Snowdon via Crib Goch

After such a crap summer, at least from the weather point of view, we decided to make the most of a an excellent weather forecast for this weekend and have a trip to North Wales.

I had bought a new larger tent (a Wild Country Citadel 3) to have the luxury of more room during longer camping trips (I can even stand up comfortably in this tent!) which was delivered during the week. We decided to risk the folly of pitching an unfamiliar tent in the dark after arriving at Dol Gam farm camp site just outside Capel Curig (£5 per person per night).

Surprisingly, we managed to get the tent pitched without major problems and were soon asleep in our sleeping bags.

In the morning, it was misty and Moel Siabod was covered by mist, but this was forecasted and it was supposed to clear later in the morning to leave a fine, dry and sunny day.

As we were planning on following the Grade 1 scramble across Crib Goch and Crib y Ddysgyl to then follow up to Snowdon's summit (or Yr Wyddfa in Welsh).

Our starting point would be Pen y Pass car park but this would soon be full with such good weather (plus it costs £10 to park there for the day) so it would be easier to park on the other side of Llanberis Pass in the village of Llanberis and get the Snowdon Sherpa bus back up to Pen y Pass.

So we set off for Llanberis around 08:10 and dropped the car off at on of the two large car parks for £4.00 for the day. Then we walked the short distance into the village centre to have breakfast at Pete's Eats café.

The next bus was scheduled to leave the bus stop opposite Joe Brown's shop at 09:20 and there were only two people waiting there when we walked past just before 09:00.

After breakfast we had about 5 minutes to grab a couple if sandwiches in a Spar supermarket nearby and then joined the larger queue now waiting for the bus which arrived in a couple of minutes.

The Snowdon Sherpa buses only cost £1 per journey wherever you get on and off and run every 20 minutes (from Llanberis at least).

The bus was soon pretty full when we got on despite being a double decker but the next stop was at the Nant Peris “Park and Ride” car park at the foot of the Pass which was nearly empty when we passed it earlier on our way to Llanberis but no was completely full to overflowing!

The bus was also soon full to nearly overflowing and it started up the couple of miles or so to Pen y Pass.

We left the sunshine at the bottom of the Pass and were soon back in the mist as we climbed higher and got off the bus in the Pen y Pass car park where there were crowds waiting to head off on the Miner's Track or like ourselves, the PYG Track (named after the Pen y Gwryd Hotel just down the road).

We left the car park behind and with quite a few others started on our way along the PYG Track and you could tell that the mist was beginning to clear with the odd glimpse of the towering cliff of Crib Goch ahead.

On reaching the saddle at Bwlch y Moch overlooking the waters of Glaslyn and Llyn Llydaw far below, the crowds continued on the PYG Track as it skirted along the side while we joined the fewer numbers beginning the path which ascends to the start of the traverse across Crib Goch.

And by now we were in full sunshine with some wispy clouds remaining below us.

There were the inevitable noisy “hares” trying to rush past who we would then pass again as they sat panting and resting.

So we arrived at the narrow crest of Crib Goch and started the route across which is really enjoyable and excellent fun (although if you are worried about heights, maybe not so much!).

Soon we arrived at the broadening saddle of Bwlch Coch and then the start if the next scrambling section of Crib y Ddysgl which is still really good fun but not as impressive as Crib Goch.

Ahead we could see the trail of people tramping up the Llanberis Path next to the rack and pinion railway being joined at the junction of both the Miner's and PYG Tracks where all three paths join. It really looked like a trail of ants heading for some huge sugar lump placed on the summit.

We joined the throng as they also headed for the top with numerous walkers sporting T Shirts with various slogans regarding some charity or other which they were presumably being sponsored for.

We had a quick break near the summit building then dropped back down to the junction with the Miner's Path and followed this downwards.

We paused at the remnants of old copper mines and had a look at an open stope and an old level.

All that remained was to complete the remainder of the Miner's Track back to the car park at Pen y Pass.

It was 20 minutes until the next bus back down to Llanberis, so we had a drink in the café there and then got a very crowded bus back to Llanberis.

We had a second meal in Pete's Eats and then drove back to the camp site.