Snowdon via the Rhyd Ddu Horseshoe 25th July 2015

Which way now?

The quarries and decision time.

On top of the world - not quite just starting on the South Ridge.

First views of Snowdon summit.

At the trig point on Snowdon.

The South Ridge.

Llyn Cwellyn and Mynydd Mawr.

Train arriving at Snowdon Summit Station.

Last views of Snowdon Summit from Llechog.

Walk stats: Distance: 8.2 miles. Climb: 2660'.

Time: 6 hours 53 minutes. On the move walking average: 1.5 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 1.2 m.p.h.

Group: Martyn, Celia and Mike.

The forecast for today was relatively good in that rain wasn't on the cards, but the downside was that it would feel like 1 Celsius at the summit with winds gusting to about 27 m.p.h. Thankfully the winds never got that strong, but the temperature at times was pretty cool.

 Unfortunately Celia didn't feel too well, and on arriving at the quarries just short of Bwlch Cwm Llan, she decided to head back to Rhyd Ddu, but insisted the we should carry on.

 On the ascent views were intermittent as was the appearance of the Sun, and at times the higher sections of Snowdon were in cloud. I've never seen so many people climbing Snowdon and at times on the South Ridge we had to stop to let people coming down pass us.

 As we had only set off from Rhyd Ddu at 11-00, we stopped about half a mile from the Summit for lunch, and at this point views South West towards Harlech and Cardigan Bay came in to view.

 The Summit as expected was busy and we had to queue for several minutes just to get to the trig point and any idea about going into the cafe to use its facilities was just out of the question. It was good to see lots of families climbing Snowdon and to see the joy on a six year old declaring to her younger sister that they had reached the cafe.

 On the descent, the Sun came out more and more and the views became better and better and by the time we crossing the top of Llechog Snowdon was in clear blue sky.

 We arrived back at Rhyd Ddu having had a good walk, knowing that on Sunday our knees would remind us of the 2660' stony descent that we had done the day before!  I didn't think we had been walking that slowly, but the the ascent took us nearly four hours (including lunch) and the descent nearly three hours.
 Birds seen or heard today: Meadow pipit, Herring gull and Raven.

 After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Blue Bell Inn at Halkyn.