2-day loop with Snowdon in the middle ?

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This topic has 8 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 5 years ago by DiscJockey.

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2-day loop with Snowdon in the middle ?
DiscJockey
Free Member

Can anyone recommend a big MTB loop (or an out and back) that has an ascent of Snowdon somewhere in the middle ?

I’m planning a Saturday/Sunday group ride next month. The Snowdon climb will probably need to be done in the evening due to curfew. Will either camp on top (if legal), or do the descent as a night-ride. What I know less about is good offroad trails around the Snowdon area. Ideally we’d be starting East of Snowdon, as we’ll be coming across from Manchester. So 40/50 miles each way would be about right.

Posted 5 years ago

flyingmonkeycorps
Full Member

Dunno much about loops but camping atop Snowdon is definitely not legal (but you’d probably get away with it). The very summit is pretty minging (and very hard) but if you dropped down towards Rhyd Ddu a few hundred yards you could probably find some nice grass.

Posted 5 years ago

whitestone
Free Member

By “camping” do you mean “bivvying” or actually using a tent? You are likely to get away with bivvying especially if you arrive late, leave early. Even though conditions are near perfect now, just be prepared for something a bit more serious – there’s sod all shelter around the summit in which case you’d be better camping/bivvying somewhere around halfway house on the way up.

As for getting there from the east – you are basically riding across the grain of the country so it’s big climb then straight down then big climb, etc. It’s also likely that you’ll have a lot of road. Open up streetmap.co.uk and work your way east from Snowdon to see what I mean. A better option, but still hard work, might be to head in from somewhere like Conway to the north.

Posted 5 years ago

DiscJockey
Free Member

Thanks guys,

Yes, meant to say bivvying, although we do have mountaineering tents if needed. Camping on top is a daft idea – I agree with that. I’d prefer to pitch up in a proper campsite and do Snowdon from there. With the curfew in place, it would turn into a night-ride regardless.

It would all be based on weather conditions, and we’d rule out Snowdon altogether if it was going to be risky.

So regarding the routes, yes, can head down from the north. I’ve looked on OS maps and it seems roads are the only direct routes – but I’m not comfortable riding on them, as I know how busy and narrow they are.

Posted 5 years ago

chevychase
Full Member

You could go up Llanberis at 5pm, you’d be down Snowdon Ranger by 9pm, latest. (3 hours up, that gives you an *hour* to get down). Then you take a left and there’s a pub called the Cwellyn Arms near Rhyd Ddu exit that has an attached campsite.

Pub is good. Campsite is supposed to be great. Right next to a lake.

Posted 5 years ago

flyingmonkeycorps
Full Member

Yep the campsite at the Cwellyn Arms is grand, although it did rain all weekend last time we stayed there.

Posted 5 years ago

DiscJockey
Free Member

Nice suggestion there…..I should get it booked, and can always add bits on nearer the time – but I won’t underestimate the mountain, and the up and down might well be enough to keep us all amused.

Chevy Chase, my favourite actor of all time 🙂

Posted 5 years ago

summittoppler
Free Member

Heres my effort, Go up in the evening, bivvy on the summit, watch the sunrise and be in work for 8am….

Posted 5 years ago

DiscJockey
Free Member

Thankyou Summittoppler – that’s exactly what I’m hoping to do – great inspiration, and stunning video 🙂

I’d actually forgotten we’ve got campervans as well as tents, so could take a chance of kipping up on the summit if the weather is good and then won’t have wasted money on a campsite we didn’t need. So it’s worth committing to the ‘bivvy on top’ plan. Decision made 🙂

Posted 5 years ago