The Carneddau mountains in North Wales are my favourite winter hiking spot. They are the most Northerly of Snowdonia National Park's mountain ranges and cover around 200 square kilometres (10%) of Snowdonia with seven of the highest fifteen peaks in Wales and amazing views over the island of Anglesey, Menai Strait and the Irish Sea.
My favourite place to start is the coastal village of Llanfairfechan. There is good parking and you can access the hills easily with an immediate steep hike South.
Looking back at a frozen Llanfairfechan with Puffin island in the distance.
There are wild ponies living on the Carneddau and here you can usually see them roaming the tops overlooking the coast. In 2012, a study on their DNA found them to be a unique species of pony, having been isolated for several hundred years.
They are hardy creatures, perfectly adapted for a life being battered by coastal winds. However, the following year in 2013, during unusually heavy Spring snowfall, their numbers were reduced dramatically. With the animals facing possible extinction, local farmers headed into the hills and rescued the remaining ponies that had become stuck in snow drifts.
Enough of the breeding pairs were saved in order for them to maintain their status and they are thriving lately with new foals spotted on my last visit.
These majestic beasts are precious to this landscape and to lose them for good would be devastating.
The grassy slopes of the Carneddau offer a different option to the usual ruggedness of the park making it a popular destination in the Winter with little fears of falling down any snow covered gullies or ravines. The coastal weather keeps the snow to a hike-able depth and some good icy adventures can be found.
As the coastal view fades and you gain altitude, everything appears more white and the hoar froast begins to form around fences and trees.
Strangely, it extends into the strong wind by collecting ice particles blown against it.
From the top of this trail you can access the peaks of Drum, Foel-Fras and Llwytmor. There is a summit shelter on Drum (pronounced 'Drim') in the form of a bunch of rocks piled up to form a wind break, there is no roof but this is a much needed opportunity to get out of the wind and make a hot drink or get something to eat.
Nestled into the summit shelter. Cosy!
There are two airplane wreckages close to here; one on Foel-Fras and one on Llywtmor.
Between 1940 and 1969 there were no less than twenty-one aircraft crashes on the Carneddau. Low cloud and icy conditions can make the summits a death trap for pilots flying too low. The wreckage of all the crashes can still be seen today with pieces of the airplanes often too big to be removed from the mountains. The Carnedd's are like one big airplane graveyard.
Not long ago, I wrote about discovering one of these crash sites. You can have a read here:
https://steemit.com/adventure/@x-53degreesnorth/the-search-for-flight-wk129
You can also read about all of the incidents and many more here:
https://www.peakdistrictaircrashes.co.uk/tag/carneddau/
The summit of Foel-Fras, the eleventh highest peak in Wales, is marked with a triangulation pillar. This must be one of the most weather beaten trig. pillars in the whole of the UK and I almost feel a bit sorry for it in the winter!
From here you can continue along the tops towards some of the ranges bigger peaks or, as I like to do when beginning from the coast, is to double-back, tick-off Llywtmor and head back down towards the sea.
Llwytmor (pronounced clu-it-mor) is often neglected by hikers up and around this route as it appears as a small and boring looking green lump, surrounded my more attractive and intimidating looking peaks.
However, it isn't until you get to its peak that a rugged landscape, not common with the Carnedd's, opens up. Here are some shots playing on the boulders just before the snow and ice hit.
The descent from the peaks takes you past a reservoir, and along the old Roman road that travels across the landscape. The Roman road is fascinating as it is littered with standing and inscribed stones; ancient signposts all that visibly remains from an empire long gone. I would like to purchase a metal-detector and do some exploring around here although I am not sure about the rules about treasure hunting in a national park.
Slowly thawing as you descend closer to the sea, the ponies will begin to appear again along the trail. This one, Rusty as I like to call him, did not like humans or red berry energy bars!
The Roman road heads back down towards Llanfairfechan and past some old sheep folds that were used centuries ago by the shepherds of the mountains. With little to no fences back in the day, each paddock would be assigned to a different shepherd or landowner to keep their animals separate from the others.
Remains of an old sheepfold.
The village soon comes back into view, a bit more green looking than when we first set off.
The circular from the coast accumulates almost 4300ft of elevation taking in the three peaks. I really do love the route in the winter and can't wait to get out there in the following months.
Let me know where your favourite winter locations are. Brrrr!
Thanks for stopping by!
