Llech Ddu Spur, Snowdonia
Tucked away around the side of the Carneddau, the Llech Ddu Spur is a classic and spectacularly situated summer scramble. And in winter, it’s even better...
North Wales is not an area that’s short on ridges or scrambles; there must be hundreds. But it tends to be the same few that get the most focus, with the Snowdon Massif and the Glyderau attracting most of the attention. With its rounded backs and sprawling form, the Carneddau isn’t an obvious candidate for a quality ridge, but as anyone who’s climbed it will tell you, the Llech Ddu Spur on the back of Carnedd Dafydd is just that. It’s too well known and admired to regard it as much of a secret these days, but it still sees only a fraction of the boots of other more conveniently sited scrambles. You see, the remoteness of the Llech Ddu Spur requires something of a walk in, but it’s this remoteness that also gives it what is arguably amongst the most wild and scenic backdrops of any Snowdonian scramble.
When winter arrives and makes even our relatively modest mountains look like contenders for the Himalaya, the Llech Ddu Spur is one of those routes that gets elevated to the status of ‘epic’. It’s a Grade 1 winter climb, making it suitable for those just finding their winter mountaineering feet, but it’s not without difficulties so, like all winter routes, shouldn’t be taken lightly. Naturally – and it should go without saying – if you don’t have an ice axe, crampons, and the skills to use them well, this isn’t for you. But if you have the gear and a good idea of what to do with it, here’s the lowdown on one of Snowdonia’s most rewarding winter routes…