UKH

Hi,

Myself and a friend are planning to do the Welsh 3000s in early Aug. We're not familiar with the area at all so looking for some tips on best route. We're thinking about possibly doing it over 2 days. We'll have one car between us and a couple of tents. Has anybody got any suggestions on the best route to complete in 2 days? Any advice much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

In reply to radeakin:

Yep, look at Ron Turnbull's Welsh 3000ft challenges book, which contains all you need to know and much else besides

Lovely day / weekend. Don't take too much weight, and hope it isn't too hot. North >South is 'easier' but slower (all the fun scrambling is in ascent e.g. up N Ridge of Tryfan, Bristly, N Ridge of Crib Goch approach etc) i.e.suits a nice mellow weekend rather than a faster day trip.

Andy and I did it in about 2004, and the memories linger still - we went at a reasonably steady walking pace and took about 12 hours (a little bit of trotting over the northern Carneddau in fading light).

Have fun

b

In reply to radeakin:
I'd definitely go Carneddau first if I had two days at it so I could do all the scrambling in ascent. I' d probably camp as high as possible on Glyder Fawr too, though you'd have to consider water supplies.
It leaves a fairly long second day but that could be an advantage in that you'd miss the crowds on Snowdon by finishing quite late.

In reply to pasbury:

Thanks for your replies! Where would be the best place to leave car parked and get back to it?

In reply to radeakin:

Pen y pass or Llanberis.
Hitch or bus to Bangor. Bus/taxi to Abergwyngrwgyn?

In reply to pasbury:

Or dump car at Pen y pass. Walk down to that campsite on the descent from Elidir Fawr, pitch up. Bus or taxi to Abergwyngregyn then start your traverse.
Long first day with no kit and a tent pitched for an easy second day.

In reply to radeakin:

My wife and I managed it in one day in 2013 after two previous failures. We did it NS. We drove up from the south, dumped a bike and some food at PyP YHA, then continued to Aber at the north end, via the Ogwen valley where we dumped some water and food. We camped at the little lake, Llyn Anafon, then set off early, leaving the tent and camping kit behind. Many hours later, we were on Snowden summit, knackered but triumphant. Time was getting on, so a bit later I raced ahead to get the door code off the unhelpful PyP YHA person, then went back to bring my wife in, in the dark. Next morning, very early, I cycled to Aber, walked up to the lake and brought all the kit back in the car.

In reply to mbh:

Bloody hell good effort cycling back to Aberdeen. When I did it I could hardly walk down the stairs the next morning.

In reply to pasbury:

It's downhill for miles to start with, and I didn't make it to Scotland

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Whats the water / food supplies like on route? Anywhere particular worth planning to refuel at?

In reply to radeakin:


Below Pen yr Ole Wen, near the road, by the cattle grid leading to the A5 crossing to Tryfan, there is a tree. An old, old oak tree. If you look up amongst its branches then you will see a bag. You cannot reach this bag. What you must do is whistle 3 times. Not any old whistle, but a squirrel whistle. To do this, look around for a white acorn. Put it to your lips and blow softly. It won't make a sound but squirrels can hear it. Soon the bag will lower. Out will pop a wizened, old squirrel with its right incisor tooth missing.
It will ask you three questions:-
1. What is the proper name for a Snicker (marathon)
2. Are you English( yes)
3. Are you from Liverpool (say no)

From this bag the squirrel will offer you a bottle of fizzy water, and a Toblerone.
Take the Toblerone to the top of Tryfan and leave it on Adam. Not Eve. This will open a magic gate and you will fly on a magic carpet all the way to the summit of Snowdon. Here, Thomas of Tank Engine fame will deliver you back to Tesco Bangor, where your motor will be refuelled for free!

In reply to radeakin:


Betws is ok for car fuel. Food and water, dump a stash where you cross the A5 from the Carneddau?

In reply to radeakin:

Passes by the Vaynol...!

The Turnbull book notes reliable water sources e.g. there is a spring on the side of Carnedd Llewellyn on the traverse to Yr Elen that I have never seen dry out (and could have saved my life on the hottest day of the year in about 2001).

Tap water at the Ogwen Valley campsites or visitor centre - easy if coming down Pen yr Ole Wen by the grisly southwest ridge (miserable route that it is), or passing through by Tryfan Bach. Heading down east from PyOW summit to the little rock step by the lake is much more pleasant in descent though - if marginally slower.
Taps in Nant Peris also. Tryfan to Elidir Fawr only crosses one water source of note and thats Llyn y Cwn, which is probably one of the few streams I'd be circumspect about drinking from given how many people I've seen camping near there...

There a car park at the north end beyond Drum, accessed from the Rowen side, or the larger car park by the falls at Aber (don't be tempted by the shortcut to Drum from there unless you like deep heather).

HTH

b

In reply to radeakin:

You can just get snacks water and toilet at ogwen cottage. Easy.

In reply to mbh:

Ha - bloody autocorrect!

In reply to radeakin:

Water purification tablets and drink from the streams.

Travel as light as you can. Everyone I've seen do it in 12 hrs has looked fine at the end, the ones who take 18hrs plus look utterly exhausted.

North - south definitely best.

In reply to radeakin:

Do Carneddau and Glydderau first then over Y Garn and the other tops out west, to drop down on a poor path to Nant Peris. Camp, then up the road to Ynys Ettws and climb the steep path behind the hut, (indistinct at first,) to Cyrn Las and up into Cwm Glas and traverse across to N ridge of Crib Goch and so on...

In reply to Sean Kelly:
Any recommendations for campsites? Thinking about leaving tent in nant peris before heading to foel fras to start.

In reply to radeakin:
I did this in 1978 as part of an Outdoor Activities course and we started by climbing Crib Goch to the summit of Snowdon late in the Friday evening. We then bivvied in a KISU (Big Poly bag) and started the following morning - no sleep so an early start was in order. We dropped to Nant Peris where our tutor supplied breakfast then off via Elidir Fawr and down through the Glyders to Tryfan and down to Ogwen. I had split from companions at this point and had an hours sleep by the wall before being woken up by a mate. After a block of cheese & a Mars bar we set off over the Carneddau and its outliers to retrace steps back to Garnedd Uchaf and a descent to another mates house in Bethesda where we ate a very welcome meal at a very late hour. We then crashed on a floor until lunchtime on the Sunday. It sticks in my memory as the most demanding 36 hours in my walking experience but great to have done it. Type 2 fun.

In reply to radeakin:

Why not do it as a loop campng in Ogwen.

Start in Ogwen up Tryfan and over the two main glyder peaks then off down to Nant and up to Grib Goch and the snowdon group, drop down to Nant off the side of the pass and head up Elidir, along to Garn and descend the N ridge back to Ogwen. Camp at the site, few beers. Next day much smaller day on the Carneddau out to Foel Fras but then back along the ridge and drop down the sides of the Carneddau into Ogwen.

No transport issues.

I think as one loop it took me 10 hours with no support.

We've decided to do it over a couple of nights to enjoy the walk at a more leisurely pace.

Camp at Gwern Gof, then Nant Peris.

Leave car at Nant Peris or Aber and make way to foel fras.

What is the best way to get to foel fras without a car from Aber?

In reply to radeakin:

if catching the bus to Aber, walk through Aber, onwards and upwards to the end of the road (where you could leave your car), continue to the end of the track where there is a little lake, walk upwards from there.

In reply to radeakin:

I like going up alongside aber falls then follow the river uphill before going directly for the summit. Steeper but quiet, fairly untracked as well. Llwytmor a great summit too, and I've never seen anyone else on it.