Area: Moelwynion, Eryri
The most obscure and tiring way up Siabod, by some margin. Even I had never been up from Dolwyddelan before. It starts well, on steep paths above a stream then firetracks through conifer forest to gain a small but distinct route curving westwards onto the open hill. Above, Siabod looms and the south-east ridge comes into view, a good target. The weather was superb: tendrils of mist in the valley from an early cloud inversion, melting away into a clear autumnal sky, great views over the Moelwyns and Machno hills. After a little gorge the path becomes indistinct and hard to follow, the terrain complex and lumpy. It doesn't last long, though, and I soon gained the SE ridge a little way up from its base. This always gives a nice, basic scramble and did so today: I had it to myself in glorious weather. I was tired though, after intervals on Tuesday and a Coed Talon social last night. From the empty summit, I took the long westerly descent all the way down to the col below Carnedd y Cribau, superb views of the Snowdon group. A horribly steep descent on tussocks led to lonely Lluniau Diwaunydd, one of Eryri's more obscure locales. Perfect clarity, but the price for the solitude is bog and very awkward progress along the shore to finally gain a long twisting track down to Blaenau Dolwyddelan, then a cross country bonus path avoiding the road and providing brilliant views of the castle. A little over 2 hours for the 16+k loop, definitely the hardest and quietest route up Siabod: I saw nobody.
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