Cambrian Way rerun: Vale of Ffestiniog to Nantlle

Tuesday 3rd June 2025

While planning my accommodation for the final week of the Cambrian Way I tried to avoid a problem I’d encountered last year when I first attempted to do the Cambrian Way. The accommodation in Beddgelert is very expensive and I didn’t want to camp again, so I eventually booked a B&B that was a little further away, but without checking where it was and in fact it was almost eight miles away, in the village of Nantlle. Coincidentally, I passed through Nantlle last year after bad weather forced me to take a course around Yr Wyddfa, better known as Snowdon, on the Snowdonia Slate Trail. Since Nantlle in nowhere near the Cambrian Way I decided to make an alteration to the route, which would take me through the village. Therefore, the day before I had come off the Cambrian Way while descending the Rhinog Mountains and headed to the town of Porthmadog rather than to the Vale of Ffestiniog on the Cambrian Way. My intention for this day was to climb the long slopes of Moel Hebog before crossing the Nantlle Ridge, but after more than two weeks of walking along the Cambrian Way, and following a poor night’s sleep, I didn’t fancy the strenuous walk. A similar thing happened to me last year at this point when I ignored the mountains of Moelwyn Mawr and Cnicht for an easier route between them and now once again I decided to take a low level route. However, I was not in Porthmadog, despite finishing my walk there the day before as I had actually spent the night in the Vale of Ffestiniog, at the same campsite I had stayed in last year. 

My plan would have required that I catch a bus back to Porthmadog, but instead I thought I would just walk straight to Beddgelert and then decide which route to take. So, I set off from the campsite, past Maentwrog and the Oakeley Arms Hotel, climbing up to Tan-y-Bwlch Station on the Ffestiniog Railway. I now had a pleasant walk on a quiet, narrow road that weaved through the landscape, undulating up and down across the lower, western slopes of the Moelwyn Mountains with views to my left towards Porthmadog, while ahead of me was the distinctive peak of Cnicht. Despite a weather forecast for showers, the sun was out, and even though it was cloudier than the day before, I felt hopeful for a good day. Soon, I reached the village of Croesor and joined the Snowdonia Slate Trail, which is the route that I had followed last year, and after climbing out of the village I was rejoined by the Cambrian Way, fresh off Cnicht, which dominated the view behind me. The path down was very wet following the heavy rain of the past week, including the previous night, which had left a stream of water pouring down the path and adding to the erosion. Eventually I reached a road that led me through woodland and into the village of Nantmor, soon reaching Pont Aberglaslyn and the start of an awesome path through the Pass of Aberglaslyn beside the roaring waters of the Afon Glaslyn.

Despite coming this way last year I was overjoyed that my change of plans would mean that I was walking along this fabulous path again. This was an epic walk along a rock-lined path that was not too easy as it hugged the raging torrent that was the river through gorgeous woodland, but all too soon I was through the Pass of Aberglaslyn and in the village of Beddgelert. After stopping for a cup of tea and something to eat I set off again along the Snowdonia Slate Trail while the Cambrian Way headed into Nantgwynant on its way towards Snowdon. My route took me onto the slopes of Moel Hebog, which I had originally planned to climb this day, but since the morning sunshine had now disappeared under heavy clouds I decided to keep to my route of last year along an excellent cycle path that took me through the conifer plantation of Beddgelert Forest and it wasn’t until I finally emerged from the trees that the long promised rain arrived. Fortunately the rain didn’t last long and had stopped by the time I reached the village of Rhyd-Ddu and, after passing through more conifers, at the top of a ridge I was afforded with views through the gap of Drws-y-coed and into the valley of Diffryn Nantlle. 

I enjoyed the walk at this point through the tremendous scenery dominated by the rock plug of Clogwyn y Garreg as I slowly descended against a strong wind into the valley where a stretch of road walking led me to a campsite, around Llyn Nantlle Uchaf and into the village of Nantlle and my accommodation. This walk was surprisingly enjoyable, despite not being anything like I’d planned and mostly covering paths I’d walked the year before. The distance was about twenty miles so it took me just as long my original route over Moel Hebog would have done, but without climbing any mountains. Nevertheless, this was an awesome walk.