It’s August, the kids are on school holidays, the weather’s OK (ish) and Wales has apparently overtaken Devon & Cornwall as the most popular staycation destination in these islands. Where to go in Eryri (Snowdonia) to avoid the crowds?

Many will know Crib Nantlle (the Nantlle Ridge) and will have done that classic (and dramatic) ridge walk from Y Garn across 4 summits, or even across 6 summits to Garnedd Goch. But not everyone will have gone as far as Mynydd Graig Goch, the final summit on the ridge, not least because prior to 2008 it wasn’t classed as a ‘Nuttall’ mountain, and only when it was more accurately re-measured did it cross the crucial 2000 foot barrier. (A similar story to that of Carnedd y Filiast’s North Top – see earlier post)

Despite having done the ridge twice in the past, I’d ignored it too, so recently I’d had it on my list to tick off when I could. The approach from the west, from Cwm Dulyn and the Llyn Dulyn reservoir near Llanllyfni is a scenic one, and quiet. I passed 2 local families picnicking by the lake, but had the mountain to myself.

There’s an easy to follow path through the heather from the reservoir until about 550 metres, where the ground gets rockier, and the path wends its way through a few rocky outcrops finishing with a short simple scramble to the summit. With the mist down when I was there, a little bit of care was needed to find the path again after summitting, but nothing too challenging. Having missed out on the expected views over to Yr Wyddfa in the east, I opted to come back down the same way, rather than carrying on to Garnedd Goch which would make a great circular walk on another day. It almost goes without saying, that half way back down, the clouds moved on and the summits cleared again!  

(The start point was at Grid Ref SH 483 500. From Llanllyfni, head for the small village of Nebo, and in the centre of the village, take Ffordd y Llyn, a single track road, to a corner where there’s room to park 3 cars. Then follow the track to a gate by the dam, and the start of the footpath)