THE FOOTNOTES
Every print from Marking The Wild comes with its own trail story, this is yours.
Here you’ll find sketches, route details, reflections from the walk, and a few extra notes I couldn’t quite fit on paper.
Think of it as a companion to the artwork; a small way to step into the moment with me, and maybe take the journey for yourself.
Yr Wyddfa: Where the Mountain Decides
No matter which of the many paths you chose to take up Yr Wyddfa the mountain doesn’t greet you so much as size you up. Even from the valley, there’s a sense that the mountain is already making decisions about the day long before you start walking. Clouds gather and disperse in quick negotiation, wind changes direction without warning, and light comes and goes as if someone is adjusting a dimmer switch somewhere above the ridge.
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It’s a mountain that asks you to pay attention. Every few minutes the mood shifts. Yr Wyddfa carries weather like a second skin, and it never stops moving. What makes the experience so striking isn’t just the scale, but the contrast. One moment the world is huge and wide and luminous, every ridge standing clear in the distance; the next you’re inside a cloud, wrapped in a soft, humming grey where sound changes shape. Yr Wyddfa gives you a series of shifting moments and lets you find the thread.
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Pika (the dog) and I were lucky enough to experience a little bit of everything. There were moments in climbing we were sure we wouldn’t see a thing at the top, but like magic, as soon as we arrived at the long queue at the trig point, the clouds disappeared.
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Yr Wyddfa rarely offers the same thing twice. Sometimes it’s a clear, astonishing sweep of lakes and ridges, sunlight pooling in the valleys. Sometimes it’s just a suggestion of a view, shapes half-visible in the thinning cloud. And sometimes it’s a complete white-out where the only thing you can see is the stone under your hands. Somehow, all three versions feel equally true to the mountain.
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Yr Wyddfa isn’t a backdrop. It’s the main character, and you’re just passing through.
Waypoints Through The Wild
Note: This route requires some public transport between the end and the start. Trains and Buses are available - check timetables.
Start: Begin at Rhyd Ddu station car park and head toward the mountain, first crossing the train tracks then following the clear Rhyd Ddu path. This scenery changes to a more rugged environment underfoot, passing through and over natural stone monuments and rough pebble walkways. Excellent views of the summit accompany you as the make the long steady climb veering left, but eventually turning right through some gates and onto the Llechog ridge.
After a zig-zag climb you swiftly turn onto Clawdd Coch for a sometimes hair-raising journey with steep drops either side (although I wouldn't be put off as even we managed it by taking out time). Before you know it, one more short steep climb and you’re greeted by the Yr Wyddfa Summit Station and Visitors Centre (complete with cafe). You’ll also likely see long queues forming for the elevated trig point, and whilst this can seem like a hassle I really wouldn’t miss out, it would be a shame to get this far and not touch the top. So be patient.
On the descent, follow the railway tracks making sure to cover your head as a steam train passes (we got showered with soot). At the four-way fork (Snowdon Ranger, Llanberries Path, Crib Goch and Pygg Track) take the Snowdon Ranger on the left, crossing the railway line with care. Follow the clear route down passing Llyn-Ffynnon-y-gwas water, several brooks and a sharp zig-zag before passing Snowdon Ranger Station.
Finish: We continued across the road, through the car park and into a small wildlife area on the shore of Llyn Cwellyn where we rested and admired the views across the water. Finally we took one of the many busses (dog friendly) a couple stops back down to Rhyd Ddu station and the car.
Sense The Scene
See: cloud sweeping across ridges, sudden clearings, the serrated lines of neighbouring peaks, the long arc of Llanberis below.
Hear: wind accelerating around exposed stone, distant calls from other walkers, the approaching ‘chuff-chuff’ beat of the mountain railway.
Smell: cold, wet rock, upland air carrying hints of moss and rain, metallic scent of weather rolling in, burning coal from the steam train.
Feel: gritty stone monuments, slick rock in mist, cold metal top of the summit trig point, warmth returning on the descent.
Taste: cool moisture from clouds on your lips, the mineral sharpness of high air, the many snacks you need to take with you.
Practical Parts
Parking: We parked at Rhyd-Ddu Station Car Park (pay and display).
Facilities: Toilets in the start/end car park, toilets, cafe and visitor centre at the summit.
Hazards: Rapid weather changes and sudden fog, strong winds on exposed sections near the summit ,slippery rock after rain, crowded summit and some paths in peak seasons, navigation challenges in low visibility, bring map/compass and don’t rely on crowds who can take wrong turns.
Have you been here? What's Your Story
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