BSC25: Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) via Rhyd Ddu Path (Sun)
12 people attending
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This is one of the events organised as part of Big Spring Camp 2025.
Join Neil for a walk up Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) by what is perhaps one of the least well-known paths.
The Rhyd-Ddu path heads up from the south west of Snowdon away from where most of the tourists are so hopefully we'll manage a fairly quiet day compared to the main paths from Pen y Pass and Llanberis. It heads up past some old buildings then along the ridge of Bwlch Main (walkable, not a scramble, though you may need to use your hands at odd points).
We'll head back down via the Ranger path via some interesting old mine workings.
Please note that if you are really scared of heights this probably isn't one for you - the ridge is walkable and isn't anything like Crib Goch (crikey, Crib Goch scares me!) but it does have steep drops either side at points which you do need to be aware of. Feel free to message me (or watch one of the many videos of the route on YouTube to get an idea) if unsure.
While Yr Wyddfa is seen as a "touristy" mountain by many, it's still the highest mountain in Wales at 1085m, and so there's plenty of climb and the weather could throw anything at us, so make sure you're properly kitted out as below - this isn't one for jeans and Converse!
Apologies for the really early start on this one but parking for Snowdon on a bank holiday can be an absolute nightmare so we need to go early to ensure we can park as there are very limited options.
Waiting list
It's likely this event will get full very quickly but people do change their plans so even if there is a waiting list please book on anyway, this also gives us an idea of demand and there is a chance of a place if someone cancels. Please don't however book onto this unless you are committed to actually attending it because there is very high demand for Snowdon walks on Big Spring Camp and so if people book speculatively and don't actually attend on the day then some may miss out.
Weather conditions
We may need to change the walk or cancel it in the event that weather conditions would make it unsafe (particularly as this walk involves a ridge) - or if on the day we can't get parked as there's only one (reasonably sized) car park at Rhyd Ddu. I will let you know as soon as I can if this looks likely.
Photo Credits
Images under Creative Commons licences:
Raintheone, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Bert Kaufmann, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The summit of Snowdon by Philip Halling, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
IMPORTANT! - Participation Statement
You MUST complete a Participation Statement, in addition to booking your event space before attending an OutdoorLads event. You only need to complete this Participation Statement once, not for each event you attend.
What to bring
Water: bring plenty of water (~2 Litres)
Medicines: if you have hay fever, diabetes, minor ailments etc.
Day rucksack: typically 20-30 litres, they are comfortable to wear and allow you to use your arms freely
Boots: ideally designed for hiking. Fell/trail running shoes with decent grips also OK but not your best white trainers!
Socks: proper walking socks will keep your feet dry and help prevent blisters
Layered clothing: lets you quickly adapt to changes in the weather and body temperature. Go for a base layer (vest or t-shirt) and a mid layer (a micro fleece or shirt) and in cooler weather add an outer layer (a windproof jacket or thick fleece)
Trousers: ideally no jeans as they become heavy and cold in the rain, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry and on warm days shorts are OK
Waterproof jacket and trousers: essential when hiking in all but the calmest of weather, breathable fabrics are more comfortable and dry
Gloves: Windproof, or better still, waterproof gloves are the best choice, bring a spare pair if expecting rain
Hat or cap: stay warm in winter and shaded in summer
Pole(s): some people swear by these, some at them - if you like using them make sure you bring some, they can be particularly helpful on descent
Sunglasses: for any sunny day, even in winter
Sun cream: can be useful even on cloudy and winter days
Snacks: bring biscuits, energy bars, gels, bananas, chocolate or dried fruit for example and put them somewhere easy to get hold of
Lunch: bring a packed lunch
Food & drink
Please bring a packed lunch and plenty of water (at least 2 litres).
As things stand the "Hafod Eryri" summit building is planned to be open and sells a selection of food and drink (though weather conditions can mean it is closed). However it's likely to be very busy so please ensure you bring enough food/drink so you are fine if it is closed.