When most think of Wales’ tallest mountain, I’m sure they think of or even remember journeys on the railway, walking well-known routes like The Pyg Track or even taking on the precarious Crib Goch. Look at any OS map though and you’ll soon see there is far more to this iconic mountain than just these highlights. On a recent trip, I decided to explore the mostly pathless and therefore much quieter eastern side. It was stunning, as I got to enjoy unforgettable wild camping on Snowdon ( Yr Wyddfa ).
The Journey Skywards
I parked my car in an already rather full lay-by on the dramatic Llanberis Pass. The boulder field beside the road was impressive and the background noise of a cascading stream was just the start I needed. It was great to be back in the mountains.
I had studied the OS map in great detail before heading off, as I knew I would be tackling challenging terrain and needed to know where I was going. Thankfully, a bridge across the stream showed me where the road would be left behind and the climbing would begin.
It was tough from the get- go, but the view ahead of me more than made up for it. The distant snowy peaks filled me with awe and excitement as they loomed large above. I for one believe that all mountains look more impressive and mighty when wearing white on their tops.
Cwm Glas Mawr
It wasn’t long before I was stripping layers off and was down to a single fleece. I think we all know how quickly steep climbing gets the heart beating and the sweat flowing. Luckily, the ground soon started to flatten off and I found myself in the stunning Cwm Glas Mawr. It was wide and green with steep craggy slopes either side of the valley and a dramatic waterfall at its head. Despite being only a kilometre or so from the road, you already feel like you’ve left all other people behind by this point.
I decided to stop and take a break to enjoy a drink in the beautiful valley I found myself in. The tranquil sounds of the stream and distant waterfall were soon replaced though by a helicopter. It began circling the nearby mountains and I couldn’t help but think that it was there to save somebody in difficulty. I would learn on my journey back down the following day how easily things can go wrong when in this sort of environment.
Eventually I made it to the waterfall and began the even steeper climb up alongside it. The legs and lungs sure got a great workout and I was loving it. I felt alive and the pathless terrain made me feel like a proper mountain explorer. Care was taken throughout though to ensure that helicopter wouldn’t have to collect another person who had overestimated their own ability.
Is This The Best Camping Spot In Snowdonia?
As I finally crested the top of the climb, it wasn’t long before I found the destination I was looking for. I have wild camped in some stunning locations in Snowdonia such as here and here, but what I was looking at was without doubt the most beautiful location yet. I stood there with a grin on my face, realizing straight away that every step uphill had been worth it for this. This is what I was treated to:
I am sure you’ll agree that this lake really is a stunning spot. The lack of wind and the mirror-like appearance of the water made it all the more incredible.
Being a Saturday evening, I wasn’t sure whether I’d have the island to myself, but it seemed I had struck gold. Another chap was setting up camp on the far side of the lake, but other than him, I had it all to myself. Hard to believe really on such a busy mountain.
Crossing the stepping stones was a fun experience and not as challenging as I had expected it to be. The water wasn’t overly deep and thankfully they weren’t too slippery due to dry conditions.
If wild camping on Snowdon wasn’t idyllic enough with the views alone, it was also a dream to pitch the tent on. No rocks hindered my ability to push the pegs into the ground and was also almost pan flat. Heaven.
Because of this, I shall not give the exact location of this lake away. In my eyes, places like this should take a bit more effort to find. If you are determined like I was, then studying the eastern side of the mountain on an OS map should soon get you heading in the right direction. Best of luck!
Settling In
With my reliable tent pitched and the sun starting to set, I got all of the faffy jobs out of the way first like inflating my mat and arranging my camping equipment inside home for the night. It is surprising how long these jobs still take me to do.
Once this was done, I just relaxed and had a very good fill of both food and drink. I liked to think that I had earned it even if in truth I probably hadn’t. Oh well!
My neighbour did appear to get a fire going. It looked extremely inviting, but I still believe this sort of thing defeats the leaving not trace ethos us wild campers should adopt. The island I was pitched on wore two such scars from previous visitors. A shame really as resources are available like this BushBox, which will allow you to have your fire without damaging the land.
After enjoying a good book, I decided to snuggle up in my sleeping bag at just after ten O clock. There was still hardly a breath of wind and I slept soundly as a result. My winter kit certainly helped keep me warm and comfortable again even with the temperature dipping just below freezing. I was only woken by my bladder in the early hours. It was snowing lightly and it was a relief to get back inside the tent as soon as I could.
A Breakfast With A View
Sometimes I can feel jaded the morning after a wild camp. I tend not to sleep very well, especially if it has been windy. There was no such problem on this trip as I had slept for almost nine hours. I guess a full week of teaching Year Four children helps with this!
Even feeling almost sprightly, I had to get the water boiled to make a coffee to start the morning off. The bonus was that the remaining water could be poured into my porridge pot to fill me with energy. As I sat on a rock, I just enjoyed my surroundings again and struck up a brief conversation with two ducks who had swum across looking for edible donations.
I was in no hurry to pack away my things and I lingered for a while before trying to cram everything back into my backpack. Even with it being just gone eight in the morning, I could already make out the ant-like figures making their way along Crib Goch in the distance. It was busy up there, yet down by the lake I was the only person around. I for one wasn’t going to complain about that!
Soon enough it was time to leave my slice of paradise ( albeit a rather chilly one ) behind. Being me though, I couldn’t head straight back to the car. Instead I would continue uphill to explore another nearby lake and real hidden gem I had read about online. That’ll keep until the next article though.
