Llanberis to Moel Eilio
(S)Follow the road up towards the youth hostel and turn right into Fron Gron, passing the Plas Garnedd Care Centre on the left. The road leads steeply uphill in places and becomes an unsurfaced track with views opening out, especially looking back towards Elidir Fawr whose scarred appearance from mining activities shows a very different face from this angle than from the Glyder ridge. When the mountain railway is running up Snowdon, trains are apparent from here making their way up and down - both seen and heard.
(1)Moel Eilio, the first and highest peak on the walk, is seen on the left but the path follows a course roughly north-west which appears to be going a little off course until, just before a gate, it switches sharply to the left in a more south-westerly/southerly direction and now it is seen ahead as the path steadily gains height, steeper in some places than others. When the gradient eases off, the broad grassy summit plateau is reached. After the height gain and effort involved, this is a suitable place to stop and take in the all-round views.
Moel Eilio to Moel Cynghorion
(2)Although a wooden stile over a fence appears to lead invitingly onwards, instead, remain this side of the fence and head downhill with the next peak on the horseshoe seen ahead, obviously much lower as height is now rapidly lost on descending the grassy fellside. The route passes over Foel Gron and Foel Goch - one of five mountains of the same name according to Terry Marsh's 1984 book about the summits of Snowdonia. It's the ever-changing views that absorb one's attention as following the route ahead requires little thought. Llyn Dwythwch appears in the cwm below to the left while the Glyderau and Carneddau form the background beyond. The Nantlle Ridge, the Hebog hills and Mynydd Mawr along with their lakes occupy the view to the right.
(3)A particularly steep slope leads down to the col before the third and final peak of the walk. At the col, a very good path leads down the valley to the left, a point the walk will return to a little later. A path leads up the spine of the last peak on the walk, Moel Cynghorion, before levelling out and following the long, broad and grassy top. It's not obvious which the highest point is and one of two points could be higher. Either way, it's the view towards Snowdon to the south which most catches the eye, while the view the other way reveals much of the horseshoe walk completed thus far.
Moel Cynghorion to Llanberis
(4)Ordinarily I would not suggest an out and back but it has its merits on this occasion to return to the col where an excellent path leads down the valley to re-join part of the outgoing route and so back to Llanberis. This seems preferable to trying to make one's own way down steep, pathless, grassy slopes and then to negotiate a wet and boggy area in the valley below to gain the same path leading back to the start point. The route back passes a few dilapidated barns and the Snowdon mountain railway is apparent with trains both seen and heard heading up and down near to the Llanberis route up Snowdon.(E)
