Snowdonia
14.6km/8¾ miles 7-8 hours
1 SH627506 At this point you’ll be standing at the start of what’s signposted as the start of Snowdon’s Watkin Path – having parked in the SNPA car park. Start easily through native woodland, on a good track which ascends gradually towards the dramatic waterfalls spilling out from Cwm Llan.
2 SH622516 At a gate marked ‘Access Land’, take a faint path descending towards the river below you and cross a flat, slate bridge. On the other side there are plenty of picnic spots. You may see people taking a dip here on a hot day, even though the water’s always cold. With a boundary wall on your left, climb away from the river towards a stile taking you into woodland. Now you’re gaining height towards Cwm Merch on a fairly clear path.
3 SH628521 Use a gate through a stone wall here, and continue along a rough path to the remains of an old quarry at the head of the cwm. Once there, cross a stream and gain an old stone wall rising away from it. You are now on open, grassy slopes where you can easily pick a steady route north-east towards the skyline above you.
4 SH632535 Lliwedd Bach (Small Lliwedd) is a fitting title for this fin-shaped rocky outcrop. A wonderful view into Snowdon’s cwms is attained from this start of the fun, scrambling over Y Lliwedd’s east and west peaks. Always take note of the steep drops to your right on Y Lliwedd’s ridgeline, and you’ll always be able to hunt out route options slightly away from the crest of the ridge if needed. See the mighty Snowdon rising from Bwlch y Saethau at what looks like an impossible angle.
5 SH615540 After a rocky descent and crossing a good path across the wide bwlch to Snowdon, you’ll have to gain further height towards Snowdon’s summit. Route-find carefully, keeping to a scree path away from rocky bluffs and the precipitous edge of Snowdon’s very steep eastern ridge. On reaching the ridge above, turn north-east to Snowdon’s summit area – it will be obvious when you reach Hafod Eryri, the Visitor Centre building.
6 SH609543 From Snowdon summit, your descent route heads south-west, back to the point your ascent route met the ridge (signposted towards the Watkin Path at SH609542). Continue onwards and descend along Bwlch Main, Snowdon’s southern ridge. There are a couple of rocky steps, but this is a wonderful descent route. Reach Bwlch Cwm Llan and pick up an old stone wall that hugs Yr Aran’s rocky northern ridgeline – a couple of rocky
steps to negotiate will take the mind off the ascent in the legs!
7 SH607516
Reach a small flattening after a stony ascent, then use a good path to the south-west up towards Yr Aran’s summit – and enjoy the views! Return to
SH607516 and use a prominent stone wall to 'handrail' in descent, in an east-south-east direction. A path follows the wall.
8 SH615515 Keep a lookout here for where the path drops off the ridge, down a stony chute onto steep grass below the ridge. All the while there is a faint track to follow, where passage of feet have found a weak line in the ridge. Descend carefully, roughly north east, finding traces of path here and there as you negotiate past an old copper mine, towards an old tramway (now path) at SH618518. From here, you’ll see the lower section of the Watkin Path below you.
9 SH621520 Now you’re back on the Watkin Path, above the waterfalls and river you crossed at the start of the day. Retrace your steps back to Bethania.