Taking the Rhyd Ddu Path
I would like to say this was a well-planned climb up Snowdon, but sadly that would be a lie. We drove straight from Holyhead to the village of Rhyd Ddu and had to climb that day, as the following day looked like a whole lot of rain.
The start of the Rhyd Ddu Path
So we had our walking boots, photography equipment, some water, but we had eaten nothing but breakfast. We were hopeful that Rhyd Ddu would have a Tesco or something similar, even if it was an express version, but on arrival we discovered it was a VERY small village. I blame this lack of planning on our time in China where dozens of souvenir and food stalls line the start of any tourist activity. Thankfully (we are so so lucky) there was a B&B and tea room with a sign outside saying ‘packed lunches’. English and Dutch couple Emma and Menno (what a coincidence!) run Ty Mawr and whilst they prepared our packed lunches they shared stories of their visit to China in the 1970s (see link below).
Of the 6 paths up Snowdon we chose Rhyd Ddu, and we are very happy we did. It is one of the quieter routes and in total we probably saw about 20 people whilst climbing. It starts off as an easier climb but becomes quite sludgy with some scree, so can be a challenge at times. The real reward begins once you start heading straight up with a drop to your left that you can look over to the now very small sheep and pockets of water below.
A flatter part of the ridge you climb just before you reach the peak
With the strong wind, stunning views all around and that sheer drop you get a sense that nature is in control not you. Just before you reach the summit there is about 15 minutes of walking on a rocky ridge, which is not for the faint hearted (my legs went a bit wobbly), but it is breathtakingly beautiful.
The view on our way down on The Snowdon Ranger Path
Following our 10 chilly minutes at the top we headed back down using the Snowdon Ranger path and didn’t see a soul apart from a crazy woman sprinting past us who was probably in training for the marathon around the base the following weekend. I highly recommend this exact route; it is empty, beautiful, immense and diverse. I don’t really know what else to say to sell it to you.
Which route to choose on Snowdon
Follow the links below to find out more about our camping trip around the UK.
1 Anglesey – Holy Island and the Coastal Path
3 Harlech and Nantcol Waterfalls, Snowdonia
