Area: Rhinogydd, Eryri
For me the full traverse of the Rhinog range is perhaps the best mountain day in Eryri, just edging the 3000s because it is so much wilder and emptier. There are no easy ways to tackle the northern end, which really slowed Peter and I down when we did the full south to north traverse in 2014. Today's plan was a slightly cheaty, more direct reverse version, which overcame the difficult northern terrain by using a cunning side route to the east, which was still appallingly boggy and awkward, if a little less rocky. I felt the mild cheat was justified, partly because this was a solo crossing, and as such I had to cycle back to the van from Barmouth after finishing. But also because I made up for it by sticking religiously to the southern ridge crest as I approached Barmouth, all the way to the south top of Mynydd Egryn, which makes the climax in this direction much harder. I dropped the bike off first, then the intimidatingly long 20 mile drive north to the start point by Llyn Trawsfynydd. Absolutely perfect conditions: superb clarity, mild but not hot, a gentle northerly tailwind. The initial tracks lead to a boggy wilderness south of Tyndrain and a very hard to follow, tenuous 'path' which is mostly invisible until you get higher up. It coalesces a bit and then hits a firetrack in the forest which leads very easily to the marked path up to Bwlch Tyddiad/Roman Steps. Huw and I descended this last year, so I had recent knowledge which I deployed to good effect, taking the side route, steep and rocky, up to Llyn Du, a great spot hidden in a rocky fold, typical Rhinogydd scenery. From here, I got the most direct ascent bang on: there are lots of paths but the steepest approach gets you to the top very quickly, in fact it arrives suddenly, a mere 90 minutes from the start near Traws. I then took the 'descent of doom', direct through atmospheric rocky runnels and gullies all the way down to Bwlch Drws Ardudwy, a historic Welsh pass, where I have camped twice - once with Huw last year, and once as a teenager in the late 1980s. Then it was up the path to Llyn Cwmhosan and Llyn Hywel, branching off before the latter to curve round on a tiny path to sneak up Rhinog Fach from the west. The weather continued absolutely glorious after a little cloudy interlude. Then comes the scenic highlight, for which again I picked good lines based on last year's trip, Llyn Hywel its usual magnificence, turquoise in this light. The route up Y Llethr is steep and loose, and I was now beginning to tire. Great views over Llyn and Ynys Enlli compensated. Then, the route changes completely - and the ridge takes on a grassy, gentle character. I was feeling good enough to run this, with the views of the sea getting closer with every step. Cader was coming into sharp focus across the Mawddach. Easy ground leads quickly over Crib y Rhiw and Diffwys, all absolutely superb and a wonderful contrast with the northern end. Then came a surprise. From Llawllech you can smell the sea, but then I took the direct line over the remaining summits - suddenly the route becomes much less clear and the ground far more awkward again. I had no memory of this from 2014, which makes me think we took a different line to Diffwys, as I remember it all as very easy running. So I think this was new ground, and considerably more challenging as a final descent, down to Bwlch y Rhiwgyr, a noted crossing point. Then yet more climbing over Mynydd Egryn, with an annoying and tiring route-finding error before I corrected myself and dropped past Barmouth Slabs to Dinas Oleu, emerging onto the main street with its mobility scooters and drunken brummies. The mistakes and semi-inadvertent purity of the descent from Diffwys cost me a lot of time, perhaps an hour or more compared to the direct side tracks. I had been on for a pretty quick traverse but in the end it was just under five hours moving, close to six in all. I took a little time to recuperate in Barmouth: pasty, energy drinks, crisps, although I should perhaps have indulged in a full meal before the challenging second part of the day. I knew the ride back would be tiring, and it was: the gravel bike feels like every gram of its substantial weight when one is tiring! The 10k to Llanelltyd was fine, even pleasant with its constant views of Mawddach and Cader in stunning afternoon light. But the A470 to Traws was not very nice. I had hoped to be able to take the national route via Sarn Helen but this would have been worse, and at least the route north was quiet with all the weekenders heading the opposite direction. Past Ganllwyd and Coed y Brenin via a few nasty draggy climbs before finally getting back to the van (a painfully slow 90 minutes from Barmouth!) where I briefly relaxed on my chair in the sunshine, gazing back to Rhinog Fawr and Fach as the evening light got even clearer.
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