UKH

Hey all, a long planned walking weekend this weekend looks like it might be a washout. I had planned for the Lakes around Wasdale which looks to be wet, wet, wet with a deep low coming off the Atlantic. Typical when you consider the weather this week, again.

Not wanting to waste the pass out from the gaffer, lookiing South seems the better option and Ive wanted to walk the Nantlle Ridge for some time.

So, with plan B in flow, can anyone recommend me a campsite near Rhyd-Du, ideally near a pub as we are there Friday and Saturday.

Has anyone done the Ridge by the way. Is it worth the trip?

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
http://www.snowdoninn.co.uk/index.html

Nice food and had a campsite.

For my sins I've never actually done the Nantlle ridge but it's supposed to be good.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Can't help with campsites but did the ridge last Sat and it's a cracking little route. Not hard or technical, just a lovely day out. We left a car at the finish as fortunate enough to have 2 cars, otherwise you can out and back it or make a large circular route up.
Enjoy!

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

I walked that route a couple of years back and had a really good day out. It's a bit of a steep start, but the ascent is over quickly enough and then the ridge is enjoyable, though not as exposed as some. If you like your scrambling then you can make it more interesting in places. If you prefer to stick to the paths then these are good and cut out the more exposed sections. You can extend the walk on the plateau by a considerable amount if you wish and then the return journey through old mines and, finally, Beddgelert forest are very pleasant in themselves.

I didn't camp so can't help on that front, sorry.

Have a great weekend.

In reply to chrisdevon:
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=+campsite+rhyd+ddu

In reply to jezb1:



Yep. Slightly pricey on both counts, but fine (and the only options near Rhyd Ddu itself). And the tea room in Rhyd Ddu is really lovely.


It is. It's basically a walk with occasional bits of trivial and/or avoidable scrambling, but it's a really good walk.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

You might also want to consider the Snowdonia Parc pub in Waunfawr - just a few miles away and has its own campsite and brewery. It is also on just one train stop away from Rhyd Ddu on the Snowdon Highland railway.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Thanks all, booked into the Snowdon Inn campsite.

Apart from the political, religious, bolting nonsense threads we get so regularly here, UKC can also be quite a useful resource on occasion too.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers: ive just checked the OS. There doesnt seem to be any paths according to map. Is it obvious where the paths are when you get there or is it on virgin ground? Also, what is the distance for a complete round walking? Is it easy to get a cab back from the other end and from where? Perhap even get a cab early doors to the other end and walk back to Rhyd-Du?

Thanks again.

Richard

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
The path up to Y Garn is marked on the 1:50,000 OS map,
It's obvious on the ground, and can be seen easily on the 'aerial view' on BIng maps.

The round trip distance will depend on your route back to the southern quarry/forest path at the far end but probably somewhere between 17 and 25km.

For a taxi at the far end descend the track by Llynnau cwm silyn and get a taxi from Llanllyfni / Pen y groes.

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

Excellent, thanks. Never used Bing Maps before either, really clear and good resolution, thanks.

Are either Llanllyfni or Pen y Groes nice towns/villages and do they have decent pubs?

I have a plan hatching. Breakfast, walk, pub on one of the above two for an hour or three, back to campsite for a triple-S and then out to the pub again until bedtime.

R

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Neither are "touristy" villages, and I don't know them well, but I think theres a nice pub in Llanllyfni.

Just make sure you can pronounce the village name right

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:

I'm screwed already

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:



i'm sure i heard somewhere that the quarryman pub is now closed. besides, i don't think you could ever describe it as nice...........

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
OK, quick report. The Pub in Rhyd Du is fantastic. A great owner, nice food and fantastic ales. We were woken by a group of young lads at kicking out time last night which was annoying but other than that the campsite is also tremendous.

The walk itself is amazing. We walked from the pub after a full English although missed out the last hill (6 from 7) as we were pushed for time however, for those whom havent walked the Nantlle Ridge, get yer boots on and do it. There is something for everyone on the ridge. Weather was great and the views spectacular from the coast on one side, the Moel Hebog range and the Snowdon group. There cant be many ridges with this kind of panorama.

Hey, even the weather was good for us. Whats more, whilst the hordes were doubtless tripping over one another over on Snowdon, which was covered in a cloud hat all day, we didnt see one other person in 6 hours on the hills and had the best of the weather and views.

The thing which did strike me was the villages on the other side. Penygroes and the like. As others have said, these are not tourist hotspots by any means. They are places that time forgot with what appeared like lot of unhappy folks around no industry since the Nantlle slate mines closed; where do these people go for work being so remote? You would have hoped that they would make the most of the tourist trade being so well positioned but nothing at all was evident. The owner of our pub said that its advisable not to leave a car at one end as there are loads of break ins too. Sad really.

Then again, some of the tiny hamlets that we walked through on the way to Penygroes, with little snickets, wild meadows, babbling brooks and idyllic cottages were sublime.

Those wanting a great walk in a wonderful part of North Wales need look no further. Its a very well kept secret.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:
North Wales has so many great spots away from the honey pot areas
Even snowdon has its quiet spots, I've been running an ML refresher in the Cwm Glas area and only saw two other people all afternoon.

Cheers for the update and glad you had a brilliant time.

In reply to TheDrunkenBakers:

Surprised you saw noone on the first section, that can get pretty 'busy', well for an outlying lowish area.

It's a stunning ridge. Parking isn't too bad, I never had my car broken into and parked all over snowdonia for years. But the taxi is a simple option.

For a longer day park in Cwm Pennant and do the horseshoe of Hebog around to Cwm Silyn.