Afternoon all.
I'm staying in Beddgellert in a few weeks time and wondered whether there was any riding from the doorstep (I asked this last year but can't find the thread now!). There seems to be a few BWs and footpaths around but anything worth doing?
I've also (quite pleasantly!) discovered it seems to be extremely close to Snowdon and Rhyd-Ddu which I'm sure I've read is one of the great descents off Snowdon. Can I ride/push/walk/blow out my behind up Snowdon from Rhyd-Ddu and then ride down and is the trail easily followable? And worth doing? Plan on having a day at Coed-y-Brenin as well probably unless theres anything else anyone can tell me about.
Cheers, DBW
With Snowdon you'll need to check when you can/can't ride - not sure of the timings of the voluntary ban.
I'm there around Easter and the ban is May I believe?
The ban is May 1 - Oct 30, 10.00 - 18.00, so not relevant at the mo.
Bigger issue depending on quite how soon "a few weeks time" is, will be snow. I was up there walking/climbing last week and it was crampons/ice axe territory from about half way up. LOTS of snow. No doubt there will have been another dump this weekend too. You won't get much riding done, and a bike will be very little use other than as a walking stick until there's been a good solid thaw.
(I'd stick a pic in here if I could bloody well work out how to!)
Rhydd Ddu is the hardest of the 3 bridleways. I've not been up it, but been down it once and it's proper raw, basically just smashing down rocks. There's a mandatory (unless you're Hans Rey/Danny Mac/Chris Akrigg) hikeabike bit along a narrow ridge just off the summit, but other than that just lots and lots and lots of big pointy slippy sharp rocks.
Hiking up Rhydd Ddu would be a ball ache. The Ranger Path is an easy spin down the road - from there you can ride up the initial hairpins, turn left at the plateau and h-a-b over the crest to Telegraph Valley, down to Llanberis, then up the Llanberis path which, weather dependant is "mostly" rideable.
How much "mountain" experience do you have? Some of the questions you're asking suggests not much*. Above all else it is a mountain environment. Even on a nice day last week it was bitter near the top and the weather can change drastically, very quickly. You need a map & compass and the ability to use them (GPS in addition is nice, but not instead of). Don't rely on mobile reception.
*apologies if I've misread that.
Personally I’d only do Snowden in nice dry weather. It can be brutal up the top in any sort of inclement weather and would more likely be a misery at best to ride down, more probably very dangerous without being fun.
Theres loads to ride without doing Snowden, you won’t be far from the trail centres which is what I’d be inclined to do this time of year.
What JonEdwards said (about route). You can ride it from Beddgelert - or take your cars to the Snowdon Ranger car park ride a bit then push up and over to Telegraph Valley. Nail it to Llanberis, breakfast, up Llanberis path then back down Rangers - which is awesomesauce.
If it's not shitting it down, or blowing a gale, then it's probably worth a try. Summit'll be clear by April, and April's been the best month for the past few years.
Sod it - I'll go and ride Coed-y-Brenin and give it a miss this time I think. Didn't even think about snow! I'll leave it for a dawn raid in summer...
Of course if you like riding in snow - then snow is great 🙂
I did it in January once and there was loads of snow (although it was a perfect blue sky day)
It was superb - don't even remember struggling too much on the Ranger Tech (which probably means that bit was clear of snow). It was a long time ago
Rhydd Ddu is a great descent, arguably the best one off Snowdon... but the top quarter of Rhydd Ddu in Winter conditions is treacherous on a bike (speaking from experience here).
It's the closest I've come thus far to dying on a bike-ride! Front wheel slipped off the snow covered track on the exposed "death to the left" section that I think JonEdwards is describing. Managed to self-arrest on a 45 deg snow-slope, then managed to catch my bike as it slid past me. Another 10 feet and I'd have been off the edge and going home in a bag. Consequently, I wouldn't recommend it as a Winter descent.
Wait until last minute before the ban, then give it a go. Our usual route for a big day out is: From Rangers Station; up Rangers; down Rhydd Ddu; up Rangers to Telegraph turn off; over Telegraph; cut across to join Llanberis track near middle station; up Llanberis; down Rangers.
About 6000' of descending all in.
Did the Rangers this time last year with mucho snow up top, it was a good ride. Maybe do that instead of Rhydd Du in light of Ecky's post?
Sod it – I’ll go and ride Coed-y-Brenin and give it a miss this time I think. Didn’t even think about snow! I’ll leave it for a dawn raid in summer…
Antur Stiniog is pretty close to Beddgellert. Uplifts for the win!! 😉