A year had passed since the Kinder winter walk. I’d continued to walk the more familiar modest routes in the Peak District, and even climbed Cat Bells, my first Wainwright in the Lake District. So with a renewed enthusiasm, and now walking in all weathers, I’d used map and compass for years and was fairly confident using them to navigate farmland and modest hills, but I was still a bit uncomfortable navigating in low cloud which is where I lacked the confidence to strike out on my own up mountains.
But I wanted testing and gain experience, I wanted something a bit more exciting.
I decided to improve my kit by ditching the £15 decathlon boots for a pair of ‘North Ridge’ boots from Go Outdoors, I had no idea they were the stores own brand, but they felt comfortable, and paid about £60. I'd tried them out in the Lake district and was happy with them. The tea cosy also went, replaced by a Berghaus fleece hat. New rucksack from Mountain Warehouse and Berghaus trousers. I also invested in a pair of Trekmates gaiters.
And my rucksack kit was slowly building, adding a first aid kit and emergency shelter plus a whistle.
After doing some research on Snowdon, Andy my work colleague and I agreed to climb the mountain, and if we were, we’d do it from the lowest start point so we would climb the full height. Crib Goch aside the ‘Watkin Path’ is the most difficult of the classic routes up to the summit. We’d return via the south ridge. But even though our mountain experience was minimal I felt the route wasn’t a problem.......We were naive but lucky.
It was early April, Andy was driving so he picked me up early morning. He’d asked me to bring my 3 man tent, just in case he felt he couldn’t drive home later in the day due to fatigue, as he hadn’t done much walking for a while, so I did.
We arrived at the Nant Gwynant car park about 8.30am. It was a cold morning, with broken cloud showing some blue skies but a little breezy. The northeast wind was forecast to build over the day but also brighten up as the day progressed. We couldn’t see Snowdon from here, so didn’t really know what the conditions were like up there.
Ready for the off
After getting kitted up with boots and rucksacks strapped on, Andy and I crossed the A498 and into the ancient woodland of Hafod y Llan, at only 60m in altitude and followed the quarry path up towards the Cwn Llan valley on the ‘Watkin’ path, where it soon opens up.
The path was extended to the summit from the quarry by Sir Edward Watkin, and was opened to the public by William Gladstone in 1892.
Once out of the woodland the path bends to join the river of Afon Cwm Llan and it’s splendid water falls, before the path passes the old quarry buildings and the Gladstone rock, which commemorates the paths opening. From here the valley really opens up and this is where some of the filming of ‘Carry On Up The Khyber’ took place.
Looking back down the Watkin Path
The South Ridge ahead, and Craig-ddu blocks the summit view.
Andy adjusting his rucksack
The Snowdon summit was out of sight still at this point, blocked by the rocky crag of Craig-ddu but looking up at the south ridge on the far side of the valley, which was our return route. The rock looked slightly white near the top.
It was only when a guy came down the path towards us, Andy and I said hi and ask what the conditions were like up there, the guy told us it was slightly slippery due to the ice !!!
The ridge of Bwlch Main and the hidden Snowdon summit
This was a bit of a concern as we didn’t have the gear for winter conditions. I was walking in North Ridge boots and the sole looked to be parting from the leather already.
As the path bends around the Craig-ddu, it leaves the Afon Cwm Llan.
The Snowdon summit then comes into view, or in our case not so much, as low cloud hung over the peak.
The path now gets steeper, and plenty of stops for a breather are needed, as we gain height passing 800m we look back on ourselves, and fantastic views to the south as far as Porthmadog and Tremadoc Bay could be seen.
Views down to Porthmadog
The little peak of Yr Aran to the left of the South Ridge
It was about this point, having spotted a small group of walkers in front of us, we realised where the route of Watkin was taking us. The scree of Bwlch y Saethau looked pretty serious, a diagonal path that looked like it was on a cliff face.
The good news was the ice looked to be melting in the early sunshine so that wasn’t such a concern now, Andy and I discussed our options and whether we should be taking this last section on.
The diagonal path can be made out from right to left. the summit still in cloud
In the couple of hours we’d been in the valley, we were protected from the wind, but as we neared Bwlch Ciliau, we could hear the roar of wind flowing up the rock face of Y Lliwedd and it sounded extremely intimidating.
At Bwlch Ciliau the path turns left again and levels out a bit, as it follows the ridge line.
Andy and I left the path to have a careful look over the edge of the ridge, I say careful, it’s a long drop from here if the wind takes you!!!
From here we could look across to Crib Goch and Garnedd Ugain and below us the Pyg Track and Miners Track, and the lakes of Llyn Llydaw and Glaslyn.
A short easy stretch of walking and we were soon at the foot of Bwlch y Saethau and to be honest, although steep, the path really didn’t look too bad. It looked totally different from here, we’d come along way to turn around at this point, and we both felt happy to continue, especially as the summit was now cloud free.
