view from Carn Llidi
The St Davids Walk
St Davids to Bangor
Full route details
Section 4 of 4
The Snowdon Horseshoe

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Days 19 - 24
Length of section: 78.9 Km in 6 days

Accommodation is fairly easy to book for these six days but there is an advantage in using a single base: if you get a terrible day's weather you can then have an off day. And it is likely that you will! Try the accommodation page for further advice. Beddgelert would be ideal as a  base.

You should note that parking is difficult in the busiest parts of Snowdonia. All the routes on this page start and finish close to parking areas but Pen y Gwryd and Ogwen Cottage rapidly become full at peak times. 

The route details for any of the 24 days may be quickly found by going to the route map page and clicking the right spot on one of the maps. Then use the browser's back arrow (top left if you are using Explorer) to return to the map page to locate further days' route details.

Rights of Way

Virtually all the route described below lies on legal or permissive rights of way (the few bits that don't, cross open moorland where there is Right to Roam). This means that no one can legally stop you from following the route although you could meet temporary diversions.
As you may already know from bitter experience, not all rights of way shown on the map can be easily followed. Some parts of the pre-2010 route have become densely vegetated, bridges are broken down and farmers have placed illegal barbed wire to prevent cattle from straying.
After re-walking the whole route in 2010, I have therefore extensively revised the route details in the light of changing circumstances. The entire route described below can be followed at present (January 2011) and where there are special difficulties they are mentioned in the accompanying notes.
There will be places where an inviting looking right of way shown on the map appears to offer a better way than the one suggested. Tigers will probably succeed but try them at your own risk.
If you are successful, or if you have any other comments to make, please email me, Michael Slaney, by clicking here


Day 19 - Llyn Cwm Bychan to Trawsfynydd village
distance from St David's: 332.9 Km 

start at Llyn Cwm Bychan SH
645
315
path 1.6 Roman Steps 653
303
path 1.7 Gate into wood 666
297
path 0.6 Waterfall 672
297
retrace steps 0.2 meet forest road 670
298
follow road N 1.7 path on left 676
312
path 0.1 Hafod-Gynfal 676
313
path 0.2 Stile 656
315
only traces of path 2.3 Wern fach 682 333
track 0.7 road 687 335
road 2.6 Trawsfynydd foot bridge 702 348
foot bridge, path 1.0 Trawsfynydd village 708 357
This day differs from the pre-2010 website and has been changed to include the famous so-called "Roman Steps".  Take care when entering the forest. The gate at 888297 is well south of the green line on the map but is reached by follow-ing the actial path on the ground.  The route then visits a waterfall, explores Coed y Brenin and passes a fascinating ruined farm at Hafod-Gynfal. There used to be a serious problem here but it has been corrected by the efforts of Gwynedd CC and the Forestry Commission.
The scenery here is top class.
On reaching the village of Trawsfynydd do not miss the memorial to Hedd Wyn and ask someone to explain the story to you.

total for day 12.7 Km
distance from St David's 345.6 Km 


Day 20 - Trawsfynydd village to Oakeley Arms
distance from St David's 345.6 Km

start at Trawsfynydd village SH
708
357
road 0.8 A470 turn left 708
361
A470 North** 0.8 track on right 709
373
path/track 3.9 near Roman fort 708
389
bridleway 1.8 crossing A470 705
404
bridleway 1.1 Cynfal waterfall 706
412
path S of river 1.0 footbridge 697
415
cross bridge 0.2 left fork 698
416
path 0.7 left at intersection 691
417
path 1.2 B4391. then quickly left, right, left 607
416
pleasant lane 2.8 A487 663
410
A487 west 0.2 Oakeley Arms 681
410
 ** Here, if you are tired or if the weather is bad, you can shorten the day substantially by using a Gwynedd CC Lon Las. If you walk on the left side of the A470 you will find yourself on a fine cycle track which turns left off the road at 709372 This goes easily to Maentwrog, only a few yards from the Oakeley Arms.
But the way shown is better. The country near the Roman Fort on the famous Roman road Sarn Helen, is invigorating but the best point on the walk is the little-known Cynfal waterfall, remote and beautiful - once quite a famous tourist spot.
.

