Detour #362: Secret Snowdonia, Wales

The impact of Snowdonia’s popularity has led to soul searching, congestion and car clamping, but, if you know where to take a turn off the beaten track, contemplative touring can still be had.

If you know, you know, and lucky for you, I do. As a frequent visitor to Eryri, or Snowdonia, I’ve witnessed it become a victim of its own beauty in recent years. Almost four million people visit annually, and around 98% of those arrive by car. Problems parking at beauty spots, tailbacks through itsy-bitsy towns and camper vans causing chaos; the headlines about the hordes are disheartening. Don’t let them put you off. There are still lonely roads to be driven, if you know where to turn off.

One of my favourites is a half-marathon stretch from Lake Bala to the village of Bronaber. A skinny route with wide open vistas, it necessitates the need to slow down. Not least because farmers’ gates interrupt progress. Their practical purpose is to prevent sheep from escaping – follow the countryside code and leave them closed as you found them – and see it as a silver lining rather than inconvenience. Stopping and hopping out at semi-regular intervals means you really do take time to admire the scenery en route. It's about an hour from dot to dot, if you factor in photo stops too.

Setting a course through the Arenig mountains, the driving is gentle and more often than not, uninterrupted. Save, for the four-legged fluffy locals. This is their patch, so watch out, they like to meander in and out of the road. My recommendation is to travel in a westerly direction, leaving Lake Bala via the A494 and following a sign towards Trawsfynydd. Continue on for a gradual climb, framed first by bracken and then by trees, eventually opening up to signature Snowdonia views. Don’t look at a map, ponder which of the peaks it is you can see in the distance. 

Undulating and increasingly curvaceous, this lesser-known route is easy going. Reaching a summit and further solitude via a series of mellow zigs and zags, you’ll cross suspension-rattling cattle grids and rivers on this 13-mile jaunt. Pause at the stone bridge that arches prettily over the peaty Afon Gain for a picturesque pic. Take the right turn here, and follow the water’s course. Yes, you’ll reach a dead end, but its lonesome views warrant the detour. Turn round and enjoy the last ten minutes before rejoining the Eryri rat race at the A470 junction. For a traditional petrol station experience, circle back to Bala. Located at the western end of the high street, Gulf has been there for over forty years and continues to offer kerbside attended service. Pull up, let someone else do the pumping, pay, and then proceed to your route.

Words & Photography Charlotte Vowden Instagram

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ROADBOOK

CLASS: Steady and scenic

NAME: Secret SNowdonia

ROUTE: Lake Bala to Bronaber

COUNTRY: Wales

Distance: 23 Miles

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