Llwybr Ucheldir Eryri (Snowdonia Highland Trail)

• Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon: There is a voluntary restriction on mountain biking on the mountain from the 1st of May to the 30th of September between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. This is due to the popularity of the mountain with walkers and to avoid accidents between bikers and hikers. This isn’t the law or enforced in any way but is best for everyone and the longevity of biking on the mountain if stuck to, so start early or finish late when you are going up here. There is plenty of daylight during that period of the year, so you should have plenty of time.
• Best bike: There is some proper mountain biking in here, the main part being up and down Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon. You’ll want a hardtail here or at the very least some chunky tyres and the option to get your saddle down. 
• Time of year: I’d aim for somewhere between late May and September. It can be nice or horrific the weather here just about any day of the year. You’re heading into the mountains, so it goes without saying you’ll need plenty of warm layers and full waterproofs just in case. Think about what you might need to if someone gets hurt or you get a mechanical.
• The Framed Bicycle Co. in Llanberis is a friendly shop for repairs or supplies. For general camping and outdoor gear, there are great shops in Llanberis, Beddgelert, Capel Curig, and Betws Y Coed.
• Where to start? You could start the loop at just about any point. We planned to start in Llanberis to tackle Snowdon first, but with bad weather coming in that morning, we decided to start in Rhyd Ddu instead and finish with Snowdon. This worried us at first, tackling the hardest part right at the end. However, in the end, I think this was the best thing and felt like an amazing way to finish the weekend with one of the best descents in the country. It is designed to be ridden in an anti-clockwise direction; riding in the other direction would not be advised.
• Public transport: The route can be accessed by train at Betws Y Coed or alternatively Bangor, which has a much greater timetable of services, just a short pedal from Bethesda.
• Alternative route: If you would like to avoid the most serious off-road riding or the weather is particularly bad, there is an alternative well-surfaced bridleway between Llanberis and Rhyd Ddu through Bwlch Maesgwm. Find it by following the small road that goes past the Youth Hostel SW out of Llanberis.
• Practise your Welsh. Welsh is the first language around the mountains here, and the locals really appreciate any effort put in to speak the language. Start with “Bore da” for good morning and “Diolch” for thank you. Have a look online for pronunciation; it can be tricky for those new to the language.

• There are plenty of campsites, hostels, and other accommodation options along the route.
• I would recommend the basic Gwern Gof Uchaf campsite in the Ogwen. This sits right below my favourite mountain, Tryfan. There aren’t many campsites with such spectacular views.
• Wild camping is technically not legal in Wales. I would refrain from doing it on or near Yr Wyddfa.

• There are a number of shops, pubs, cafes, and good pizza stops along the route. Water is also fairly easy to come by, but carry at least a couple of bottles each.
• There are small grocery stores in Beddgelert, Dolwyddelan, Betws Y Coed, Bethesda, and Llanberis.
• Caffi Siabod in Capel Curig is a classic stop on any adventure around these mountains.
• Pizza at Hangin’ Pizzeria in Betws is well worth the stop! However, everyone else knows how good it is too, so be prepared for a little wait.
• Llanberis has a whole host of cafes, pubs, and restaurants to get you ready for the ride up Yr Wyddfa. If you have some extra time here or need some food before you head home, Y Fricsan (a 10-minute cycle off route) in Cwm Y Glo is absolutely the best spot around.

The route is a loop, so you can start and finish wherever you like. However, I’ve designed it to begin from near the village of Rhyd Ddu on the West side of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon). This gives you quite the mellow start, pottering along through Beddgelert forest and weaving around the old steam railway, before coming into the village of Beddgelert itself then climbing gently out along Nant Gwynant.

Once you pass Llyn Gwynant the route turns right and hikes up and over a small pass into the next valley. Here, you will have a spectacular view of the Snowdon Massif and the top of Yr Wyddfa that you will come to at the end of the trip. The trail from here drops down into Dolwyddelan, passing the Castle of the same name that was built in the 13th century by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, the ruler of the Kingdom of Gwynedd.

Once through the village, the trail climbs gently across the side of Moel Siabod before dropping sharply down a rocky track to Afon Llugwy. This is the start of a long section through the Gwydyr Forest. There are forest roads, lakes, and a whole load of singletrack from the Gwydyr Mawr trail mixed in. The section is broken in half by the village of Betws Y Coed, a good place to stock up on snacks, replace gear, or fill up on pizza before continuing through the forest.

You leave the Gwydyr Forest when you reach Llyn Crafnant. This is a lake in a secluded little valley that only has one way in and out by road. However, you can leave over the pass with a little hike-a-bike that treats you to a lovely flowing two kilometres or so of descent down into Capel Curig. Capel Curig sits at one end of Dyffryn Ogwen, which is, for me, the most spectacular valley in Wales. The trail and valley are squeezed in between the Glyderau mountains on your left and the Carneddau on your right. As you creep in further and further, the mountains roll in closer and reveal themselves more. The rocky ridge of Tryfan on your left is the most spectacular and my favourite of them all. The route through the valley follows the old road from the 1700s that came before Thomas Telford’s relatively modern A5 that sits on the opposite side of the river.

As you get to Bethesda and the end of Dyffryn Ogwen, the signs of past and present slate mining will become more and more present, continuing from here over through Dinorwig and onto Llanberis. This whole area is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site for the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales. I find the huge old workings and abandoned infrastructure fascinating and their appearance both beautiful and an ugly scar at the same time, whichever way I look at it. However, the scale of the operation where whole sections of mountain have been dug away is extraordinary, with the quarries in Penrhyn and Dinorwig at one point being the two largest in the world. You’ll see and feel their scale as you pass by.

From Llanberis, the trail follows the Llanberis Path to the summit of Yr Wyddfa. The ascent is about 50/50 riding and hiking by distance, so chill and enjoy the hike. From the summit, the trail goes back on itself a few hundred metres before crossing the railway and making the six-kilometre descent down the Ranger path. It is quite the ride, and you’ll understand why you pushed your bike so far up here.