Yr Wyddfa / Snowdon
Rhyd Ddu Path loop
Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) / Day Walk
I love this route to the summit of Yr Wyddfa; compared to the other main paths (Llanberis, Pyg track, Watkin) it is far less busy, only joining the main throroughfares near the summit, although you can look down to the Watkin path as you start to climb the main ridge halfway up. If you have time after the main climb, it’s well worth taking a small trip across to Llyn y Dywarchen.
Summary
Time needed
3 – 6hrs
Distance
About 7 miles
Difficulty
Medium. Mainly dirt track, a little rough and rocky near the top. It is a steady ascent all the way up
Cost
Free apart from parking charge
Parking
£3 (6hrs) or £6 (full day). Spots fill up quickly in summer
Type of Walk
Loop, but can be made a there/back
Highlights
- The summit! (although beware the queues if you want a photo by the trig point)
- The slate buildings at the quarry
- Far fewer people than the other main routes
Walking the Rhyd Ddu path
The walk starts from the small Rhyd Ddu car park after a quick detour to its toilets, which are well worth a trip before the hike. After briefly following the train tracks (going to the left when facing away from the road), you then cross them, and steadily make your way up, lazily watched by the sheep.
At the cross-roads, turn right from the Rhyd Ddu path (you’ll come down it instead)
The path is steady and realtively wide, and snakes it way up to a giant slate pile, with several small building; a decent spot for a picnic before turning up to the next climb, with far-reaching views, as well as a small lake.
After this the path steepens, and starts to turn rockier. At points, the path loses itself a little over rocks, and it may be easier to use hands as well as feet, but it remains fairly straightforward to follow.
Closer to the summit, the ridgeline starts to narrow, with views out either side – you can spot the Watkin Path wind its way up from Nant Gwynant, which then joins the path just below the Summit Cafe. For us, the summit cafe was hidden in the mist until the last minute!
In summer months (and any public holiday), the trig point often has a long queue if you want a photo next to it. If this is your main aim, I’d suggest going early; you may get to see a very bedraggled 3 Peak Challenger or Welsh 3000 runner coming in!
On the way back down, there is an option to take a small loop by going down the Rhyd Ddu path back down, and rejoining at the crossroads (you can do the reverse if you’d like).
If you have time after the main climb, it’s well worth taking a small trip across to Llyn y Dywarchen.
Getting there
The main way to Rhyd Ddu is by car, although you can get buses to other walking routes (such as to Llanberis)
