UKC

Hello

Next week I plan on dragging my girlfriend around the Snowdon Horseshoe - (she is fit and capable, but not a huge fan of hiking). I only want to do it if the weather is tip-top as I gather the scramble across Crib Goch would be tricky(er) in the rain than the dry.

Could anyone recommend me some walks around the 4-6ish hour mark around that area that would not be dangerous in the rain but might still result in nice views, ideally routes that include the top of Snowdon...

Might be a big ask/not feasible but I welcome any suggestions!

FYI I only just discovered that my UKC login is also a UKH login!

In reply to elliot.baker:

A good Snowdon loop on the quieter side of the mountain is to combine the Rhyd Ddu and Snowdon Ranger paths. Pretty straightforward, with a short airy section at the top of the Rhyd Ddu path on the South Ridge. Or in a similar vein combine the full South Ridge with the Ranger path.

Another would be to start from Llanberis and head to Snowdon over Moel Eilio, Foel Gron, Foel Goch and Moel Cynghorion (quiet), with a descent down the Llanberis Path (busy). Or just do the obvious popular route and combine the Pyg Track with the Miners' Track.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Hi, thanks very much for the suggestions, regarding your first suggestion: I've just looked that up and it looks good to me, I just wondered: would you propose we walk back from the Snowdon Ranger path to the start of the Rhyd Ddu path along the road or is there another path I can't see on the map that links them? (I'm just using a free online map at the minute, maps by the hug).

Many thanks

In reply to elliot.baker:

The OS map has a path cutting back at about 300m up and diagonaling back down to the village.

I'd chose the South Ridge itself over the Rhyd Ddu path, FWIW. Either way, though, this route has the added bonus of an excellent tea room and a decent pub.

In reply to elliot.baker:

A right of way goes from the lower part of the Ranger back to Rhyd Ddu, via a quarry. I'd avoid the road personally.

In reply to Mike Peacock:

Is this path now a right of way? It's great if it is, used to be quite rough walking. The quarry, the workings and the pool used to be a favourite of mine until a certain person bought the land - many years ago now.

In reply to elliot.baker:

The Rhyd Ddu path is my favourite of the main paths up Snowdon.

There is a path that links the Snowdon Ranger path to Rhyd Ddu but I haven;'t walked it for a few years

Shame you can't get the train

In reply to L'Eeyore:

I assumed it had always been a right of way? It's marked on the map as such, and, from memory, I even recall little wooden waymarkers in places (but it's been years since I last walked it so may be wrong).

In reply to elliot.baker:

Yes, definitely signed in places:
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/551946

In reply to elliot.baker:

Either Lamberis to Penypass and bus back or the other way.

In reply to elliot.baker:

She's not a "huge fan of walking", and you want to take her on Crib Goch???

You know how to put someone off walking the hills for good don't you?

In reply to Dave Perry:

Or indeed Snowden by any route in the rain.

In reply to DancingOnRock:


What a brilliant pun, didn't expect it - it just came straight out of the woolwork.

In reply to elliot.baker:

Yes if you are desperate to go up Snowdon, the south ridge and back down the Watkin path is a very enjoyable alternative. Or just wander through the woods north of Betws to Lake Crafnant where there is a delightful lakeside café that might put you in her good books,,,,,,,,

In reply to elliot.baker:

Not Snowdon, but Cnicht (up and down) starting from Croesor is a lovely little wet weather (or dry for that matter) mountain.

Can be a little challenging in cloud to establish exactly when you reach the summit!

In reply to elliot.baker:

Where are you staying? If it's not too far away you might find the walk up to Cadair Idris more girlfriend-friendly in not nice weather. You get a nice drive, nice bit of forest, and a safe path to the top with similar sized cairn and shelter to Snowdon.

In reply to elliot.baker:

I'm slightly alarmed by the phrase "dragging my girlfriend".

Does she actually want to do any of this?

In reply to elliot.baker:

If she's new to hillwalking why go anywhere near Snowdon! As already said you'll scare her away doing Grib Goch and honestly there are better high routes in Snowdonia for a first timer.
My girlfriend has only started hillwalking this year, also fit and capable but absolutely no experience in the hills. 1st trip was a simple walk around Llyn Idwal to give her a taste of the area, then in March we did Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach, snow cover from around 2500', clear day and lots of interesting and different things to see. She absolutely loved the cantilever stone, as a non-walker she'd never seen anything like it! Since then she's been up Bowfell and we're struggling to find enough days to get out ..... result!