Saturday 12 to Monday 14 October 2024 - A Visit to Snowdon Ranger

Saturday - on a fine morning, some 21 of us set off on various walks and rides. It's a regular gathering of Sue's university contemporaries and their partners and hangers on. There were 24 on this occasion (three yet to arrive).

The views across Llyn Cwellin (above), just down from Snowdon Ranger Youth Hostel (below), which we had hired for the weekend, were excellent.

Nine of us set off up the zigzags of the Snowdon Ranger path, with more fine views stretching out behind us as we rose to Bwlch Maesgwm.

After an elevenses break we continued to rise against a tide of 800 or so runners on a 'Sea to Summit' ultra marathon event. A tough 35 miles. We met them at around their 12 mile point. More than 100 had already dropped out.

Foel Goch and Foel Gron provided indistinguishable summits that some folk could tick off a list.

We continued in clear weather with tremendous views.

The view to Llanberis

The view to Caernarfon Bay

The fine weather and views lasted until lunch was taken in front of a wall that sheltered us from the increasing cold wind. By the time our repast had concluded, waterproofs had been donned to combat the expected rain.

We then made it up to the small enclosure (below) at the summit of Moel Eilio (726 metres), a Marilyn that more people could tick off a list. (I had been there before.)

Then we descended in rain of intermittent strength to a track that led us to some cars that had wisely been deposited earlier. Five of the group went over an Insignificant Hill (Cefn Du) to delay their finish to some more significant rain.

We were all back at the hostel by early afternoon after our 9.3km walk with 726 metres ascent, taking less than 4 hours, following which some grannies wrestled with a jigsaw.

On Sunday nearly all our group of 24 went to the hamlet of Croesor, where a pretty stream runs next to the car park.

Everyone set off up Cnicht.

Chris strides on ahead

The 24 ascended at varying paces, with a constant backdrop of the view to the coast around Porthmadog.

Elevenses were taken before the final rocky ascent of Cnicht. There was cake, by way of encouragement.

Phil on the summit of Cnicht

On Cnicht summit

Climbing to the North Top

The North Top, with Cnicht summit beyond

All 24 made it to the summit and beyond as far as Llyn Yr Adar, which served as an excellent foreground for the lunchtime view to Snowdon. The Glyders, Tryfan, and the Carnedds were also in view.

After lunch the party splintered, with various routes being taken back to the car park at Croesor. About ten of us continued over the Moelwyn summits. The weather was good. Very clear under a layer of high cloud.

From Llyn Yr Adar, a slightly boggy path led to an area full of disused quarrys, from where the ten of us set off up an incline the drew us steeply into the Moelwyns.

The path eased and then steepened before reaching the Marilyn summit of Moelwyn Mawr (770 metres). I'd been there a few times before.

An undulating ridge walk took us in an hour or so to the lower summit of Moelwyn Bach, where a jumble of rocks denotes the summit.

From there, it's a surprisingly gentle stroll down the ridge to a minor road that leads back to the car park in Croesor.

This walk was 15.0 km, with 1053 metres ascent, taking rather less than 7 hours.

A superb days' walk, followed by lasagne at the hostel for the 18 or so people still staying there, the diminishing number of  'workers' having set off for home after finishing the walk.

Meanwhile, the jigsaw was completed.

On Monday the masses dispersed. Some went home, perhaps stopping somewhere interesting on the way. Seven of us - me, Sue, Julie, Tom, Neil, Kevin and Alison, headed to Beddgelert for a 10 km circuit (Cicerone Snowdonia North Walk Number 22 - Cwm Bychan shortcut) that Sue and I did in pouring rain on 12 November 2023. Today's weather was the opposite of that - calm, warm, with perfect visibility on the sunny day.

Sunshine in Beddgelert

Leaving the fleshpots of Beddgelert, with Moel Hebog

The Afon Glaslyn in Beddgelert

Pretty (shaded) cottages in Beddgelert

A good path leads to a lane to the Sygun Copper Mine and a lakeside path to Llyn Dinas.

As we headed up the hill to the bealach that leads to Cwm Bychan, we enjoyed fine views down to Llyn Dinas and also to Snowdon and its surrounds. 

We enjoyed a lovely elevenses break after an hour, half way up the ascent. More fine views were gained from a wrong path that would have led us down to Beddgelert. 

That was soon remedied as we muddled our way into Cwm Bychan and an assortment of mining relics that litter the path.

This ornate bench was home to a geocache which contains a gin and tonic, sadly a bit early for us.

The Pass of Aberglaslyn marked our turning point, after which we returned to Beddgelert beside the tumbling Afon Glaslyn.

Lunch was on a wall by a footbridge in Beddgelert, then we went our separate ways.

This morning's walk was 10 km with 450 metres ascent, and we were back in Beddgelert well in time to beat the car park's 4 hour (£3) deadline.

Onwards to Porthmadog...