free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Hewitts: Mynydd Drws-y-coed, Trum y Ddysgl
Date:01/04/2012
Time taken: 4 hours
Distance: 9km
Ascent: 650m
Weather: Fresh breeze, patchy sunshine
After a busy February, managing to climb 25 Hewitts (mostly new ones), March was a bit less successful with only 2! The weather was looking a little poorer this weekend and I had some kind of stomach bug too, so I didn’t really get a great deal done. A short walk on Saturday was followed by these hills on the Sunday (managing to bring my April tally of Hewitts in line with the March one on the first of the month!).
The plan had been to head for the high mountains for a change – maybe the Glyders and Y Garn from Ogwen – but the cloud was lying thick over those summits, while looking more broken further west.
The Nantlle Ridge is a great traverse over some slightly lower hills, containing plenty of good scenery and a bit of scrambling too. We didn’t have time for the whole thing (although it is well described by
Snowdonia7 – we may well have passed him somewhere along the way), but the eastern end had always made up a good short afternoon out in the past.
Mynydd Mawr from Rhyd Ddu:
Mynydd Drws-y-coed and Y Garn from Rhyd Ddu:
Moel Hebog, Moel yr Ogof and Moel Lefn from Rhyd Ddu:
Dad and I were dropped off by mum in the main car park at Rhyd Ddu, before she carried on to Beddgelert Forest for a low level walk. We set off at about 2:40pm, our traditional late start no longer the problem that it had been all winter. A quick stroll past a cottage then Drwsycoed Uchaf farm had us on the ascent in no time. There were a fair few people coming down.
Ascending Y Garn:
The way up was steep, but the recent dry period had dried out the small sections of bog, so it was quite an agreeable ascent. After crossing a wall, the summit cairn of Y Garn perches right on the edge of the crags in an airy spot. We stopped for a break here, admiring the scrambly section up ahead. It looks pretty imposing here, but is straightforward in reality, the most sustained bits being set back slightly from the sheer north-western cliffs.
Mynydd Drws-y-coed and Trum y Ddysgl:
Yr Aran and Llyn y Gader from Y Garn:
Looking down the Dyffryn Nantlle to Llyn Nantlle Uchaf:
Across Dyffryn Nantlle to Mynydd Mawr:
Moel Hebog and Mynydd Drws-y-coed:
Scrambly bit on Mynydd Drws-y-coed:
The summit:
In contrast, the summit of Mynydd Drws-y-coed is grassy, lacking even enough loose rock for a cairn. An easy descent and another group of walkers passed, and we were on the way up Trum y Ddysgl, the highest summit of the day (and second highest on the ridge). This section of the walk is very reminiscent of the summit ridge of Ciste Dubh in Kintail.
Ascending Trum y Ddysgl:
Back to Mynydd Drws-y-coed:
Mynydd Mawr:
Moel Eilio, Y Garn and Mynydd Drws-y-coed:
Summit of Trum y Ddysgl, looking west to Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd and Craig Cwm Silyn:
South to Moel Hebog and Moel Lefn:
Fires on Craig Cwm Silyn (on the left):
The light was improving all the time, and fires were visible on the southern flanks of Craig Cwm Silyn. The summit of Trum y Ddysgl is again lovely and grassy, with the high point right on the edge of a precipice. We briefly debated continuing to Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd, but we were taking things fairly easy and time was ticking on, so we dropped down the steep southern spur of Trum y Ddysgl.
South ridge of Trum y Ddysgl, with Moel Hebog and Moel Lefn in background:
Mynydd Drws y Coed on the descent:
Snowdon, Lliwedd and Yr Aran:
Moel Hebog from Bwlch-y-ddwy-elor:
Cnicht and Moelwyns from Bwlch-y-ddwy-elor:
Another break at the col of Bwlch-y-ddwy-elor, before we decided to take the more scenic route back. Descending Cwm Trwsgwl a short way to the quarry workings, we had Craig Cwm Trwsgwl towering menacingly over us. A small path left the quarries and wound through rough terrain, leading back to Beddgelert Forest over another col. This area was intricate and beautiful, with rock and heather mixing well with the odd conifer. If we could have added a bit of snow to the scene, it would have looked like something out of one of ChrisW’s Canadian Rockies reports for a second.
Craig Cwm Trwsgl and Moel Lefn:
Rocky terrain above Beddgelert Forest:
Lliwedd and Yr Aran:
Descent into the forest brought us to our first significant bog of the day, but this was avoidable. The route back through the forest was fairly confusing. I used to know my way around here, but I have forgotten it now. We passed the tiny Llyn Llwelyn, a nice spot, and carried on down tracks until we crossed the narrow gauge railway. A short ascent through the woods on the other side brought us to the main car park, where mum was waiting, having finished her walk a little earlier.
Moel Lefn from Llyn Llwelyn:
Moel Hebog and narrow gauge railway: