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| 3 RECORDS FOUND IN SNOWDONIA |
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| A fine walk including the three highest mountains on the Carneddau, with views across to the Glyderau and Snowdon, as well as the Menai Straits. Care needs to be taken when attempting this walk in poor visibility.
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8 miles
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GWY130
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Beddgelert & Llyn Dinas, Snowdonia
Gwynedd
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Gentle/Moderate
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| This circular walk is best taken on a clear autumn day and, although the walk is not marked as such, it mostly follows well defined paths and tracks so, although the map is not great, it is an easy walk to follow. Take your camera!
Park anywhere you can in or near the village of Beddgelert. Walk to the bridge in the centre of the village and go down the small road (by the side of Llewelyn’s Cottage) which is signposted to ‘Gelert’s Grave’. At the metal footbridge, don’t use the bridge but turn right through the gate and follow the river bank path. After 200yds, there is a path to the right which leads to ‘Gelert’s Grave’, which you may take if you wish to visit the site of the famous Welsh Legend. Otherwise, continue on for about 600yds more, passing through three gates. After the 3rd one, turn left along what was once an old railway line and cross the bridge over the river. This track now goes down the absolutely beautiful Aberglaslyn Gorge. Take your time on this easy part of the walk and drink in the scenery. After 800yds, the path goes through a very dark tunnel. Whilst it is best to take a torch with you, it is not essential as the path is flat and there is light at both ends of the tunnel !
As soon as you leave the tunnel, take the path to the left which goes off the old railway track and climbs uphill near a stream. After about 150 yds, pass through a gate next to a waterfall and start the walk up through Cwm Bychan. On the way up the hill, you will pass some old mine workings which, needless to say, you should not enter. The path up the hill is grassy and the terrain is very even so, whilst it is not difficult, it is long and slow. There is no hurry and you should savour the thought of what is over the brow of the hill in front of you. As you walk up the hill, imagine what this place may have been like in the days when the copper mine was still in operation. The anticipation grows as you near the brow of the hill and once or twice you will wonder, as I did, if the view will be worth the ‘climb’. As you reach the brow, the panorama slowly opens up in front of you and, on a bright sunny day in autumn, the sight can surely take your breath away (if you have any left!). The amber, rust, maroon heather clad valley falls away down to the crystal waters of Llyn Dinas. Yr Aran & Snowdon form a magnificent, if a little distant, backdrop.
The path now winds downhill through the heather; Llyn Dinas getting ever nearer and more beautiful with every step. You will wonder if the lake is actually water and not a plate of mirrored glass as it reflects the scenery so perfectly that, at times, it is difficult to work out the water’s edge. By the time the path eventually arrives at the edge of the lake, you will have been treated to some spectacular views. Upon reaching the lake, bear left along the shores and wonder if there can be a more tranquil place in Snowdonia.
When you reach the river, turn left and follow the path along it’s bank, going over the stile and passing a house on the right. The path soon joins another coming from the road on the right at which point you should bear left towards the Sygun Copper Mine. You could take the opportunity to visit the mine which has become a tourist attraction. If not, turn right towards the main road and follow that road back to Beddgelert.
I hope you enjoy (enjoyed?) the walk as much as I did.
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6 miles
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GWY231
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Western Carneddeau
Gwynedd
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Moderate/Hard
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| From Gerlan, walk up past the water pumping station & out onto the open moor. Follow the stream up the valley, Cwm Llafar, towards Black Ladders (''Ysgolion Duon'').
At any point make for the ridge on the left-hand side of the stream climb it, eventually to the summit of Yr Elen.
From Yr Elen a short ridge ascents to Carnedd Llewelyn. Once on Llewelyn, the third highest point in Wales, many options are available but I think the best is out to Foel Grach, via Garnedd Uchaf, then left to Bera Fach, and Bera Mawr, finally
returning to Gerlan via Drosgl and Gyrn Wigau.
Other than the summits on the main ridge, Llewelyn, Uchaf and Grach, this gound is usually very quiet, and well off the beaten track, except in winter when you may find parties heading for Black Ladders, it is
possible to walk this region without seeing another person!
Parking at the end of the track beyond Gerlan is limited & Gerlan has a few spaces opposite the Post Office, but generally Bethesda has single track roads -
due to the volume of cars parked, in my experience this does not decrease during the week!
There are 2 other ridges which provide long walks upto either Pen yr Ole Wen or Carnedd Daffydd, Foel Meirch, one of the new nuttalls, is on the Mynydd Du spur of Carnedd
Daffydd.
More walks like this can be found at
http://www.mountains-snowandrock.org.uk.
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8 miles
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GWY233
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