Crib Goch or the full Snowdon Horseshoe?
A fair number of my Crib Goch groups end up doing the full Snowdon Horseshoe. We cross Crib Goch and Crib y Ddysgl, visit Garnedd Ugain and Yr Wyddfa, then continue over Lliwedd before dropping back to the Miners’ Track. In decent weather, with everyone moving well, it’s a brilliant circuit and I’m always pleased when it works out.
I don’t promise that whole route when someone books a Crib Goch day, though. By the time we’re having lunch at Yr Wyddfa, we’ve already done a substantial outing. Some groups are keen for more scrambling and have plenty left in their legs. Others have thoroughly enjoyed Crib Goch and are ready for a more straightforward descent. We need to know which group we’ve actually got before choosing the finish.
What you’re adding with Lliwedd
Looking across from Yr Wyddfa, it’s easy to think mainly about climbing the ridge on the other side of the lake. First, we have to get down to it. The upper Watkin Path starts with steep steps before taking us through scrappy scree, where tired legs and loose stones need a bit of attention.
Then we’ve got roughly 160 metres of scrambling back uphill towards Lliwedd. There’s more scrambling down the other side, followed by sloping shelves and an awkward, steeper gully. Even after we reach the flagstone path, the descent can be tough on tired knees. It takes a while to get back down to the Miners’ Track, and we’ve still got the walk out to Pen y Pass.
From Yr Wyddfa, I’d usually allow around two to two and a half hours via the Miners’ Track. Going over Lliwedd is more like three to three and a half hours, sometimes longer. The extra time matters, but so does what you’re doing during it.
How I make the call
I’ll have been watching everyone throughout the morning, so I’m already forming a view before we sit down for lunch. I want to know how people are feeling, whether the pace has been comfortable and how they’re coping with the climbing down as well as the climbing up. Someone who’s still happy to slog uphill might be finding each awkward step down increasingly hard work.
The weather and available time matter too. A good morning doesn’t guarantee a pleasant afternoon on Lliwedd, especially if the wind is increasing or cloud is coming in. I also listen to what people want. There can be different ambitions within four people, and someone who’s quietly had enough shouldn’t feel obliged to agree with the person who’s full of energy.
I make the final decision for the group. I’ve seen enough tired people on mountain descents to know how easily another couple of hours can turn a good day into a miserable one, with mistakes becoming more likely as people get exhausted.
When we go over Lliwedd, I want us to enjoy being there. When we take the Miners’ Track, we can still look back across the lake at the ridges we’ve crossed and have a perfectly satisfying walk out. Which one we choose is something I’m happy to leave until we’ve seen how the day goes.
