Mynydd Mawr & the Nantlle Ridge

Sunday 28th August 2005 

On this walk the weather was much worse than the day before with strong winds that often knocked me over and clouds that descended lower and lower as the day progressed, but I still enjoyed myself much more than I had done the day before; I guess I was just in a better frame of mind. This walk was split into two sections, both starting from the small village of Rhyd-Ddu. For the first one I set off through the village and onto a forest track until I picked up the footpath to Bwlch y Moch on the edge of the wood. After crossing the stile and turning right I followed the fence to the start of a steep, but short pull onto Foel Rudd. From there on I had a relatively easy, highly enjoyable walk along the ridge above Craig y Bera and up into the clouds onto the summit of Mynydd Mawr. The walk to the top was great fun and I enjoyed a lightness of spirit that I hadn't felt the day before; I felt that I had just walked up a good mountain. Turning around I descended the way I had come, enjoying the awe-inspiring, vertiginous views from the top of Craig y Bera. Back in Rhyd-Ddu I began the second and much longer walk of the day, this time on hills I've walked before, exactly one year previously. Heading out westwards I followed a footpath to the foot of Y Garn and began the steep, seemingly never ending climb up the grassy hillside. The year before, this climb was plagued with appalling weather but this time the clear (only below 2000 feet!), dry conditions of the morning persisted. After lunch in the shelter at the summit I headed south along the ridge attempting to stay on the top of the ridge all the way even while scrambling on rocks up to Mynydd Drws-y-coed. It was funny seeing people gingerly making their way down the path some metres below while I was standing confidently at the top. I totally ignored the clouds and wind as I breezed along the ridge, having enormous fun as passed over Trum y Ddysgl and Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd. 

It was during the descent to Bwlch Dros-bern that the fun stopped as it was very steep and wet from the mist and it seemed even windier. The descent was treacherously slippery and all I could think was that I was going to have to come back this way! Once safely down, but still being heavily buffeted by the winds, I approached Craig Pennant and attacked it head on scrambling up the steep cliff face as if the weather was perfect (which it was when I got there the year before!). Despite the bad weather I succeeded in getting to the top of the cliffs and began to walk along the top up to the summit of the unnamed hill above Cwm Silyn, which is the highest point on the Nantlle Ridge. By now I was getting fed up with the strong winds blowing me over every couple of minutes so I turned around and started on my way back. Unfortunately the only way down eastwards is a ridge running south from Trum y Ddysgl (half way back along the ridge), so I returned to Bwlch Dros-bern (this time following the footpath) and climbed up to Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd, once again taking my life in my hands (often literally!) on the slippery rocks. Once I was safely up to the top I passed below the obelisk-topped hill and crossed the narrow col to the ridge below Trum y Ddysgl and began the descent. I was relieved to now be off the tricky sections of the ridge and able to enjoy myself as I descended to Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor where I joined a bridlepath that passes through Beddgelert Forest and across the lower slopes below Y Garn to join the ascent path back to Rhyd-Ddu.