The wind was still strong, so we decided to have some lunch here in the shelter of the ridge, rather than a blustery summit option. Refreshed from a sandwich, boiled egg and a hot coffee from Andy’s flask we were ready to go.
We followed the path as best we could but very quickly the path almost disappears, and we lost it in the boulders and scree. So we were left to negotiate some tricky rock face, picking the path up higher up.
It was almost impossible to see a route above us through the loose boulders and needed to retreat back or sideways a couple of times from unclimbable routes.
I was just thankful the cloud had lifted. Andy and I knew we needed to keep to the left so we were able to pick the path up again, going too far to the right leads to dangerous crags.
In 2006 I read a walker died in this area, so caution is needed and it was a relief when we spotted the path again and got off the scree. I’m not sure if it was with relief but once on the path, Andy was almost in a state of collapse.
The Watkin route intersects with the Rhyd Ddu path that runs along the Bwlch Main, from here it’s just a 200m climb to the summit, but it was a 200m stagger for Andy, and I was worried.
I could smell smokey coal burning, I knew it was the Llanberis train arriving at the summit carrying countless folk here, but the strangest experience for me was walking towards the Hafod Eryri cafe.
10 minutes earlier I was trying to navigate out of a potential dangerous situation, I’m sweaty tired, my gaiters are half down my shin, my hat is the wrong way around with ‘Berghaus’ on the back and I couldn’t care less.
Now I’m walking passed pockets of snow on the ground, it’s freezing, windy and flakes of snow float in the air.
In front of me are people sat behind a glass window with t shirts on eating beans on toast or something, while sipping tea with immaculate hair, it was just surreal.
There are five classic routes up Snowdon, and not all are as quiet as the Watkin. Add to that, visitors by the Llanberis steam train arriving full of passengers, it makes for a very busy summit at times.
Andy wasn’t too impressed with the number of people up here either.
He found a rock to sit on just below the trig point to try and recover.
The worse part of the day should have been the best, standing at a summit is always special, but standing in a queue on steps, waiting my turn to visit the true summit of Snowdon in a crowd at 1,085m was an anticlimax and my moment at the trig point was one of the briefest of moments, not wanting to over linger there.
In a blink of an eye I was back below the man made pinnacle. Andy didn’t even bother going up there, it was so busy. Every spot out of the brutal wind around the summit, the cafe and even the station wall was taken with walkers resting while trying to hold on to their lunch.
We got the only opportunity for a photo below the trig point, then Andy shouted in the wind to get going. He had recovered sufficiently enough to carry on, which was a relief.
A few snaps were taken of the clear views around us before we made our way south onto the Bwlch Main, following the Rhyd Ddu path. We never saw the train, even though we smelt it. It must have been departing as we arrived.
Still a bit of ice and snow but nothing to worry about
Looking West towards Llechog
The wind was still strong leaving the summit, Bwlch Main has a couple of exposed sections and a slightly squeaky bum moment passed while passing one such place, it’s a long way down Cwm Tregalan.
Bwlch Main and the Rhyd-Ddu Path
We continued along the ridge, admiring the superb views of the surrounding Snowdonia mountain range and down to the Watkin path, our whole morning in one view down there. The ridge initially was a nice steady descent. As the Rhyd Ddu splits to the right down to Llechog, we continue down the South Ridge and from here the rocky ridge gets steeper, lots of fun with hands on in places.
Andy was pretty shattered by now, and when I asked about plans for home, he told me he was too tired to drive.
So it was a good job I brought the tent.
As we descended the south ridge, we were out of the wind a bit more, the sun was out, and just perfect for a stag doo party.......
I rubbed my eyes in disbelief as a party of lads came climbing towards us. Now this wouldn’t be unusual if it wasn’t for the fact one of them was wearing a full wedding dress!!!
Andy and I couldn’t help but stop the group when we met, to ask where they were going. “To the summit” one of them replied. We felt the need to warn them of the wind higher up, and wearing a wedding dress might not be the safest attire to wear climbing a mountain.
A guy pipes up, not to worry, he was a mountain guide, and he would make sure the dress was removed at an appropriate time. Andy and I looked at each other with dismay, but left them to get on with it.
My only regret with this meeting is that I didn’t take a photo.
We were soon down the last steep section of the south ridge, climbing Yr Aran was never on the cards, we just weren't fit enough, we were happy rejoining the Watkin Path before returning to the car.
The North Ridge boots were Knackered, and I returned them to Go Outdoors. I got a refund, bought some Meindl Burma boots adding some cash to them.
Find out how I got on next time on the hills.
Driving down the road we parked up at the Cae Du campsite. Absolutely no problem booking in with loads of space to camp.
Tent up, quick shower and a walk into the nearby village of Beddgelert. We had a meal at the Saracens Head which was very nice and poured over the days events in the Tanronnen Inn with a couple more pints. A whiskey back at the tent for Andy. A last look up at the amazing stars on show in the black sky of Snowdonia then time for bed.........zzzz
