I had taken two days off walking to recover from my sprained ankle from Post Gwyn and was determined to get back on my feet today. So I took myself to the car park at Rhyd Ddu. Another pay and display. Always carry plenty of change. I booted up and set off up the Rhyd Ddu path. After about five minutes I realized I had left my refreshments in the car and had nothing with me to drink. Back I went and rectified this before setting off again. After about five minutes I realized I was wearing the wrong glasses. Back I went. Third time lucky. I sometimes fear I am too stupid to be allowed on the hills. I followed the Rhyd Dddu for about a mile and then kept straight where it goes left, heading for the col between Yr Aran and Snowdon. As I apprached this it all starts to feel a bit industrial as you walk through the old slate quarries with their huge piles of rubble. From the col Yr Aran looks a little daunting. In fact it is made easy by a good path that goes straight up from here about halfway to the top then turns left and does a devious traverse onto the east ridge that leads easily to the top following some old fence posts.
Coming down the same way, I headed up Snowdon by the South Ridge. This too is very straightforward. There is a little scrambly bit at one point but it is short-lived and very easy. Close to the top the South Ridge meets the Rhyd Ddu Path and embarks along the Bwlch Main. This is a little exposed but an easy walk on a good path. The cloud refused to lift from the top of Snowdon even though Yr ARan, Lliwedd, Crib Goch were all clear so I collected a photo - not for the first time - of the trig point surrounded by mist, then headed down. To get the Bwlch Main from the summit you follow the sign for 'Watkin'. A bit further down another sign says Watkin left, Rhyd Ddu straight on. I went straight on and followed this path all the way home with wonderful views of Mynydd MAwr and the Nantile and Meol Eilio ridges.
RSS Feed
