The Snowdon Horseshoe, part 2

Saturday 11th August 2012

To conclude the account of my walk over Snowdon in August that I started last week, I had reached the packed summit of Snowdon having tried to get to the top as early as possible to avoid the crowds, but it hadn’t worked, everyone else had had the same thought. Quickly I left the summit and crossed Bwlch Glas to Garnedd Ugain, Snowdon’s twin peak. Despite the early hour I had my lunch behind a crag before starting my crossing of Crib Goch. This was the fourth time I had crossed Crib Goch and the second in this direction, the other two times being in the usual east to west direction. In the direction I went this time the ridge seems to get harder and harder with the trickiest and narrowest part of the ridge (the actual edge of Crib Goch) coming at the end. I think the usual direction is the better direction as the terrifying exposure along the knife-edge of Crib Goch is quickly over which leaves you to enjoy the following succession of exciting scrambles along the ridge.

Crib Goch is an awesome ridge but I find it positively terrifying every time I go over it. I am not great with heights; I probably didn’t look down throughout the entire crossing, just keeping my eyes fixed on the rocks in front of me. Unlike in 2006, I was trying to make the crossing as easy as possible with no diversions to more challenging climbs as it’s difficult enough without making it more difficult. The technically hardest part of the ridge is over the pinnacles of Crib Goch and these have been particularly challenging for me in the past, especially the last time I went across in 2007. This time I followed the route that I took on my first crossing: a steep, exposed descent followed by an even steeper, exposed ascent around the pinnacles. My first time across Crib Goch was the scariest thing I’ve ever done and despite now having been across four times I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed it. It is a terrifying ridge; I don’t believe that there is any other word for it. It is very thrilling, but also nerve-wracking. However, I hadn’t made it easy for myself as I seemed to be only person going in an easterly direction. Crib Goch is so narrow there are no passing places so I had to wait perched precariously on the edge of a sheer drop three thousand feet high while seemingly hundreds of people passed by before I was able to go on. I don’t think I’m going to be in a hurry to return to Crib Goch.

When I finally reached the eastern peak I descended the steep south-eastern ridge that is normally a good scramble, but I found that in descent you don’t need your hands as much as you do in ascent. You can just calmly walk down the rocky ridge while others are carefully scrambling up the ridge. It was fun in a scary sort of way. When I got down to the Pyg Track, instead of turning left towards Pen-y-Pass, I turned right towards Snowdon, but soon left the path dropping down the grassy slopes. There is a path near Snowdon marked on OS maps that I had never been on before, or even seen. It links the Pyg Track with the Miners’ Track and passes to the south of the Horns. I wanted to find this path and did find a faint path that could have been mistaken for a sheep trod so I followed it, but half way along I saw another, clearer path further down the hillside. Thinking this must be the illusive path I dropped down and followed that around the hillside above Llyn Llydaw. With hindsight I think I should have stayed on the higher path as the lower path just went to a disused sheepfold that is marked on maps.

When I reached the sheepfold I had a pedantic idea that in order to complete the horseshoe one must return to the point where you started it, but that is not Pen-y-Pass even though that is usually treated as the start of the Snowdon Horseshoe. Geographically the starting point of the horseshoe is the outlet of Llyn Llydaw Reservoir. I first climbed the ridge from that point, so I must come down at that point. A short walk along a low, grassy ridge, which I’m sure few people walk along despite the thousands who walk beside it, led me down to the Miners’ Track and the shore of Llyn Llydaw. This was a slightly boggy but fun diversion to end a thrilling day on Snowdon and finally a stroll along the Miners’ Track and the new path led me back to the Pen-y-Gwryd Hotel. This was a thrilling and at times terrifying walk. It was so great to get my hands on rock again and do a truly great mountain walk up a truly great mountain. I must have been walking on rock for the majority of the walk. I love walking in rugged terrain and Snowdon has that in abundance, it’s just a shame that mountains like Snowdon are so rare. That’s why everyone loves Snowdon.