UKC

If you were going to try to get from the top of Cyrn Las to the bottom of Lliwedd in the most efficient way possible, which way would you go? I've been looking at the Rockfax guides for Lliwedd and it looks as though there is a climbers path down from Bwlch Ciliau which would allow me to skirt around the base of Lliwedd. But there are obviously other options. The one I've suggested goes over the top of Snowdon but I guess you could also go down the PYG track and over, but the height gain doesn't seem much different, and I think aesthetically going over Snowdon makes more sense? Any suggestions?

You could potentially go up the north ridge of Crib, take a left and then head down to Lliwedd from there. Less aesthetic. Others may have better ideas!

Yes, I had thought of going below clogwyn y person through Bwlch coch and down to the pyg track on the other side. It's a big height loss that way though and I'd imagine very loose and steep....

To check out paths/routes that aren't on the map, or just whether slopes are traversable/descendible, look at your possible routes on Google maps 3D satellite view. The detail in Snowdonia/Eryri is simply stunning.

For some reason, that area has been mapped in full 3D similarly to cities, it's almost at the "mind you don't trip over that stone" level.

It really needs to be done on a full size screen with a mouse and keyboard (ctrl key needed) and the zoom/pan/tilt is very sensitive so you tend to overshoot a lot but stick with it. (I don't think this is possible on a phone and I think the necessary control would be desperately difficult using a touchpad - E10 at least)

I presume this is for a Classic Rock enchainment.

Personally, from a purely aesthetic and not particularly practical perspective, going up Parson's Nose and Clogwyn y Person would be tempting, then down to the Pyg from Bwlch Coch. PN and CyP can be done very quickly, e.g. 30 mins soloing. I think significant height loss is inevitable... I may be wrong.

It's also not really easy to force a way up to the base of Lliwedd. I remember finding it surprisingly tricky to find the start of Avalanche and wasting a bit of time trying to discern one feature from the next whilst traversing steep grass and wet slabs.

Sounds like part of a great day!

First step would be to traverse across to the small lake (the name escapes me) from where you have a couple of choices:

1. Bwlch Coch (there's a sheep track) and up and over Carnedd Ugain, then down the Miners reach and around

2. Carry on and go around the north ridge of Crib Goch, again there is a crappy sheep track that will take you around to the start of the usual Crib Goch route/pyg tack where you can unpleasantly drop down to the miners track and across (shortest and flattest, but least pleasant IIRC).

2a. As above but take the usual Crib Goch route and link up with the route in 1.

2b. As per 1 but take the "wrong way" from the top of Crib Goch north ridge to the pig track, then as per 2. 

3. As per 1, but go up Clogwyn y Pearson Arete instead (lots of elevation inc technical terrain, but probably the nicest!)

I’d drop the almost there, I used it to find the bottom of a route on Glyder Fawr in a complete white, it’s high enough detail to go “if I walk 10 metres that way I should see a white rock”.

It’s also a far better topo of Lliwedd than the Rockfax photo.

That's how it started out as I only have a few left to do in North Wales but in the end I decided just doing Cryn Las and Lliwedd in a day would probably be enough without having to cross Tryfan and the Glyders the day before 🤣

Summer from the top of Cyrn Las go and do the Gambit Climb on Clogwyn y Ddysgl over the top of Garnedd Ugain and down the Miners Track. Potentially even more aesthetic would be over the top of Snowdon, down to the col for Lliwedd and descend Y Gribin - (pretty straightforward).

Winter - up Parsley Fern, then as above.

Had thought about going down Y Gribin but then saw mention of the climbers path in I think the ground up guide... going to go and check that now...

Do the Google maps 3d thing. It's the correct tool for planning this sort of stuff. I used it for an ogwen link up that definitely would not have been as slick without it. At a high level it makes the choice of route obvious, and as others have said you really can zoom in and plan all your waymarks.

Crib Goch seems miles out of the way.

I've traversed from the top of cryn las, under the parsons nose and up to Bwlch Coch. From there its a straightforward and direct descent to the start of the gribin ridge. Still a lot of traversing tk get to the base of lliwedd though. Think your right, that going over Snowdon is probably the least arduous way...

Even better, do lliwedd first, go over Snowdon and reach cryn las from above and you can leave your bags on top.

That involves going up that god awful climb to snowdon though... that's flipping grim 🤣

Thinking about taking Tobys suggestion of gambit climb but that may just be adding too much to the silly...

I think theres two efficient options. 

1: Take running shoes and get onto the Llanberis path and then down the miners track from the finger stone. You've got good terrain underfoot and can easily run. Contour round the west then south side of Llyn Llydaw to where you would like to be.

2: Descend into Cwm Glas, and round to Bwlch Coch, up to the Bwlch and then down the south side. This is possible but it's gnarly and requires either knowing the way or some good visibility to get round the cliff bands. Descend to the miners track and round the Llyn as above.

Sorry to highjack the thread but thanks for your tip of using Google maps. I can’t get into 3D on the IPad on GMaps but can on Google Earth. Detail as you say is amazing and I recommend looking at Cenotaph Corner here you can see people at the base and all the routes. 
45 minutes later I was viewing the Peak District crags and Birchen Edge seems to be the best with amazing detail.