd now
- Moel y Dyniewyd from the Climb up Y Lliwedd
- Y Lliwedd West peak
- Y Lliwedd East peak from Y Lliwedd West peak
- Lliwedd Bach
Y Lliwedd was amazing it was very scrambly and none of this ledge to ledge scrambling that you get it was constant and soo steep that it made for a quick ascent I took some pics of the crib goch pinnacles, yr Aran and the other peaks of Y Lliwedd as I quickly bounced over them to make my bus. Y Lliwedd E and W peaks were ticked as well as Lliwedd bach before heading down. The way down wa very steep and scrambly and any time I had gained on the climb I lost on the descent the Walking stick helped a lot as a third leg and once I was on the road I quickly took off the boots, popped on the sandals and was at Pen-y-pass with 30 minutes to spare.
- Bacck down to Llyn Llydaw
I'll be making a trip for the 3 that got away!!!
- the 4 that got away Moel Cynghorion, Foel goch, foel gron, & Moel Eilio
thanks for reading
MacKenzie