The big hike 2025

[garynortheast]

Pictures from the big hike this year on 23/24/25 July. Three of us hoomans with two canine hikers went. Sioned caught the train from Coventry, Mabel and I joined her on the train at Welshpool, and we were supposed to meet Teri and Patch in Harlech. Teri, however got the dates wrong and arrived a day early! We ended up meeting at our first wildcamp site at which Teri had spent the previous night. Aside from that little hitch, everything else went as planned and we even had good weather. The rain held off until we arrived in y Bermo.

Day 1

Off the train in Harlech and past the castle ready to tackle the "Steepest Street in Britain".



On the way up and away from Harlech. The evening view back towards Pen Llŷn.



The view ahead. We're heading into those mountains.



We passed this interesting looking house on the way to the first wildcamp. A bit Sleepy Hollow! It's called Gerddi Bluog and was at one stage a Youth Hostel.



Day 2

Llyn Cwm Bychan from the Roman Steps end of the llyn.



Looking back towards Cwm Bychan from the approach to Roman Steps.



Looking back from the top of Roman Steps (not Roman at all, but a medieval packhorse trail leading from Chester to Harlech castle)



Looking south west from the same spot.



Heading through the nature reserve between the top of Roman Steps and the forest at Ffridd Maesgwyn.



Forest, mountains, hikers, and hounds....



Out of the forest and on into Bwlch Drws Ardudwy, the valley which runs between Rhinog Fawr and Rhinog Fach. Sioned leading the way...





Up around the side of Rhinog Fach now. Llyn Hosan is the small lake at the bottom, Rhinog Fawr is the mountain behind it. Teri is toiling his way up just below me.



Sioned just about to take pictures on the way up the climb to Llyn Hywel, while Mabel makes the most of the chance to rest!



Made it to the top of the climb to Llyn Hywel. The ridge along the back is the one we're going up and along to get onto y Llethr, which is the big crag to the right of the lake.



Here's y Llethr, leading to the right onto Crib y Rhiw, the ridge we camped on at the end of that day.



A scramble over the boulders at the end of the lake to gain access to the track leading onto the ridge footpath to y Llethr.



On the ridge heading for the summit.



The last 800ft to the summit are a bit of a scramble on loose, soft stone, and so steep that the path has to tack left and right across the mountainside. The views though are staggering. Llyn Hywel, with Rhinog Fawr at the back and Rhinog Fach in front.



Sioned and Mabel were first to reach the top of y Llethr. The grassy top and the wall give no clue as to the effort needed to get there!



A half mile walk along from the summit of y Llethr and onto our second night's wildcamp on Crib y Rhiw



The view north east from the campsite that evening.



Tents up and dinner and a pot of tea on the go. We were at 2200ft there, so sleeping bag liners went in and the warm kit for overnight was worn!



Day 3. Sioned and Eleri's 23rd birthdays. Sadly Eleri couldn't make it up here for this year.

Not such a great view the next morning as the fog came and went from the west.



On along Crib y Rhiw for a rocky, up and down mile to our last proper summit on Diffwys before we start the gradual descent south west to y Bermo.



The trig point on Diffwys. We had another 4 hours of walking to get down to y Bermo from this point.



Heading down the Cambrian way. Just an hour and a half from y Bermo and running on reserve by this stage. Looking forward to some food at Davy Jones locker.



We're already planning next years hike!

[Sir Trev]

Epic pics and a great storyline Gary.

[garynortheast]

Thanks Trevor. This is the sixth time I've done this route and it never feels less than a serious adventure.

[admin]

Looks like you had a great time. Weather held up too.

[garynortheast]

We had a fab time thanks John. It's a really challenging hike, but so worth doing. It was the hardest walk Sioned has ever done but she absolutely smashed it, and loved every minute of it. I'm so proud of both of my girls for having done this hike over the last three years.

We were just so fortunate with the weather this year too.

[Luckypants]

Brilliant story.

Day 3. Sioned and Eleri's 23rd birthdays. Sadly Eleri couldn't make it up here for this year.

I didn't realise they were twins!

[garynortheast]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Brilliant story.

I didn't realise they were twins!

They are indeed Mike, even though they don't look like they're from the same family!

[Ruffy]

That looks like it was very good!

[DarrenSV650S]

Looks amazing. What an experience.

How cold did it get at 2200ft overnight?

[garynortheast]

Originally Posted by DarrenSV650S

Looks amazing. What an experience.

How cold did it get at 2200ft overnight?

I think it was down to around 8°C Darren. Nowhere near as cold as last years hike, when it went down to 4°C in the same spot in the middle of June.