{"id":30834,"date":"2019-08-15T11:18:44","date_gmt":"2019-08-15T10:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/?p=30834"},"modified":"2019-08-20T16:06:23","modified_gmt":"2019-08-20T15:06:23","slug":"the-carneddau-via-llech-ddu-spur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alananna.co.uk\/blog\/2019\/08\/the-carneddau-via-llech-ddu-spur\/","title":{"rendered":"The Carneddau via Llech Ddu Spur"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A few people from work have been doing occasional scrambles in Snowdonia lately. The last was up Tryfan<\/a> last year. There was a plan to repeat this on Tuesday and do Bristly Ridge which we missed last time. I fancied something a little different though so suggested we head to the Carneddau instead. The aim was to tick off Carnedd Llewylyn and Carnedd Dafydd (the 2nd and 3rd highest peaks in Wales) and to scramble up the Llech Ddu Spur, none of which I had done before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The revised plan was agreed upon and Simon, Rhys, Nick and I set off towards North Wales under cloudy skies. The weather had cleared somewhat by the time we reached Bethesda but there were still some low clouds obscuring the hilltops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We parked up, and were soon heading off up into an impressive valley with the Carneddau shrouded in cloud at the far end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Towards<\/a>
Towards the Hills<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

It was easy going to start with past berry laden Rowan trees lining scrubby farmland and then off onto the hillsides with the Afon Llafar burbling away to our left. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The weather was improving all the time and we soon left the hustle and bustle of the modern world behind us. This part of Snowdonia is less well trodden than many other parts and we were soon the only people around. The trail wasn’t that well defined but was still fairly easy to follow at this point. We followed it up onto the grassy slopes of Foel Meirch. This was a bit of a mistake as we should have stayed along the valley floor for a little further rather than gaining altitude. It wasn’t too much of a problem though. The sun was now shining and the clouds had lifted so we could see the entire vista of our planned route ahead of us. We decided to scramble down off the slopes of the hill we were on and head across to the base of the Llech Ddu Spur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Across<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"At<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Rocky<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Llech Ddu Spur<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Llech Ddu Spur is billed as a “stunning Grade 1 scramble in Snowdonia that most people have never even heard of<\/strong> “. From our vantage point we could see it clearly and could easily pick out the intended route. It follows the ridge that you can see cutting from the left to right of the photo below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/a>
The Llech Ddu Spur Ahead of us<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As we were already level with the base of the spur we would miss out some of the less inviting clambering up over the scree slope beneath it and would now be able to make our way directly to the base of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We paused for a snack in the sunshine and then set off towards what looked like quite an imposing buttress of rock leaning off the northern flanks of Carnedd Dafydd. We scrambled across the scree slope and re-joined the intended path as it made its way diagonally up a grassy ramp towards some quartz bands. It was here that the Llech Ddu Spur (also know as Crib Lem) started in earnest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We were soon hauling ourselves up rocky steps and runnels on the shoulder of the spur. There were slightly easier routes to either side of the main ridge but we took the more direct route on large positive handholds and nice dry grippy rock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"On<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Scrambling\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There was some exposure here and there and always that slight vertiginous feeling of height but it was all fairly straight-forward most of the time. We soon reached the Christmas Tree slab and paused for photos. Another couple caught us up here but they were the only people we saw on the spur so we waited a while and let them go off ahead of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"On<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Admiring<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Christmas<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Photo<\/a>
Photo Opportunity<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

From the vantage point of the Christmas Tree Slab the next couple of sections looked as though they may pose some problems, but once on them it was back to more of the same with nice holds and a steady scramble up towards the top of the rock strewn upper slopes of Carnedd Dafydd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Crib<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"In<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Views<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"At<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Partway<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Carneddau<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With the main event of the day done it was onto the summit for a quick lunch stop. This was accompanied by views of Tryfan, the Glyders and Cwm Idwal to the south and Snowdon beyond that. The clouds had now lifted completely and it was a gorgeous summers day with fluffy white cumulus clouds scuttling across the sky. The views to the North over to Anglesey and the waters of the Irish Sea were equally as stunning. A friendly seagull seemed to agree as well. A helicopter was hovering somewhere near the cantilever stone on Glyder Fach too as we took in the views around us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Looking<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Simon<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Summit<\/a><\/figure>
\"Summit<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div>
\"Tryfan\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"View<\/a><\/figure><\/div>
\"Group<\/a><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

We were soon on our feet again and heading off along the ridge top towards Carnedd Llewelyn, the second highest peak in Wales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Walking<\/a>
Walking along the Ridge<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I think it was from the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn that Simon spotted the Gwynt y Mor windfarm in Colwyn Bay. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Windfarm\"<\/a>
Windfarm<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I think everyone else had seen it ages before but something about it caught Simon’s eye and it amazed him. I don’t think he quite knew what it was as he pointed it out to us in incredulous tones. We all looked a little bemused at him and said, “yeah. it’s the wind farm!”. I’m not sure what amazing phenomenon he thought it was but he won’t live it down for a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn we headed off towards Yr Elen and then down off it’s peak along steep, loose paths following the ridge line to several smaller summits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"On<\/a>
On to Yr Elen<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Each had grassy paths between them followed by a steep clamber off the summit onto another grassy shoulder. Eventually we lost height and picked our way through the boggy grassland of the valley floor and back to where we started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n