As we had some fine weather descend on us for the Bank Holiday weekend, I treated myself to a great dose of the fresh air fix. Starting and finishing in Capel Curig I made a clockwise loop of Moel Siabod. I've done this one about 5 times previously so I know what is to be expected, big views and hike a bike!
Some pics and a film to follow...

Moel Siabod from the start
20190825_154009 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

This one is better for steep hike a bike
20190825_162719 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Dolwyddelan castle, 13th century
20190825_171829 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

And the summit still looping over me
20190825_172024 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190825_180618 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

After riding/walking the shoreline, it was then an extremely steep hike a bike
20190825_190030 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

The top of the push and some fine views on show, and that's where I bivvied..
20190825_195308 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

A fine bedroom
20190825_200629 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Snowdon horseshoe
20190825_200750 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190825_202640 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

I bought myself a Robens wood burner for £21 from Cotswold
20190825_205822 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Not the best picture but the night sky was phenomenal
20190825_220849 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Pre sunrise view
20190826_053947 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190826_054058 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Brew time
20190826_055144 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Plenty of dew on the bag and around the vegetation
20190826_062708 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Then onwards on upwards to the summit of Siabod...
20190826_080533 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

...and the views were mint, the reason I go bikepacking!
20190826_084223 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190826_085345 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190826_085357 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

20190826_085619 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

2nd breakfast time
20190826_090205 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Then a gnarly descent down to the van near Plas y Brennin, BOOM
20190826_094323 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

Good work Jeff ... especially two breakfasts

Nice ride pal. I do like siabod. I camped right on summit few yrs ago.

Cheers guys

Mike wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 7:24 pm Nice ride pal. I do like siabod. I camped right on summit few yrs ago.

That was my plan but with the heat I resorted to plan B. Still got up there in da morning though. Cracking views today.

That looks fab.

Yep, really really annoyingly (from here) good fun that looked . One of these days though you'll do a caper reminding us that Snowdonia also has the second wettest UK record too

RIP wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 8:45 pm One of these days though you'll do a caper reminding us that Snowdonia also has the second wettest UK record too

Luckily as its my back garden I can pick to go out on the good days, I'll leave the crap one's for the tourists

nice ride... but i don't seem to be able to find any legal way to cycle up ? Any chance you could share your route?

Cheers!

NorwayCalling wrote: ↑Mon Aug 26, 2019 10:38 pm nice ride... but i don't seem to be able to find any legal way to cycle up ? Any chance you could share your route?

Cheers!

Yeah, that's correct. As it's Snowdonia there not much in the way of bridleways. Its also not legal to wildcamp either.....

The route was was clockwise from Capel to Dolwyddelan via the bridleway through the forestry. Then the old highway past the castle to the country lane. Just before the old chapel in Blaenau Dolwyddelan I rurned right on thecfireroad to Llyn Diwaunydd. Followed the eastern shoreline then up the gruelling Bwlch Rhiw y Ychan. I bivvied at the small outcrop at 548metres. In morning I ascended to Siabod following the fence. Then descended the main track to Capel. The main track was in a very back way, erosion wise compared to a few years back. I don't think I'll come down that way any time soon.
Hope that helped....

Some great photos there Jeff

Diolch

Been a while since i went up there [ back when it was also my backyard and the Ogwyn Valley was the view from my door

Shhh dont tell everyone but I was a roadie back then and did a grand total of no miles off road in 5 years

Cracking photos

Again thanks for the positive vibes regarding the pics, however I must admit that I was lucky with the weather and my kids could have taken the pics, the weather and scenery make it

I've got some good video footage so fingers crossed the film is just as good...

Yes mate!! Looks brilliant. Can't wait for the movie film.

Wow! Just wow. That's about all I have to add really.

Thanks for the route update, I am in Snowdonia next month, so may give the route a go.

NorwayCalling wrote: ↑Tue Aug 27, 2019 11:20 pm Thanks for the route update, I am in Snowdonia next month, so may give the route a go.

There's much better routes tbh...

My ride report on the fat bike site:
https://fat-bike.com/2019/09/fat-bike-above-the-clouds/

And the video:
https://youtu.be/W_FpPYy_1yE

Great photos and video Jeff... the inversions looked stunning.. bike looked about perfect for the ride too

99percentchimp wrote: ↑Tue Sep 03, 2019 5:53 pm Great photos and video Jeff... the inversions looked stunning.. bike looked about perfect for the ride too

Thanks Mark, and yep the bike was perfect for this one!

I couldn't find the "Today's Walk" thread, but this one might be even better... and we all like a good thread resurrection, don't we?

So yesterday (was it really only yesterday?!?!) me and mates walked up Moel Siabod, and it was brilliant. As you do, as I was walking along I was eying up potential bivvy spots and rideable tracks, and thought to myself "I bet that's been done" - and of course it has

One the way down I found one of those deluxe slate bivvy spots complete with fireplace that you are so fond of Jeff

2021-11-22_07-59-30 by Verena Zimmer, on Flickr

I'm assuming they are quite common in that area?

Verena wrote: ↑Mon Nov 22, 2021 9:10 pm One the way down I found one of those deluxe slate bivvy spots complete with fireplace that you are so fond of Jeff.....
I'm assuming they are quite common in that area?

I suppose they are. I take it with folk working and possibly living up at the quarries for a time, they had to make a brew and get dry. Reg may shed (no pun intended) some light on this?

And yes it's good to see a resurrection

Depending on its location, might well be a quarrymen's 'caban'. Nominally, as you say Jeff, they were places for the workers to have a food/drink break. But they were also far more than that - places for intense political discussions, mutual improvement, singing, etc. Difficult to comprehend perhaps to our grab-and-go generations.

'Victorian Slate Mining' by Ivor Wynne Jones is what you need. There's some amazing photographs but the main focus is on the day to day lives of quarrymen and their families.

Well, all seven of us were pretty wowed by the slate buildings and the old quarry as we came down the hill....