Snowdon

Peter said:

I've walked / scrambled up Snowdon a fair few times, but I've never
bothered with the Llanberis Path - bit too pedestrian...

And usually a bit busy. I've walked down that way but can't remember
how long it took. It should be easily rideable (downhill anyway!) and
the only dodgy bit would be near the top where there's drops to the
side and it's quite narrow (watch out for the wind).

peter

Peter said:

Hello

As the voluntary ban on cycling on the Llanberis Path is due to end
for the summer, I was wondering if anyone had any experience of riding
up (and down) this path?

What the path is like? How long it takes etc?

I've walked / scrambled up Snowdon a fair few times, but I've never
bothered with the Llanberis Path - bit too pedestrian...

Pete

I've pushed my bike up it (it's a rideable incline, but not for long enough to get to the top).

I descended by the Miner's track: Wrong. Sooo wrong. (Unless you actually enjoy carrying your bike).

I might recommend the other way round, but with bike fastened to rucksack for the ascent. Or get the train up (not sure if they carry bikes).

Or just don't bother and ride some of the other excellent trails in the area - the one from Llanberis over towards the Beddgelert/Rhyd Ddu road is a blast with some nice switchbacks on the descent, and fewer walkers calling you a [censored]. Then there's the Marin trail at Llanrwst, Llandegla at Llandegla (where else?) and Coed-y-Brenin. All of these would be more fun than pushing up Yr Wyddfa!

Whatever, enjoy.

Wheelist

wheelist wrote:
<pedant>

Quoted message said:

I descended by the Miner's track: Wrong. Sooo wrong. (Unless you
actually enjoy carrying your bike).

Umm.. the 'Miners Track' is perfectly rideable but doesn't go to the
top of the mountain, just to the end of the lake. There is a path[1] up
from the Miners Track to the PyG track which then goes to the top.
</pedant>

My favourite walking ascent from PyP is to go past Llyn Bach on the
west side of Crib Goch via an almost unused path (it is in one of the
Poucher guides) and then scramble up to the ridge - a grade 1 climb in
winter so not too hard.

Quoted message said:

Or just don't bother and ride some of the other excellent trails in the
area - the one from Llanberis over towards the Beddgelert/Rhyd Ddu road
is a blast with some nice switchbacks on the descent, and fewer walkers
calling you a [censored]. Then there's the Marin trail at Llanrwst,
Llandegla at Llandegla (where else?) and Coed-y-Brenin. All of these
would be more fun than pushing up Yr Wyddfa!

Agreed entirely..

...d

wheelist said:

Quoted message said:

PeteI've pushed my bike up it (it's a rideable incline, but not for long

enough to get to the top).

Is it that steep? I was thinking of grannying my way up - million rpm
and about 4mph 😄

Quoted message said:

I descended by the Miner's track: Wrong. Sooo wrong. (Unless you
actually enjoy carrying your bike).

I would be riding back down the way I came - the best bit of riding up
something is rolling down it!

Quoted message said:

I might recommend the other way round, but with bike fastened to
rucksack for the ascent. Or get the train up (not sure if they carry
bikes).

Nah - the appeal of it is riding up the thing - for a number of
reasons, the only attempt on Snowdon I've made this year saw us
getting stopped at the zig zags toward the top of the pyg track - it
was all sheet ice, and without crampons, we were buggered.

Quoted message said:

Or just don't bother and ride some of the other excellent trails in the
area - the one from Llanberis over towards the Beddgelert/Rhyd Ddu road
is a blast with some nice switchbacks on the descent, and fewer walkers
calling you a [censored]. Then there's the Marin trail at Llanrwst,
Llandegla at Llandegla (where else?) and Coed-y-Brenin. All of these
would be more fun than pushing up Yr Wyddfa!

They sound like it, and they'll be something I'll be looking into :-)

Quoted message said:

Whatever, enjoy.

Wheelist

Cheers for that, I'll certainly have a go (at enjoying myself!)

Peter

naked_draughtsman said:

Peter said:

I've walked / scrambled up Snowdon a fair few times, but I've never
bothered with the Llanberis Path - bit too pedestrian...

And usually a bit busy. I've walked down that way but can't remember
how long it took. It should be easily rideable (downhill anyway!) and
the only dodgy bit would be near the top where there's drops to the
side and it's quite narrow (watch out for the wind).

peter

That's the trouble with Snowdon is that it normally is crawling with
people at the weekends. I'm thinking a weekday for this gig. The top
by the station does get a bit blowy sometimes though!

Peter

David Martin said:

My favourite walking ascent from PyP is to go past Llyn Bach on the
west side of Crib Goch via an almost unused path (it is in one of the
Poucher guides) and then scramble up to the ridge - a grade 1 climb in
winter so not too hard.

I personally prefer from the PyP around Llyn Lydaw, over Y Lliwedd and
then to Snowdon from the back. Much quieter, and better views toward
the sea.

But riding that would be a complete impossibility.

P

David Martin said:

wheelist wrote:
<pedant>

Quoted message said:

I descended by the Miner's track: Wrong. Sooo wrong. (Unless you
actually enjoy carrying your bike).

Umm.. the 'Miners Track' is perfectly rideable but doesn't go to the
top of the mountain, just to the end of the lake. There is a path[1] up
from the Miners Track to the PyG track which then goes to the top.
</pedant>

Erm. Yep. But you knew what I meant. As I recall the actual Miner's Track itself was quite a nice ride, but it was a Pyg getting down to it. 🙂

Peter, I'm sure you'd manage the incline, I'm just not sure how long you can keep up the million rpm!

There's a bunch of links to Welsh cycling sites on my links page:

http://www.wheelism.co.uk/index.php?topic=20050405224734521

You may find some of these useful.

Cheers,

Steve

wheelist said:

Track itself was quite a nice ride, but it was a Pyg getting down to
it. 🙂

*groan*

🙂