Spectacular day and learning more about Snowdonia which I really don`t know well. Went with a friend who is learning to navigate but didn`t feel confident. So it was a bit of an unknown for both of us. I`d looked at how we could take in these 7 main summits (plus a host of others) in one day and the only way I could see to do it was with a lot of backtracking unless we had two cars.
We had two cars. So one was left at the Gwern Gof Uchal campsite in Ogwen Valley and we drove 21 miles around to an obscure car park at SH721716 - just below the Bwlch y Ddeufaen. A good landy track led up to the bealach and we followed up a less well trodden route from SH713719 to `pile of stones` (665m), Drum (770m (ish)) and up onto Foel-fras. Cloud base was around 700m but gradually rising. However it wasn`t until we reached Carnedd Lleweleyn that we started to get views and a spot of lunch. And a random horse up on the plateaux looking a bit mangy.
From here we ambled steeply down and along to Yr-Elen. We contoured around Lleweleyn on a vague track over some boulder fields and scree and re-joined the ridge for the seemingly never ending trudge up to Carnedd Daffydd. It was a gentle plod over to Pen Yr Ole Wen and we headed down the scrambly track down past the lake and down to the road. A long but wonderful day with ever changing mountain landscapes saving the dramatic to the end - cracking views over to Tryfan. Then a long return car trip to pick the other car up.
Fully led, planned and 'sold' the epic to someone who wasn't too keen to begin with. Including finding somewhere to park.Navigation skills were required away from marked paths (there aren't many obvious 'trails' to follow - either grassy mounds or rocky)
UK hillsknowledge of a mountain area unfamiliar to me was increased and skills practisedAttention was paid to safety - especially on the final descent which was scrambly with tired legs.five hours or more journey timeadverse conditions were encountered - especially at the beginning of the day
Area :
Snowdon Massif
Snowdon (Welsh: Yr Wyddfa) is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri) in Gwynedd, and has been described as "the busiest mountain in Britain". It is designated as a national nature reserve for its rare flora and fauna.
