On the final day of my holiday in southern Snowdonia during the Spring Bank Holiday in 2004 I returned to the hills that I’d walked up on my first day of the weekend. I don’t know why I felt the need to come back to Aran Fawddwy, whether this was what I’d always planned for the weekend or whether it was a spur of the moment decision. Whatever was the reason for my repeated walk along the Aran Ridge it was a great idea as it gave me a fantastic walk in tremendous weather on a range of hills that see few visitors. I remember being astonished by the difference in the number of people on this hill compared with Cadair Idris which I’d climbed the previous day. That hill is lower than Aran Fawddwy and yet on a Bank Holiday Monday I saw less people on my walk than I can count on one hand. The Aran Range is a fantastic ridge affording tremendous walking and deserves to be more popular.
The walk began near the southern end of Llyn Tegid (also known as Bala Lake) at the village of Llanuwchllyn, which is a delightfully unpronounceable Welsh village. A track opposite the car park immediately starts the climb up the ridge and after skirting around the final hill (or first hill in ascent) on the ridge, Garth Fach, a footpath climbs up to the top of the ridge beside Garth Fawr to begin the ascent of the Aran Ridge. Route finding was now very easy as I followed a thin footpath that generally kept slightly to the west of the top of the ridge as I slowly climbed all the way up the ridge. Although the gradient was not usually severe there were a couple of spots where the gradient was rather trying and I was reduced to a crawl as I struggled to climb up the steep hill.
I remember this climb as not being the best part of the day and I was not able to enjoy my surroundings, or the walk. I generally don’t like long ascents as they just seem to drag for me, so I am always eager to get as high as possible and as quickly as possible so I can enjoy the feeling of being up high for as long as possible. At the time of doing this walk I didn’t know this about myself, but it was after walks such as this that I realised my loathing of long ascents. The weather had been very good all weekend, but it may have been poorer on this walk particularly on the ascent. This walk was over ten years ago and I made no notes at the time about the walk, so I am relying on my memory, which is proving patchy. I don’t have a clear memory of the ascent, which must be a clear indication that I didn’t enjoy it.
Eventually I reached the craggy top of Aran Benllyn which may or may not have been covered in cloud. I really can’t remember. It probably was if the weather was poorer on this walk than on the previous two days. Nevertheless I continued undaunted along this fabulous ridge to the second of the three high tops on the ridge, Erw y Ddafad-ddu. This is the lowest of the three and leads on to the highest point on the ridge and the hill that I’d reached on the previous Saturday, Aran Fawddwy. After stopping for my lunch at the summit I turned around and retraced my steps for a walk of enormous delight. This descent has gone down in history as one of the greatest that I have ever completed. The tedious ascent was banished from memory as I ignored the footpath that I had taken in ascent and made my own way following the very top of the ridge all the way down.
I am sure the weather must have been much better in the afternoon during my descent returning back along the stony ridge to Erw y Ddafad-ddu and Aran Benllyn. All the way down I was carefully selecting my route as I made my way from one top to another. Small sheer outcrops occasionally barred my way forcing me either to make a long diversion or more preferably to scramble down the rock faces as I tried to keep to the very top of the ridge. When I was following the footpath my steps were being dictated by other people, but now I was free to go where I wanted and enjoy every moment of that freedom as I made my way down. The sun was shining and I felt carefree and happy while walking miles away from anyone else on this gradually descending, craggy ridge.
I passed over the top of Craig Llyn with expansive views to the east of grassy hills and continued along the ridge pausing at the top of every little rise in the descending ridge. I stopped at the top of Moel Ffenigl and later at the top of the crag, Craig Geifr. After successfully getting down the rock face I made my way to Moel Ddu where the rocky terrain that I had enjoyed scrambling down finally came to an end leaving me with just the two hills that I had started this walk with, Garth Fawr and Fach. Once I had passed over the top of Garth Fach my car was only a short distance away and this wonderful descent was finished. I had such a gloriously enjoyable time on my walk down this ridge that it has since been remembered as one of the most enjoyable walks that I have ever done. Walks that return the way that you came are often looked upon negatively, but on this occasion the return walk was vastly superior to the outward walk. This is testament to this fabulous ridge in a stunning part of Wales, and my desire to go back there is now stronger than ever.
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