UKH

I've been doing a bit of running recently, and was want to give some trails in Snowdonia a go this weekend.

I was hoping somone might have any suggestions for easy/moderate ~20km trail routes? I guess my main thinking is that I don't really fancy running on too much steep wet grass/mud, as I'm not super confident there (yet!).

Done lots of scrambling, confident on rock. In fact I think my ideal route would be something like the Snowdon Horseshoe, but I can only imagine it will be very busy, or maybe linking up scrambles by running between them.

I'll be based in Betws-y-Coed.

Cheers for any suggestions

I love the snowdon horseshoe I can’t recommend it enough. Only the first bit (crib goch / snowdon) will be busy, the second half you might only see a couple of people until your back down to the track. 
 

if you set off early it won’t be crazy busy anyway. 
 

I saw another walk called the snowdon girdle which looked pretty cool, I imagine most of it would be quiet and you’d see snowdon from Many uncommon angles, haven’t done it myself though  

https://www.mudandroutes.com/routes/the-snowdon-girdle-walking-route/

There’s plenty of forestry around the back of Betws y Coed which would take you up to Llyn Geirionydd and then from there you could pop over to Crafnant. Better still would be to take the bus (or run) up to Capel Curig take the newly resurfaced controversial path to below Crimpau to Crafnant and then Geirionydd and over Nant BH etc back to Betws. The view from Crimpau to Ogwen is amazing and the view from between the two lakes back to Crafnant is breath taking. 

How much is a bit of running? Have you done the horseshoe before?

It is an amazing route to run, but definitely not easy/moderate. If you're not used to the terrain (elevation, gradient and the quality of surface underfoot), then it's going to be tough and probably leave you out of action the next day or two. Depending on your current level of adaptation, of course. 

I second the suggestion for finding routes around Llyn Crafnant. It's a beautiful area. I'll try and find some of my routes from last year and post in a bit.

Get Lew Jones bus from Betws to Ogwen or Bethesda, up onto the Glyders. Y Garn, Fawr, Fach, down to Capel, then either into Crafnant, or take the forest trail to pop out near swallow falls, or keep going in the forest to the north. No parking dramas, no queues, no bog trotting... even pause at Capel for refreshments. 

Worth looking through the North Welsh selection in the UKH Route Cards database, there's plenty to go at:

https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/find.php

A couple of nice scrambly days out - 

Nantlle Ridge https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=386

Bochlwyd horseshoe https://www.ukhillwalking.com/logbook/r/?i=76

Neither is close to 20km, but if you're on proper hill terrain, not 'trails' as such, then I don't think most people would count 20km as easy or moderate. Or perhaps I'm just speaking for myself there.

Indeed unless deliberately avoiding height gain and loss sticking to a loop cutting through cols/passes/ bwlchs, I always reckon on 1000m of ascent/descent for every 10km horizontal travel in the hills.

I really like this route:

https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/quiet-almost-horsehoe-almost-20km-8d8...

It's got a lot of the character of the Snowdonia horseshoe, but you'll be on your own. Get's a little scrambly in places, but easier than crib goch.

An alternative possibility would be to go up onto the Carneddau, and should be quiet. I  would park at Gwen Gof Isaf and then take the path up to Lynn Cowlyd Reservoir. At the end of the reservoir cross over into Cwm Eigiau and then take the path up Foel Grach. Traverse Carnedd Llewelyn and then descend to Bwlch Eryl Farchog and then descend to the road via the reservoir track and return to Capel along the path.

This avoids the running difficulties on Carnedd Dafydd (multiple boulder fields) and also can be a beautiful route (about 13 miles and 3500 ft of ascent). It years since I have been up that way by the reservoir so others might chip in about that section. I have it on my list for this summer.

There are loads of trails out of of Betws that are worth an explore as others have said. I think Snowdon could be frustrating unless very early. If you get it right, you can start in the gloom and just get to the more awkward bits as the sun comes up – really memorable in good weather.

Edited to avoid the road.