Moel Siabod, pronounced “Moil Shabod”, sits alone just above the village of Dolwyddelan in the Eryri National Park (Snowdonia). At 872m high, it’s an imposing sight as the main path winds up out of the trees. At first glance, hiking up it can seem a daunting task. This 9.4km route will lead you up the grade 1 Daear Ddu ridge onto the summit before heading down the crest of the mountain. It also includes two fabulous wild swimming spots.
Moel Siabod start point and parking location
To start the hike up Moel Siabod, park your car in either the free roadside parking just outside Capel Curig or in the car park next to Bryn Glo holiday home.
How difficult is the walk up Moel Siabod?
Moel Siabod isn’t too difficult if you’re a regular hiker and used to the hills. The incline is gradual for the first section to the start of the ridge and the paths are well maintained. The ridge is a grade 1 scramble which means you may need to steady yourself with your hands at times. There isn’t an obvious path along the ridge but there aren’t any technical moves either. If you have done other grade 1 scrambles such as Helvellyn or Sharpe Edge, then this will feel much easier.
How long is the hike up Moel Siabod?
Expect this route to take around 4 hours to complete however this doesn’t take into account rest stops. There are also a couple of wild swimming spots on Moel Siabod so add this onto your total time too.
The Daear Ddu Ridge hiking route and map
Moel Siabod route on OS Map App – download it here.
1: Parking at either the roadside layby outside of Capel Curig or larger parking area next to Bryn Glo holiday home
Following the road alongside the river, turn left over the bridge that crosses the river and follow the road. As soon as you reach the few houses of Pont Cyfyng, cut up the track on the right. This will take you through the woodland.
The first section is a steep shock but it’s over with quickly and then it’s a nice gradual incline for the rest of the way. The path takes an obvious left turn with some PRIVATE KEEP OUT signs you can’t miss. Eventually, you’ll make your way out of the tree line and see Moel Siabod for the first time.
It really is a beautiful mountain – rocky outcrops burst out from the side of the mountain and she stands so tall, dominating the surrounding view.
2: Lower reservoir/lake – perfect swim spot!
Follow the obvious path over a stile and keep left when the path splits. You’ll quickly reach the lower reservoir, which I confused to be a lake at first. The quarry workings are visible above and that’s where the path leads you to next. I recommend stopping for a swim here. The water warms up under the sunshine and right next to the path are a few safe entry points.
3: Disused quarry with ruined buildings and quarry pool for another wild swim
Continuing to follow the path you’ll soon meet the disused slate quarry buildings. It’s worth a little look around the buildings here before carrying on up, past the left side of the flooded quarry pit. This is another great wild swimming spot.
4. Start of the ascent up the Daear Ddu ridge
Gradually the path will rise leading you to Llyn y Foel – a beautiful mountain lake. This is made even more spectacular with the imposing Daear Ddu ridge alongside it. It may look challenging but it is much easier than it looks. As the path curves round to the left, look out for a little path showing the obvious starting point for tackling the ridge.
The Daear Ddu ridge is an exciting route and the views get more and more spectacular the higher up you get. There aren’t any tricky moves on the ridge but be sure to have a head for heights and confience with your balance and scrambling abilities.
The scramble is short and the path disappears at times meaning you have to choose the best route yourself so confidence in route choosing is a good skill to have for this one.
5: The summit of Moel Siabod
As you reach the top of the ridge, the view is spectacular with 360 sweeping views. The trig will reveal itself on the summit and in the distance, on a clear day you can see Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon).
6: The ridge descending down from Moel Siabod
There are a couple of options for heading back down but this route follows the crest of the mountain. This section is made up of large boulders but there is no scrambling involved and a faint path appears every now and again. Eventually you meet a short scree path section and the path descends quickly heading back towards the first reservoir.
Eventually, you’ll reach the starting point just below the reservoir and from here it’s as simple as retracing your steps back to the car park.
Is the Daear Ddu route good?
This is a fabulous route if you enjoy a scramble and one which is away from the crowds. I really enjoyed it and had a fabulous day, and the weather helped too! The views are stunning and the route is really varied. Plus, having two options of a swim spot is always a bonus, right?
Moel Siabod on the Komoot App
Have you ever tried Komoot? Komoot allows you to access routes planned by others or plan your own which you can then download to your phone to follow while you are out. Komoot is free to join and access and you can find the route for his walk here.
Top Tips for hiking the Daear Ddu Ridge
- Although this is a much quieter area of Eryri, the parking areas can still fill up quickly so arrive early to secure a space
- There are no facilities on this route
- You can avoid the ridges if you wanted to by continuing past the first ridge and following the path up then from the summit, following the path down to the tree line and the river instead
- The scramble up the Daear Ddu ridge is a grade 1 scramble which you will have to self-navigate as the path disappears for the scrambling sections
- If you choose to wild swim in the quarry pool, be mindful that it’s deep and cold. Quarry pools aren’t always the safest places to swim in due to hidden machinery, dead animals or hidden currents/tunnels
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