total for day 14.5 Km
distance from St David's 360.1 Km 


Day 21 - Oakeley Arms to Beddgelert 
distance from St David's 360.1 Km

Start at Oakley Arms SH
681 410
road (B4410) 1.0 Llyn Mair. far end 665 412
path uphill,left 1.1 Railway station 651
414
cross bridge, follow path 0.1 minor road 649
416
minor road 4.2 Croesor (Coffee!) 631 447
path on old road 2.6 Bwlchgwernog 611 452
minor road 2.0 through Nantmor to A4085 598 461
A4085 west 0.1 Aberglaslyn carpark on right 597 461
path  from top left of park 2.4 railway bridge on left - do not cross it 592 474
path, E side of river 0.7 footbridge on left - cross it 592 481
quiet road 0.2 Beddgelert bridge 590
481
You are now approaching the major mountains of Wales and today offers splendid views with little effort.The Welsh Highland Railway has now prevented walkers from passing through the old tunnel at Pont Aberglaslyn but a fine path exists between the tunnel and the river - quite exciting if there has been a lot of rain.
There is a delightful, new coffee shop and gallery at Croesor and a brilliant spot for lunch by a stream at 624452,  half an hour after Croesor 

total for day 14.4 Km
distance from St David's 374.5 Km 


Day 22 - Beddgelert to Pen-y-Gwryd
distance from St David's  374.5 Km

start at Beddgelert bridge SH
590
481
quiet road 0.2 footbridge -cross it and turn left 592 481
road/path 0.4 minor road - turn right 594 484
minor road 1.4 turn left approaching Sygun mine 604 489
path 3.0 past Llyndy Isaf 627 502
minor road, then A498 right 0.7 'white road' left 627 506
'white road'** 1.0 Hafod-y-llan 629 513
track 0.7 path nr Llyn Gwynant 635 515
path 1.0 right fork 641
520
path 3.0 electricity works 654 541
track 2.1 layby nr Pen-y-Gwryd 660 557
** The route given here offers agreeable, easy walking, ideal when the cloud base is low. If conditions are better, however, and you don't need an easy day, you will probably want to walk over Snowdon, or at least over Lliwedd. There are three well-known routes, all of which start by forking left onto the Watkin Path at 627510 off this white road. You will then finish at Pen y Pass. At Pen-y-Pass, do not walk down to the Pen-y-Gwrhyd. Finish the day at Pen-y-Pass (see the accommodation page) and on day 23 walk the modified start (see the next days detailed notes)
A very easy and attractive day. At about 641520 be sure to keep right or you will miss the splendid rocky point overlooking Llyn Gwynant where you can have lunch.

total for day 13,5 Km
distance from St David's 388.0 Km 


Day 23 - Pen-y-Gwryd to Ogwen Cottage
distance from St David's 388,0 Km

start at lay-by near Pen-y-Gwryd hotel SH
660 557
road (A498/A4086) 0.4 start of miners' track 661 559
path 2.3 fork. keep right ** 668
580
path 0.4 end of Glyder ridge - descend right 667 583
path 1.0 Bwlch Tryfan 662 588
path 1.1 cross stream from L Bochlwyd, E to W 656
594
path, steeply down (stream on your R) 1.2 Ogwen Cottage car park 649 604
If you finished day 22 at Pen-y-Pass, you will not need to go down to Pen-y-Gwryd to start your day but will climb gently from the Hostel , leaving Llyn Cwmffynnon on your left and contouring round to join this route at about 662567.
As on day 22, the route given here is ideal for low cloud. If the cloud is higher you will enjoy the wonderful view back to Crib Goch, one of the finest in Wales.  
**If you wish you can continue easily to the top of Glyder Fach 656 683 and cross the roughest mountain terrainy in Wales to Glyder Fawr 643 579, descending to the right of Llyn y Cwn and, leaving the high plateau at 639 587, walking past Llyn Idwal (either side) to Ogwen Cottage

total for day 6.4 Km
distance from St David's 394.4 Km 


Day 24 - Ogwen Cottage to Bangor Cathedral
distance from St David's 394.4 Km 

start at Ogwen Cottage car park SH
649 604
minor road 4.3 cycle track start left 630
637
cycle track/quarry track 2.1 Ogwen Bank 626
654
cycle track/quarry track 1.8 open area - bear right 615
663
short link to road 0.2 meet B4409, turn left 623 656
road (B4409) 2.1 Tregarth pub 605 679
road (B4409) 0.5 start of cycle track 601 680
cycle track 4.1 road nr Tyddyn-mynyddig 587 707
minor roads 1.5 path nr water co. site 581 716
path 0.5 Bangor 581 718
small town roads 0.3 Bangor cathedral 581 721
This is a much more interesting day than it appears on the map. Until 2.3 k from Bangor, it follows the County Council's Lon Las Ogwen, a general purpose track for cycling or walking. There is some fascinating quarry scenery and at Ogwen Bank it is possible to scramble up a slate bank and see a huge. man-made hole with a lake in it. Here the OS map has no contours because the map makers presumably believed they would not be "fixed in stone" (the only joke on his website site and not a very good one)
There is a fine field for lunch at 613672, 0.8k after joining the B4409, a very quiet road.
The route finishes neatly arriving in Bangor without using any roads until you are only 100 metres from the Cathedral.

total for day 24.4 Km 
distance from St David's 418.8 Km


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