Get away from the crowds! - Eryri
- Hamish Kuperus
- May 9, 2023
- 5 min read
There is so much more to Eryri than Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) and Tryfan! If you want to explore some more quiet routes but still with the convenience of easy car parking then hopefully this blog post will be the place for you. I outline a few hidden (in plain sight) gems, where you will hopefully miss the majority of the crowds, but still with all of the spectacle. Below you'll find the first three but more will be coming over time!
Elidir Fawr:
Below you can see three routes to the top of Elidir Fawr from Nant Peris car park which gives easy and cheap access to the mountain. Most starting from here will be getting the bus up to Yr Wydffa, but don't worry you will be avoiding the crowd.
On the map, you can see three routes, all of which have the same accent up Elidir Fawr, over a beautiful footbridge.
From the car park, you travel up the road for 250m until a road on your right appears travelling between some houses. Go up this and follow the road until the start of the footpaths. You will take the first footpath on your right before reaching the farm (well signposted). Start your accent through some sheep fields, the path becomes better as you approach the footbridge. Cross the footbridge and follow the small path all the way to the top and get ready for spectacular views over the Glyders.
Elidir Fawr has a lovely rocky top with a wind shelter to have some well-deserved lunch and some time to take in the views.
Once you start your descent you have three options; 1. is 9km, 2. is 9.5km, and 3. is 12.5km. Route 1 and 2 are fairly similar, both provided enjoyable and beautiful views down the valley and wide, well-trodden footpaths. Both provide fast descents if the weather is coming in or you are knackered. Route 3 is my favourite and includes a little more climbing up to Y Garn, but you get to take in 3 summits (Elidir Fawr, Foel Goch, and Y Garn). Follow the track off Y Garn to Llyn Y Cwm and make the scrambly route down to Nant Peris. This path is rarely taken and you can defiantly ascend this way, but get ready for a lung buster if you do. About halfway down a bit of route finding is needed over the big boulders but there are many options, all of which are enjoyable. The only place you'll start to see lots of people is Y Garn, which is accessible from Cwm Idwal. You could descend into here and get the bus back, obviously relies on more logistics.
Route GPX Files
Cnicht
There are three ways to Cnicht - Tanygrisiau (Moelwyn's), Croesor (most popular), and from the small B road just off Nantgwynant. Cnicht is also known as the mini-Matterhorn and is a stunning mountain giving phenomenal views over the Portmadog. It is definitely less frequented by the masses but should be on your to-do list.
Without overloading with information I won't do specific route descriptions for each of the three routes you can see below, but a brief overview as each route is very different compared to that of Elidir Fawr.
The first route from Croesor as noted is the most popular and shortest walk at 10.5km taking in the South ridge to the summit with a short but easy scramble to the top. This ascent is super cool giving panoramic views of the old Moelwyn quarries on your right and Yr Wyddfa in the distance on your left. If you are wanting a short but rewarding walk then this is the one for you. Parking is located here in Croesor which is completely free. The total ascent will take you around 3 - 5hrs total depending on your fitness, breaks etc.
The second route from Tanygrisiau is the longest route at around 18km but takes in some of the old quarries of the Moelwyn's and descends back down via Llyn Cwmorthin which is a spectacular reservoir. This route is great if you have a whole day and still want to take in Cnicht's famous ridge line but adds extra enjoyment. It will be less busy than the first route and provides a variety of scenes. I would highly suggest this route if you have 6 - 9hrs to enjoy the route. Parking is located here just outside Ffestiniog - again completely free, shared with climbers and the odd open water swimmer.
Finally, the more hidden start, it is a great route but I would avoid it after lots of heavy rain as it can get super boggy underfoot. You start in a layby located here and head up the valley to the base of Cnitch's Eastern arm. When you reach here there is a less obvious path which you have to make your best judgement up to two minor peaks. Once here on the large plateau you will see Cnicht's large flat plateau under the final scramble to the peak, again common sense and your own route-making will bring you to Cnicht ridge line. The descent path goes between obvious and hidden so do be careful you stay on course but it brings you by Llyn yr Adar which is a beautiful lake. This route is only 9km but takes slightly more effort than the other routes and a little more route finding so do take care. Also, the drive-in is very narrow so be happy driving on narrow back roads!!
Route GPX files
Carnedd Goch
If you are closer to the coast, or visiting Caernarfon why not drop by Nebo for a 11km hike up Carnedd Goch? This is the later end of the Nantle Ridge route which starts in Rhyd Ddu but provides a gentle, quiet walk around the peaks Carnedd Goch and Mynydd Graig Goch looking out across the Caernarfon Bay.
For parking, it is easiest in Nebo itself at the school or there are a couple of laybys further on but it's more of a hit or a miss with them. From here follow the road to the end and you'll join a farm track and there is no benefit to doing the route clockwise or ant-clockwise. Going clockwise will mean it is slightly less steep going uphill, but it is marginal.
Going clockwise you'll meander through fields until coming to the hillside itself, once on the hillside follow Carnedd Goch's Southern rocky ridgeline (which can be seen on the left of the photograph above). Looking over the lakes behind (Llynnau Cwm Silyn) is spectacular along with the rocky spurs coming out of the hillside. Once here you can either carry on with the route or could easily follow the ridge towards Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd where you'll find the Obelisk at the summit. However, carry on South to the otherside of the ridge line and Bwlch. From here you follow North again towards Nebo hopefully with a view of the bay and next to Llyn Cwm Dulyn until you're back at the car.
The route is a lovely, relatively short and fast walk which will take around 3-4hrs which would be great if you get an afternoon of good weather.
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