Snowdonia: Hidden Gems and quiet places

"I hate the Lake District", I mumbled across the van to Hannah. "It's full of tourists and bad drivers. There doesn't seem to be many birds either...and that's a bad sign!"

Open sky's and empty roads

My "hate" for the Lake District (which also extended to the Peaks for some reason...gritstone troubles?) was not set in stone by any means but I had made up my mind. 

The problem with travelling about a lot is you end up spoiling yourself. "This place is nice but it's not like (insert random beauty spot here) last weekend." You get to know exactly what you like, you also get to know exactly what you don't like about an area. This I believe, is ultimately a good thing. Mother nature is there after all for us to explore.

Wales as a country ticks many of the boxes for me. From the Wye Valley, Brecon Beacons to the beaches of the Gower, through the Elan Valley and right up to the mountain ranges of Snowdonia. Nature's playground...

What I love about Snowdonias hills and mountains is they are often green with trees and bracken. Waterfalls feeding the valley floors with glistening crags up high. Sheep graze in every nook and cranny. The area can be surprisingly quiet, if you know where to look. Even a walk up Snowdon (possibly the busiest UK Mountain in the peak of Summer), can see you passing only a handful of people. You have to be walking the right trail of course.

The map is your friend

"The right trail" often doesn't need much inside information nor much research, just a keen eye and an Ordnance Servey map (Google maps for most of us will do). It's a bit like "studying form" for the gamblers amungst us, form of the countryside. It is hugely rewarding when your gamble pays off, taking you to a secluded mountain lane with just the sheep, windswept trees and of course the views.

However, it can go the other way sometimes, which adds to the fun. Only recently were we reminded of this. Now funny in hindsight. Hannah gripping the campervans door handles as we creeped with anticipation along a Welsh backlane, large enough for our van but with an inch spare either side of the wing mirrors! Both of us praying together: "please, no tractor!".

A motorcycle in this situation would have been better. Or still, a pushbike. One hidden gem we found last year (on a motorcycle) was Lake Vyrnwy and specifically the high Road to get there from Dinas Mawddwy. The single track lane ducks and dives though small villages, to then ascend steeply and narrow up to the high point. The Lake can be seen below you, for which also makes for an excellent ride on the road around it. At the back near a beautifully photogenic dam is a small visitors center, which serves coffee and cake. If you want more mountain pass adventure at this point, you can ascend back up the small road towards the town of Bala.

This road eventually takes you to Bala

I remember the first time walking to the top of Snowdon, it was a fantastic experience being surrounded by giant knife like ridges. Both of us boulder hopping with lakes below, ring a bell perhaps?

The Pyg path is a great walk I must admit. Up the Pyg and down the Miners track the first time was something I will not forget. The problem is the second time I did it, with my mum this time, was the tourists. "Flaming people everywhere!", I cursed. I'm sorry but every mountaineering punter must get tired of greeting people every 5 minutes while on an "epic walk", it subtracts from the experience somewhat.

When my mum visited me this year and asked to hike up Snowdon again, I was determined to find a better alternative. "Could she do Tryfan", I asked myself. With its North ridge at a grade 1 scramble, was it too much? As it happens she did that a few weeks after but that's a different tale.

All it took was a short Google search to the depths of page 3 and 4, with a glance at the OS map to find the secret I'd been looking for.

Snowdons South Ridge for some reason is an unknown and often disregarded route to the summit of this popular mountain. Starting from Rhyd Ddu Mountain Railway car park (I believe it's pronounced "Rheed Thee") and following the Rhyd Ddu track for around 1 mile. As the path splits off left, you carry on up through the old slate quarries, overlooking lakes and then take an obvious left turn up "the ridge". Which isn't really a ridge in the traditional form may I add. Certainly not a scary knife edge one.

The panoramic view as you ascend up the mountain carries across to the Irish Sea. While the summit is mostly always in view on a clear day. The walk truly is a hidden gem.

Looking back along the Snowdon South Ridge (left path). Rhyd Ddu path on the right.

While the mountains in Snowdonia attract walkers and climbers, the rivers and valleys attract other life to the area. Hidden away in the Glaslyn Valley in the Porthmadog area (passing the Tremadog main cliffs if driving from the A498 from Snowdon) is a small visitors center dedicated to something quite uncommon for Wales.

The center overlooks a nest of Ospreys and via a HD live link to cameras over the nest, you can watch (throughout the warmer months of the year) these spectacular birds of prey.

We were lucky to visit mid July, where three young Ospreys were awaiting their first flight. If we had left it a few days later we would have missed them, while they would have been on their migration flight to Africa.

The center was buzzing with excitement. With a wealth of information on tap if you want it from the volunteers there. If you are one of the lucky ones, you may even get to see an Osprey in flight. Hannah doesn't believe me but I stand firm on my sighting through the telescope out on the decking.

A two second sighting of the rare bird of pray for me, bagged! My delusions of glory however, photographing one in flight with a fish between the talons, was sadly not fulfilled this time. Only a postcard with this image sketched in pencil returns with me.

Over the years I hope to explore every nook and cranny in areas I enjoy. Snowdonia National Park being one of them. As always...let me know if I've missed anything but don't kiss and tell all your secret places away ;)


Acknowledgement: Big thanks to the helpful volunteer at the Glaslyn Osprey project for your time and knowledge. We never did get your name but it sounds like fun work managing the HD cameras and following the birds.