If I camp in an area for perhaps five days, I like to drive around and enjoy small valley walks. Capel Garmon, a few miles from Betws-y-Coed, is a good example of this and why I do it. The spring wild flowers are beautiful and the mountain views, from a distance, are peaceful and poignant.
There’s a particular quality to what I’m describing. The first time I noticed it was in the Lake District, not Snowdonia, when I took a rest day and explored flatter areas at the far end of Ullswater. The Helvellyn skyline was dark and stormy while the fields were sunny. Drama there, quiet here; so there’s a contrast as you relax in the countryside.
One of my favourite Snowdonia camp sites is close to this lane. I’ve been going there for about ten years, walking nearby Moel Siabod, perhaps the Carneddau or Devil’s Kitchen area at Llyn Idwal. Driving around here is another part of the enjoyment.
