Moelwynion from Croesor

Peaks: Cnicht, Moelwyn Mawr, Craigysgafn, Moelwyn Bach

Area: Moelwynion, Eryri

Croesor is a special place, but it is very awkward to access from the east, which accounts for the fact that I have only visited a handful of times. One of those was for Ras y Cnicht, a classic short race which goes straight up from the village. I ran this in 46 minutes in 2017, so did a kind of time-trial for the climb today, before embarking on a much slower loop round the Moelwynion. This is a superb circuit, which I think I did as a hillwalk in the early 90s. Cuckoo calling for the plod up the bridleway, and then the open hill is gained at a fork with wonderful views over the estuary. I was probably last here on the early stages of our sea-to-sea epic in 2019. Most of the early stages are runnable until a scree covered traverse leads to a grassy ridge before the final steep cone which culminates in a scrambly groove just below the summit - which I reached in 31.50, I would guess just over a minute slower than the 2017 race. From here, I pondered the Paddy direct descent but instead opted for the easier ground leading to the head of the valley containing Llyn Cwm y Foel. Over the stream, then up the complex terrain leading to the two lakes of Llynnau Diffwys (it is probably better to contour north higher up than this). Boggy ground then leads to Rhosydd quarry, with the sun now out and a bright and breezy afternoon developing (I didn't start from Croesor until 2.30pm). From the quarry workings, I took the southerly ridge up Moelwyn Mawr. This is quite lengthy, and quite tiring, but really enjoyable. Then comes the crux of Ras y Moelwyn, a famous race I have done twice: over rocky Craigysgafn to the col, then steeply up to Moelwyn Bach. This ridge is so obvious from Blaenau: there are racing lines but I have never really found them, in fact in 2019 thick mist made this section quite tricky. It took me a rather plodding 16 minutes today, cutting my hand on the rocky section. It is awkward and rocky until the col is reached. From the summit of Bach, superb views down to Porthmadog and the Rhinogydd, and these continued for the superb grassy descent down the western ridge of Moelwyn Bach. All very comfortable and runnable until the boggy base of the cwm, but by then you are close to the minor road that leads north-west back to Croesor. Just over two hours for the circuit.