Walk 1 - Moel Siabod

2nd January.

Moel Siabod - 872m / 2860 ft

distance - 5.5 miles

time - 4 hours (with breaks)

Today I managed to get my new year resolution underway as intended. The weather forcast looked.... confusing to say the least. BBC weather gave good conditions, Met office and MWIS gave snow. With this in mind I decided upon a nice scramble up the ddaer ddu ridge on moel Siabod 'the podium of Snowdonia'.

We arrived at the carpark in pont Cyfyng (SH734571) and crossed the bridge over the rapids / waterfall which was impressive with all the fresh water it was recieving lately. However, today was for now looking good with clouds off the tops and patches of blue.

After crossing the bridge we took the steep rising road about 100m on the right up towards the farm. On the far side of the farm there is a style to cross then another one further up. After the second style we beared left into the cwm towards the Ddaer ddu ridge.

In the cwm there is plenty to see including the old Dinas mine workings. (below)

The steep sides of siabod also make a fairly impressive ampithetre with lakes and good views.

 

A fantastic little lake, I imagine its from a filled in mine shaft though I may be corrected.

Llyn y Foel and the view across to some of the smaller hills in the area.

The Ddaer ddu ridge itself is a fantastic ridge that you can make as easy or difficult as you like. There is a fairly simple path up or you can cut your own line for a bit of adventure. There is a feeling of real grandness, without the exposure of scrambles like bristly ridge or crib goch. The hardest part is probably just before it flattens out at the top.

We were in a fresh covering of snow with just a covering of ice on the rocks nearing the summit. All in all a good day, though cold and gale conditions on the summit.

me on the summit.

Daz on the summit (apparently it was a bit chilly)

A bit of snow on carnedd's

Tryfan poking its head out

The summit of snowdon hidden in the clouds but the twin peaks of y lliwedd  are visable.