Just before Christmas we went for a short stroll along the first part of the Rhyd Ddu path, and noticed that a smart new way marker had been installed at the point where the path splits and the route to Snowdon takes a sharp turn to the left.

There is no indication where the path staight ahead might lead, but perhaps the warden thought that the distinctive shape of Yr Aran was clear enough, in good weather at least, not to need direction. In fact you can if you like choose to go forward, past some old quarry workings, to the dip in the skyline at Bwlch Cwm Llan and then go left up the ridge all the way to Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa), although that does add a fair extra distance and is a stiff climb. An alternative would be to go up via the Rhyd Ddu path proper, over Llechog, and come down the ridge to rejoin the path at the marker, perhaps "bagging" Aran on the way. The only tricky part, as I remember it, is a rather boggy field just below the cwm. This route brings you back to your starting point, and avoids the rather tedious walk back along the road that is involved if you follow the "classic" route up the Rhyd Ddu and down the Snowdon Ranger -- unless you're very good and can time your descent to catch the WHR train back, which would be a very pleasant way to end the day. (There is a path through the fields between Snowdon Ranger and Rhyd Ddu, but we have always found it to be very wet.)

Incidentally, the new way marker replaces the famous painted sign on a rock just below the fork in the path, which has now almost completely faded.

2008: going...

2011: almost gone...