Climbing Snowdon for the first time...

joxang

joxang

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...recommend a path, and some nice photo opportunities! Bear in mind my friend and I aren't uber-hardcore walkers and I don't think either of us can handle Crib Goch ;).

After a bit of reading I was thinking up Rhyd Ddu and down Snowdon Ranger, but would love some suggestions from people who've been!
 
crib goch isnt that bad, im a 19 stone asthmatic who's idea of exercise is walking to the pub and ive been up it a couple of times, i find the worst part the descent, ive lost my big toe nails coming down twice :lol:

go for it:thumbs:
 
Crib goch is where dreams are made....... I got airlifted of there! Scary scary place!!!!!!
 
I gots to ask ... Are you walking or have you got a Vauxhall Frontera? :lol:
 
ChrisGilbert said:
Crib Goch is not for either the inexperienced or those with a nervousness about exposure. Pyg/Miners is fine with good photo opps.
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Yep, do that route. Lovely and senic. Up the pug, down the miners so finishing with a relaxed stroll around the lakes.

I'm an experienced walker, and love crib goch, but if you're not, steer clear.
 
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Why not try up the Pyg Track, and carry on to Y Lliwedd, down to the Miners Track. Great views all the way (if the clag stays away).
 
Another vote for the Pyg track or the miners track, Crib Goch I would recomend for the more serious climber, it's not idea for beginners on inexperienced, while you'll get some good pics it's a dangerous route, with the majority of accidents or "strandings" occuring around and on it.
 
joxang said:
...recommend a path, and some nice photo opportunities! Bear in mind my friend and I aren't uber-hardcore walkers and I don't think either of us can handle Crib Goch ;).

After a bit of reading I was thinking up Rhyd Ddu and down Snowdon Ranger, but would love some suggestions from people who've been!
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I did it a few years back, parked at the Pen-Y-Pass car park, and went up via the Miner's Track, and down via the Pyg Track. While you are walking the first part of the Miner's track there are great photo opportunities of the lake, with the back drop of what I guess is the north face of Snowdon. Give yourself a few days in the area, as even in the height of summer, it does like to rain there! (and every where else in the UK this year!).
 
I would personally do the Rhyd Du path if you're wanting a ridge-walk with a couple of photo ops that isn't too out of your league. Ascend via the ridge to the summit and then descend back down the Ranger Trail to look at where you've just come from aswell as having great views across the western Snowdonia range.
 
If you are contemplating the Rhyd Du path, then I'd also recommend considering a circular route from Llyn Gwynant.
Up is straightforward - head up the Watkin Path.
Down - head SW down Bwlch Main branching left onto Allt Meanderyn before dropping back into Cwm Llan rejoining the Watkin Path somewhere around the Gladstone Rock.

It is a beautifully picturesque walk without the crowds and parking expense/hassle on the Pen y Pass routes, and IMHO more interesting than Rhyd Du.

An exciting variant on this route is to cross the footbridge half way up the waterfalls and head up the track to the disused copper mine on the Eastern flanks of Y-Lliwydd.
Head over Y-Lliwydd and rejoin the Watkin path.
This is no where near as scary as Crib Goch as the south-west side is on a gentle slope so you only need to go near the edge if you want to.
The views from Y-Lliwydd are monumental!
This option and the rest of the route described above takes me about 7 hours.
 
Like first cast has said, I think I would go miners and back down the pyg track. Can get some lovely shots of the lakes from that way.

You can get some cracking pics from crib goch, done it many of time including winter conditions, but if in experienced I wouldn't recommend it, although, it's not as extreme as some may make out.
 
When we did it many years ago we parked in Llanberis next to the lake and took the Sherpa bus up to Pen-Y-Pass. We walked up to the top via the Miner's Track (nice lakes for piccies on the way up) and then walked down to the car using the Llanberis Pass (this more or less follows the train track down so plenty of photo opportunities as well)
 
I found some parts of the Pyg track a bit scary - but then that was a long time ago! :cuckoo:

As said, the Miners track gives some great photo opportunities and there's (and I can't remember what it's called - Llanberis Pass??) the path that goes from Llanberis and meets the railway track just over halfway up - longer to walk but not as testing as the others :thumbs:
 
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