In your opinion, which route is better, especially for a first-timer? Advantages and disadvantages of each direction? No experience of the whole route necessary to express your view of course, but some knowledge what's involved & experience of it's parts would be nice. Thanks in advance 
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 My view is that it's better to finish on Foel Fras. Hitting Crib Goch at the end of 25+ miles isn't a good idea - you'll be tired, not concentrating, and it may well be dark. Best to start on Crib Goch as dawn breaks and tramp out over the Carneddau in the evening. There's no technicality at the end then, just steady walking on decent paths and tracks.
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.jpg) what he said.....
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Thanks for your responses. Mike, your point re Crib Goch is a good one and I have already considered that. However, towards Snowdon looks so much more interesting esp. if I incorporate Tryfan North ridge & Bristly. Probably a bit too much to ask for a 3000's first-timer, though? I must say that I don't much fancy the scree descent from Glyder Fach - STEEP! - but having not yet done Bristly, a downclimb of it on the 3000's is not really an option. I do plan a few-day reconnaisance trip inc. Bristly (and the whole Cwm Bochlwyd Horseshoe) in April though, but a downscramble is difficult I hear, not to mention time-consuming... Snowdon will be a far more familiar and convenient start. I can head up there from a local hotel before dawn via the Llanberis path. To begin at Foel Fras would be less straightforward, logistically speaking. I'm talking myself into a South to North hike now, aren't I? Thanks again.
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 Having done the W3s and planning to do it a couple of times this year in training for something else - pick a route you will enjoy and just go for it. There's far worse bits than down the scree at the side of Bristly.
It's a long day whatever way you go, even if you bivy up high. I prefer to start at Crib Goch to be honest.
Have fun whichever way you go.
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| Edited: 17/01/12 20:50 |
 Finishing on the Carneddau when tired can be navigationally challenging esp. if visibility drops. This needs baring in my mind as you don't want to go off route at that stage.
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 When I did it, I bivvy'd on Snowdon, then dropped excess gear in Nant Peris to collect later. (just hid stuff behind a wall)
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Been watching the posts for a while. Over the last 2 years out of 4 attempts have completed the Welsh 3000 twice, the 1st with another forum member in 14hrs 35m, the 2nd solo in 13hrs 55m both completions took in Castell Y Gwynt 16 peaks in total, actually thats a lie the 1st completion also took in Foel Goch (Oops). My preference is the official route starting Snowdon the one you supposedly need to take for recording times. Ialso agree with some of the posts in that it makes for an easier and safer finish. My goal is to hopefully complete it in 12hrs eventually and intend making at least one attempt in 2012. Even with some experience its easy to make mistakes which can cost you time and effort so will be out some time soon to traverse and refine navigation on one or more of the sections. If 10k Star or anyone else is interested in teaming up let me know.
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 If you are fit and experienced enough I suppose it doesn't matter too much. But based on my one failed attempt with a fairly inexperienced group I agree with Mike Peacock but also Weevil. We went up Crib Goch the evening before, bivyed on top of Snowdon and went down Crib Goch again the next morning. All went well until we got up on to the Carneddau when the mist came down and we indeed found navigation a challenge and some of our party were also starting to suffer at that point so we aborted. So in other words I'm glad we did it the way we did. I think it was better to be on the Carneddau with a tired party than Crib Goch, but we made the mistake of thinking that we were home and dry once we got up on to the Carneds. We weren't. There's still a long way to go, the peaks aren't so clear if it's misty and/or dark and after a certain point there are cliffs on the west so you have to commit to doing the whole ridge at a certain point.
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Thanks for your replies. Montrail, I may e mail you at some point. Looking to do on the June bank holiday weekend. Hoping to do a pre-3000s trip sometime in April, so who knows? Maybe we could meet up for a day then to see if we get along? I could certainly benefit from being in company with an experienced other, esp. in the Carneddau.
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| Edited: 21/01/12 17:11 |
 I've done it both ways. Snowdon to Foel Fras is has the advantage of being negiotiable in the dark as adequate knowledge of the Carneddau coupled with a GPS, map and compass should be enough to get you from from peak to peak and then follow the wall down to Bwlch y Ddeufaen (if that's where you're heading) even in a complete white out. Foel Fras starts well but culminates in the biggest climb of the day when legs have already done most of the work. It took me 3.5 hours to gain Crib Goch from the Llanberis Pass - normally it's just over an hour. As a result we just got off CG as the last of the daylight went. Unfortunately this meant that we had to drop on to the Pyg Track and regain height via the zig zags instead of climbing Crib y Ddysgl in the dark - which in my opinion would be very unwise especially when tired. Personally I loved going down the scree on Bristly, I hated going up it the other way round. Of course which ever you do there's there counter arguement on the lower slopes of Glyder Fawr. Which ever way you go for it, consider booking the bunkhouse at Gwastadnant. It's bang on course and provides an ideal location to collect/drop gear and refresh. If you go S-N, consider starting at Pen-y-Pas, gain crib Crib Goch, Carnedd Ugain, then Snowdon. Descend Llanberis Path to SH609559 and then follow Afon Cwm Glas Bach into Llanberis pass. You'll cut off a big corner and if you've booked the bunkhouse you can call in for breakfast. Good luck.
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Just another point - you don't have to downclimb Bristly Ridge or the screes when coming down off Glyder Fach. If you head east off the summit towards Llyn y Casg Fraith you can take a path that heads down to Bwlch Tryfan.
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