Wednesday 15th May 2024
From the summit of Craig Cwm Silyn, I would need to descend from the Nantlle Ridge and then find my way in to Beddgelert Forest. I could see a lack of footpaths and bridleways on the OS map. Yet I had faith in the route I had found online…
Rock. Scree. Loose under foot.
‘Okay’, I though to myself. The ‘coloured’ path before me might lead the way.
But this line of guidance soon ran out and I found myself having to also tread carefully amongst gorse and green vegetation.
Away to the east, I could see the distinct outline of the Snowdon massif. I walked the horseshoe with friends, back in 2018 and will never forget it.
This view was a minor distraction from the what was beneath my feet. No footpath. Absolutely no waymarking. Loose rock, lumps of green, the occasional hole; ankle-breaking territory and I was heading steeply downhill.
As if this wasn’t already feeling like a mistake, I soon arrived at the line of a barbed wire fence. With my phone out to confirm the GPS location, I was more or less on the line of the plotted route.
Yet, there was no gateway. No stile. How had the author of this route passed through?!
I’m not proud to admit that I scaled the barbed wire, with all due care. There wasn’t a gate in sight. I recall bum-sliding (without intention) down the next hill, while trying to squat, discreetly, and scope out for movement, signs of human life, at the farm sheds down below.
Fortunately, I had only sheep for company. I soon found a track of sorts that I could follow through a short series to gates to reach the road below. While the descent from Craig Cwm Silyn was not trespassing – it crossed Open Access Land – I cannot recommend it at all. The risk of injury are far too high.
There’s a small car park at Beudy’r Ddol which you can see on the OS map. I followed the road to here, then a series of clear waymarks.
I remember the rain had started to fall as I reached this point. Thank goodness, it hadn’t arrived thirty minutes or so sooner!
Beautiful bluebells dressed the landscape either side of the footpath, as I started to ascend the hillside.
A view looking back up at the Nantlle Ridge.
Heading towards Cwm Trwsgl, I passed the first of several buildings harking bark to the days of when quarrying took place on this land. I believe it is today known as the Prince of Wales Quarry.
I explored some of this in 2023, during a very wet walk around Beddgelert Forest.
I stood in awe at the size and length of this tramway, if that’s the correct word. Human power would once have been used to haul great weights and quantities up and down the hillside, following this route.
It did go on, as I walked beside it, gaining height. Impossible to conceive today, what people would’ve been expected to do less than a hundred years ago. Without the aid of technology we have available today.
I swiftly made my way north through the forest, following the bridleway to the road on which I’d parked my car. Raining, still. But I was mostly glad to have made it safely down from the ridge.
If you’re looking to walk the Nantlle Ridge and can’t afford to to it end-to-end, either with two cars, two drivers or by booking a taxi to return you to the other end; I can only suggest walking as far as the obelisk and then, retreating to OS grid reference SH 543 514 and following this minor ridge down in to the forest. There is a definitely a path on the map and I did see others taking this sensible descent.
Please also see my YouTube video of this walk:
Thanks for reading.
Walks With Olly 