Route: Carnedd Section

Click here for map
Pen yr Ole Wen photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk Ffynnon Lloer photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk

Pen yr Ole Wen

(The following route is much easier, although slightly longer than the alternative route from the Youth Hostel that some people take. For most, it is far the better option.)

  • At Glan Dena (SH 668 606) follow the track/road that cuts through the wooded area.
  • Before the furthest building, turn right along a wall, then take the stile left over the wall.
  • You must now follow the stream Afon Lloer for a long stretch. There is sometimes a path, other times it is best to follow the wooden marker posts.
  • A short distance before you are able to see the lake Ffynnon Lloer, you must turn left onto a ridge that takes you to the summit. The first section of the path on this ridge is indistinct and involves a small amount of scrambling. It’s easy to go wrong here!
  • The path becomes very obvious later on, although unmarked on the map.

Carnedd Dafydd

Carnedd Dafydd photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk
  • Make your way round to the summit.
  • Once you’ve descended from Carnedd Dafydd there is a relatively long flat section.
  • There is a rocky area in the middle of this flat section, which is best avoided by walking to the right of it.

Yr Elen

  • You have two choices here:
    1. Ascend Carnedd Llewelyn first. The advantage of this is that you have a good path. It is, however, a little longer and there is more uphill involved.
    2. Traverse around Carnedd Llewelyn. This is shorter, but there is no clear path and navigation is not easy if you are unfamiliar with the route. It is also very rough underfoot.
  • The summit is a cairn to the right of the main path.
Yr Elen photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk
Carnedd Llewelyn photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk

Carnedd Llewelyn, Foel Grach, Garnedd Uchaf and Foel-fras

  • Follow the path back from Yr Elen to Carnedd Llewelyn. (Towards the top of Carnedd Llewelyn, it is possible to contour round below the summit if it has previously been climbed.)
Foel Grach photo from www.walkingbritain.co.uk
  • Follow the route to Foel Grach. There is an emergency refuge on the far side of the summit.
  • Complete the final two gentle peaks - Garnedd Uchaf (Carnedd Gwenllian) and Foel-fras.
  • A trig point on Foel-fras marks the end of the walk.

Route Back Home

There is still quite a long way to go!
There are two main options. The time taken is fairly similar for both:

  1. Bwlch y Ddeufaen

    Probably the easier way out, with a fence to follow all the way down if it's dark. However, this exit point is quite remote.

    • Continue northwards over Drum, then follow the fence to Carnedd y Ddelw and down Drosgyl. The fence becomes a wall towards the end.
    • Turn right along a wide track to finish.
    • The car park grid ref is SH 721 715. (To drive here, approach from Llanbedr-y-cennin rather than taking the more difficult road from Rowen.)

    (From the car park it is about two miles walk to Rowen Youth Hostel and a further half mile to Cefn Cae campsite. For the Youth Hostel follow the road down for a way, then turn left onto a good track at SH 732 715.)

  2. Above Abergwyngregyn

    This exit point is easier to reach by car, a short drive from the major A55 road. However, there is no overnight accommodation here.

    • Follow the fence NE down to the bottom of the hill.
    • Turn left and make your way down to the reservoir Llyn  Anafon via a faint path. From here a very good path leads down to the car park.
    • If it is already dark an alternative is to make the short climb up the next mountain, Drum. From here another very good path leads back to the car park. This will take longer, but overall is easier underfoot.
    • Your car or your support team should be waiting at the small car park at SH 676 716 above Abergwyngregyn. (To drive here, follow the road through the village to the bridge at Bont Newydd. Cross this, then continue up the steep road rather than turning right into a lower car park.)

Gerlan, near Bethesda, is also a viable alternative, but route-finding is more difficult, especially in the dark. There are two bunkhouses, Caban Cysgu and Tyddyn Du.

Llanfairfechan is also an alternative end-point. It takes longer to get here than to the Abergwyngregyn car park, but there is a campsite and bunkhouse at Platts Farm and also guesthouse accommodation. There is a railway station here.