Ridges of Snowdonia. Steve Ashton

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      The connecting ridge between Carnedd Dafydd (back right) and Carnedd Llewelyn on Route A2

      Buttoned up and resolute, like ships out of port, dark shapes are seen to rise and shudder, casting off for Carnedd Llewelyn. Rounding the Black Ladders they must negotiate the peaks and troughs of petrified waves, glimpsing the horrors of the Black Pit. They gather themselves up into convoys for safety, drawn ever onwards by plastic map cases held to the fore like spinnakers in a following wind…

      Thus aided, a fixed number of upward metres ought to land us on Carnedd Llewelyn. But can we be sure? On a misty day the summit is thronged by confused travellers who, like train passengers, are certain only of their final destinations. Bewildered, we clutter the platform – Is this it? Are we here? – while those who have the answers stride purposefully through like unapproachable station porters and disappear into the gloom. Soon we are gripped by communal panic and give up the wait. Like brave Oates we up and off into the storm, promising to return. But we never do.

      If our luck is in, and if in the mist we have not inadvertently returned the way we came, or walked over a cliff, the way ahead soon begins to smooth from scree to grass. Great, delicious swathes of it are draped over the backbone of the ridge from Llewelyn to Pen yr Helgi Du. Huge, loping strides consume the slope in minutes, while a bouncing rucsac exaggerates the rate of progress like an over-enthusiastic metronome.

      The best things in life, despite being free, are unfortunately almost always short-lived. This one is no exception. A stubbed toe against the first of a string of vertebrae above Craig yr Ysfa proves the point. Now begins an itty-bitty descent, picking and choosing among the bleached bones like a scavenging bird a week too late.

      Suddenly it is over. Oh yes, there’s still miles to go; but once planted at the col, flasks out and talk of dinner, there surfaces an overwhelming sense of return. A brief scurry down right would soon see you pounding that tarmac extravaganza down to the valley. But that is hardly a proper way to end this day. Gather yourselves up with a few scraps of willpower, instead, and attack the ridge to Helgi Du.

      At this juncture, those of a cunning bent will notice a sly path contouring the slate hillside rightwards – a short cut to Y Braich. Pedants, summit baggers, and those generally short on sight and imagination will instead groan upwards on the rocky teeth of the ridge with all the doggedness of roller-coaster cars collecting potential energy to fuel their one, final, crazy lunge down Y Braich’s unresisting grass.

      The road walk back to Glan Dena would make for a cruel epilogue were the mind not already numbed by the promise of reprieve. And so it is that the sky gradually narrows and the valley sides fold up on you, one on each side – slowly, reluctantly, like a book closing shut on a bluebottle at the end of a good chapter.

      Carnedd Dafydd seen from the summit slores of Carnedd Llewelyn on Route A2

      Crossing Bwlch Eryl Farchog on Route A2. The rocky ridge ahead gives an easy scramble to the summit of Pen yr Helgi Du

      VARIANT (A): DESCENT TO FFYNNON LLUGWY

      A shortened circuit based on Carnedd Llewelyn.

      Distance/Time:

      12km (7½ miles), 4 hours, for total distance.

      Terrain:

      Mostly grass, with a short rock ridge. Tarmac road to finish.

      Main Summer Difficulties:

      A short scramble above Bwlch Eryl Farchog.

      Winter Conditions:

      Can be laborious in deep snow because of drifting near Ffynnon Llugwy.

      Special Problems:

      Route-finding in poor weather from the summit to the access road. Avoiding crags at the base of the ridge above Ffynnon Llugwy.

      Start:

      Parking bay on A5 at exit of access road (688603). Room for five cars only.

      Finish:

      As above.

      ROUTE DESCRIPTION

      This shorter route over Carnedd Llewelyn, though hardly comparable with the original, is a useful alternative if time is short or the weather doubtful.

      Use the surfaced access road to gain leat waterway and follow it to the right to a footbridge. Cross here, bear rightwards uphill, then contour to a gap in the transverse stone wall (699609), beyond which the ridge path asserts itself.

      Near the top of Y Braich, a path cuts across left to gain Bwlch Eryl Farchog directly. This avoids the extra ascent to Pen yr Helgi Du. Thereafter the route continues as for the original way, in reverse, to the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn.

      The route then continues along the ridge to Bwlch Cyfryw Drum (678633) before breaking off on a broad ridge which descends south-east to Ffynnon Llygwy. Care is needed here in bad weather to avoid a band of crags above the lake. If in doubt, track southwards, returning to the shore only after reaching level ground. The access road begins on the far side of the concrete culvert, and after a short level section drops steadily down to the A5 at a calf-cramping, toe-burning angle.

      VARIANT (B): PEN YR OLE WEN, SOUTH RIDGE

      An uncompromisingly steep and direct route to the summit, compensated by superb views of the Glyders.

      Distance/Time:

      No significant differences.

      Main Summer Difficulties:

      Short sections of scrambling – easy but loose.

      Winter Conditions:

      South facing and therefore usually free of snow in the lower, more difficult sections. Best avoided under ice or deep snow.

      Special Problems:

      Dislodging stones onto parties below.

      A cloud sea fills the Ogwen Valley below the south ridge of Penyr Ole Wen (Route A2 (b))

      Start:

      Ogwen Cottage car park (649604). Overspill parking in laybys to east.

      Finish:

      Summit of Pen yr Ole Wen.

      ROUTE DESCRIPTION

      The ascent starts from the Alfred Embleton stile on the A5, on the north side of the bridge over the Afon Ogwen. There are a puzzling few moments at first – getting up or around little crags – but then only the brutal and unremitting grind up СКАЧАТЬ