Cnicht - the Welsh Matterhorn

Cnicht...

May 2000

...despite its inferior 2265', is known as the "Welsh Matterhorn" - so we had to have a look...

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The walk starts in the village of Croesor, above Porthmadog, and climbs via a long ridge to the rocky summit of Cnicht. The final stretch (though hardly a Matterhorn, or even a Crib Goch) requires care, and the use of hands as well as feet. From the shapely summit, there are extensive views of the Snowdonian mountains and the Traeth mawr estuary, plus fine prospect of Moelwyn Mawr. Some (precious few!) climbs are so interesting, you don't notice the effort - this is one!

We lunched at the summit, in the company of a (more cautious than most) seagull, who seemed anxious to share our lunch. "Must be a Sandwich Tern", Tim commented.

From the peak, we traversed the head of Cwm Croesor to the derelict but photogenic slate working at Rhosydd, at the top of Cwm Orthin. We spent a little time here, but the clouds were gathering, so we took the path over to Croesor mine. Just time here for a quick snap of the old winding house at the head of the incline, looking back across to Cnicht, before the rain began...

...so we marched quickly back down the mine road to Croesor village and the car. It was about this point I realised that, despite the many photographs I had taken, not one was of Cnicht itself! "We'll have to come again", said Tim. Perhaps we might - it had been an excellent walk, despite the final shower.

Books and Maps:-

This is a slightly awkward walk - most of it (the interesting bit) is on OL17. However, a tiny bit, including Croesor village, is on the next map to the south (OL18). The same is true of the 1:50,000 maps - mostly on 115...

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