Pass of Aberglaslyn & Craig-y-Llan

“Wales is a late riser.”

Me (2025)

For two years running, I have spent the first week of August in Snowdonia. That by no means makes me an expert on the weather here. But it is a big enough sample size to notice trends. One of them is that rain typically comes in the early morning and is gone by 10am. It does not seem to linger about and ruin the entire day. So seeing a run of rain symbols in the weather forecast with numbers like 100% next to them does not necessarily mean a wasted day. Despite an ever present assortment of clouds looming about, generally by lunch time or early afternoon, the sun is around and fairly winning the battle. In that respect, it is probably best to start a hike in the late morning or even after lunch to get the best weather, especially at the peaks. But unfortunately for me, I don’t have the patience for that. I want to be on the path no later than 8-9am. And that generally means spending part of the hike dealing with a grumpy Snowdonia which doesn’t want to get out of bed.

The day after my hike to Moel Siabod, the morning was particularly ornery with Snowdonia suffering from a bad hangover in the form of torrential rain and tree-bending wind; foul enough to convince me to postpone my hike. However, by 1130am, the rain had stopped and rays of reviving sunshine were appearing through the windows of my cottage. A day with a 100% rain forecast was suddenly a gem. I jumped from the couch, grabbed my backpack and headed out for what I thought would be an abbreviated hike.

“Beddgelert should appreciate that it is the only village from which the Pass of Aberglaslyn, one of the scenic wonders of Britain, can be reached by foot.”

Odd Corners in North Wales by William T. Palmer (1937)

The plan was to hike along the Glaslyn river which flows through Beddgelert and follow it as far as the Pont Aberglaslyn bridge, a little more than 2km south. There has been a bridge at that location since the mid-1600’s giving a view of a beloved natural landmark called the Pass of Aberglaslyn. Even as far back as 1833, writers were waxing poetic about it.

“The pass of Aberglaslyn is one of the most romantic mountain
scenes in Wales.  It is a subject of inexpressible grandeur,
and quite unique in character… The mountains embracing the little valley of Beddgelert, approaching still nearer to each other at the south
of the vale, contract the space below so much, as to afford room
for nothing more than the river and a narrow road, while the
rocks on each side rise with such perpendicularity, that the
interval between their summits scarce exceeds the distance of
their bases.  Here the traveller finds himself immured
within a chasm of rifted rocks for a length of about a mile, the
waters of the Glaslyn tumbling and foaming over ledges of broken
rock, and forming a succession of cascades…”

Scenes from North Wales by G.N.Wright (1833)

This was the scene that I set off to discover on a suddenly sunny early Monday afternoon. The Glaslyn was indeed tumbling and foaming and zipping along at a breakneck pace just a few feet from the path, boosted by the morning’s downpour.

All was well until about 1km into the hike when the path simply disappeared beneath the Glaslyn’s amber torrent leaving me no choice but to turn back. I would have to find another way to the bridge. And that meant climbing up.

Hike Details

Starting/Ending Point	Beddgelert
Distance	8.91 km
My Moving Time	2h 13m

It’s Not Just a Beer, It’s a Journey

One of the “mountains embracing the little valley of Beddgelert” is Craig-y-Llan which overlooks the village from the Southeast. Komoot shows the peak as Mynydd Sygyn, but all the texts that mention this small mountain by name refer to it as Craig-y-Llan.

“South of the village the Craig-y-Llan, whose farther end forms the precipice of the Aberglaslyn Pass, shoots up straight for half its height…”

In Praise of North Wales by A.G.Bradley (1925)

The top is a series of rocky outcrops sticking out above the marshy grass and heather.

At only 304m, the top sits well below cloud level giving a grand view in all directions.

The grass and heather that you see blanketing the ground looks plush and fun to frolic through, but the earth underneath is like a thick sponge which on the present day was saturated with the morning storm. The extra rainwater was taking the path of least resistance down the mountain, which incidentally was the footpath. As the route descended, the path became more and more marshy. But the glen that you traverse is undeniably charming.

Down in the floor of the glen, all hopes of escaping the beautiful landscape with dry feet were quickly dashed. It would kickoff a recurring theme that would last the rest of the week. Many paths in this neck of the woods run unapologetically through marshes. One should be well-prepared here for the feeling of your hiking boots sinking ankle deep into soft, wet muddy earth for long stretches at a time, including this ravine.

Finally emerging from the soupy basin, the trail dries off and follows an old mining cable car system.

The trail eventually comes right out at the Pont Aberglaslyn bridge. Here is the scene “shown on a thousand post card views.”¹ The Pass of Aberglaslyn.

“The pass and bridge of Aberglaslyn make one of Britain’s finest pictures, unique in its way.”

Odd Corners in North Wales by William T. Palmer (1927)

Judging from looking at photos of vintage postcards, the view of the cliffs and narrow road on the left which added to its charm is today more covered by trees and vegetation than it was a hundred years ago.

The second half of the hike is less interesting than the first, but there is one great viewpoint of Craig-y-Llan.

Looking carefully in the distance, it just may be that Yr Wyddfa has briefly lifted its cloud cap. Yr Wyddfa is the tallest mountain in England & Wales. (Scotland has several that are higher.)

To celebrate an unexpected and fantastic day which started with a stormy hopeless morning, I sipped a couple beers soaking in the soft rays of sunshine at an outdoor table at one of Beddgelert’s nice pubs, The Saracen’s Head.

Final Comments

Today, without the historical context of the Pass of Aberglaslyn, it may be regarded simply as a nice scenic spot to take a selfie or a quick snapshot without nary a second thought. Even in 1932’s In Search of Wales, author H.V.Morton laments “whether the young men and maidens who dash through the Pass of Aberglaslyn in motor-cars are as sentimental, or as credulous, as their grandparents I cannot say.” There was something about this scene that captured the imagination of Welsh and English alike. It was a setting that was often likened to an Alpine view transporting the eyewitness through sheer beauty to a small corner of the Swiss Alps with very little need for imagination. Car traffic for sure has led to the diminishing of its aura and mystique; “a horrible motor-brake from Llandudno snorted up, poisoning the atmosphere, and hopelessly spoiling the beauty and peace of the scene.” This experience was from 1927’s Holiday Rambles in North Wales by Arthur Bagley. Yet he still writes “Every time I see it, its loveliness surprises me, as though I had never before realised how lovely it is.” This is the Pass of Aberglaslyn, a timeless setting and pilgrim site from a throwback era of tramps, ramblers, and wanderers.

1. Rambles in North Wales by Roger A. Redfern (1968) ↩︎