We went up to North Wales for a few days recently and in between the rain, we did some walking and adventuring. We didn’t do as much as we have on previous trips because of the weather. We planned to climb the Glyders again but got about halfway and were both just too tired (Lee had been cycling for most of the day).
Since I don’t have too much to share from our most recent trip I thought I would make a round-up of my favourite walks that we’ve done in Snowdonia. I think it’s a good mix of easy and more difficult too so hopefully there’s something for almost everyone!
Having looked through Country Walking magazine it’s made me wish we had fit more walks into the most recent trip. I’ll be honest, it’s not the type of magazine I would usually pick up but it’s so inspiring if you’re interested in the outdoors. There are recommendations for walks all over the country and each issue has little OS maps to cut out that you can take with you so you don’t get lost on your adventures (ahem, definitely hasn’t happened to me before at all…)
Fairy Glen
When there’s a place called Fairy Glen, I have to go. There’s one on Skye that’s completely different but also amazing. It’s just down the road from Betws-y-Coed and is a really easy and pleasant walk. You follow the path across the fields (saying hello to the sheep on the way) and down into the woods. The path ends with some quite steep and small steps so it wouldn’t be suitable for everyone. Once you’re down in the gorge it’s so peaceful and lovely. It would be perfect for a little picnic sat on the rocks just watching the river flow.
The Glyders
This isn’t an easy walk. It’s more difficult than Snowdon but I much preferred it. The summit of Glyder Fawr is incredible even without the views across Snowdonia, and there’s plenty to see on the way up too. You pass two lakes, the walk getting more difficult after each one. Getting up the scree was the hardest part for me, not least because of the gusts of freezing wind against us. It’s definitely worth it though and I’d like to do it again sometime. We followed the route along to Glyder Fach and then down behind Tryfan back to the main road. There are a few different ways you can go to make it easier or more difficult, shorter or longer.
Llyn Idwal
The walk to Llyn Idwal is the first part of the walk to Glyder Fawr and one that I would say is the most suitable for most people. The path is paved and mostly flat, winding along below Tryfan. Starting at the National Trust visitor centre, it takes about half an hour to get to the lake. If you want to extend your walk then you can do a loop around it which makes for a nice afternoon out.
The Miners Trail
I have to admit that I didn’t love the full walk up Snowdon, but I do quite like walking up to the lakes along the Miners track which I’ve done a few times. It’s a fairly easy walk but is quite long. Strolling between the lakes and stopping for a picnic would be lovely on a nice day. I think with mountains, and Snowdon especially, it feels like you need to reach the summit but there are plenty of other walks you can take that are just as good!
I’d love to hear about your favourite walks and make sure you check out Country Walks! It’s worth subscribing to the magazine for all the information they give. It’s already got me planning my next adventure! I think you’ll also be surprised by how many walks you can find nearby so it doesn’t have to be a full on adventure holiday but you could pop out for a day trip or just to your local woods. With all these sunny weekends we’ve been having there’s no reason not to!
You can find more information about the subscription to Country Walking on greatmagazines.co.uk. You can subscribe digitally too if you don’t want the printed version!