Walks of a Lifetime: Snowdon’s south-west side
A high-level loop that unlocks Snowdon’s wild side ...with the aid of a friendly little steam railway.
Snowdon has always been a big draw to tourists. Its majestic form, defined by symmetrical and steeply inclined ridges, combined with deeply cupped corries and wildly carved crags, convey a majesty well beyond its modest height. In certain light and from certain locations you could easily think you are peering upon a towering Himalayan giant. Victorian tourists following the picturesque tradition flocked to Snowdon’s flanks and would be conveyed by ponies or by guides on paths established from numerous hotels and villages at its foot. All the main paths up Snowdon owe something to this tradition.
The establishment of the Snowdon Mountain Railway eroded this tradition and drew most of the tourist traffic to the Llanberis side of the range. Ironically considering the powerful effect the summit railway has had on the shift of favour up Snowdon, it is another railway that unlocks two of its wildest approaches. The Welsh Highland Railway conveniently carries you around to the western side of Snowdon. The south-west may not have the immediate appeal of features like Crib Goch and Glaslyn, but this side of the mountain is just as dramatic – and is considerably quieter.
The Rhyd-Ddu Path and the Snowdon Ranger form a perfect horseshoe walk on the western slopes, and both are full of interest throughout their course. It’s marginal but the Rhyd-Ddu path offers the best ascent. Its opening section is pleasantly graded for a nice gentle warm-up, then the airy walk above the crags at Llechog and over the narrow crest at Bwlch Main offer a suitably spicy finish to reach Snowdon’s summit rocks.
The crowds on the summit are sadly unavoidable but the descent down the Snowdon Ranger Path quickly gets you away from all the hullabaloo of the café and the mountain railway. Once off the western shoulder of Garnedd Ugain a fine crest carries you high above the awesome cliffs of Clogwyn Du’r Arddu, and with care you can snatch glimpses of the wildly situated Llyn Du’r Arddu.