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Carnedd Llewelyn via Craig yr Ysfa and Cwm Llugwy

By Dave Roberts   

on June 17, 2016    4.5/5 (2)

Posted as a walk in – Europe, Snowdonia National Park, The Carneddau, Wales

Carnedd Llewelyn via Craig yr Ysfa and Cwm Llugwy

Route Essentials

Route Summary

Classic horseshoe route up Carnedd Llewelyn with a cheeky little scramble.

See the end of the article for local information about parking, public transport facilities, pubs and cafes.

Distance

12.72 km

Ascent

882 m

Time

6.5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Start Location

Glan Denau (on A5 near Ogwen)

Difficulty

Hard Walk, Scrambling, Scrambling Grade 1

Hazards

Scrambling and steep scree, navigation.

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Snowdonia Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?
Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need. 

Carnedd Llewelyn via Craig yr Ysfa and Cwm Llugwy Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

Download file for GPS

Carnedd Llewelyn via Craig yr Ysfa and Cwm Llugwy

Carnedd Llewelyn can be ascended via Cwm Llugwy with a pathless descent that makes an ideal emergency descent if you need to cut your day short. It’s the shortest walk to the top of Carnedd Llewelyn and you could easily walk up and down via Cwm Llugwy if you don’t fancy the off path descent.

This walk starts at Gwern Gof Isaf on the A5, past the lake towards Capel Curig. You can either park here, paying a modest £2 at the farmhouse, or get the Sherpa here from Bethesda or Capel. If you use the Sherpa then you can catch the bus directly to the start of the Reservoir road, or alternatively camp at Gwern Gof Isaf and walk up from your tent.

The Route

1 From Gwen Gof Isaf, turn right on the A5 and after a hundred metres or so , you reach the start of the reservoir road. This is the start of the hard work. The track leads you, steeply at first before easing, as far as Ffynnon Llygwy reservoir.

Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy2 From the track, it’s not obvious where you set off for the lake, but as soon as it takes a sharp turn left is as good a point as any to turn right, where you’ll eventually find the path. Looking across the lake you can see the path clearly ahead, first along the slopes of Pen yr Helgi Du before heading very steeply upwards to Bwlch Eryl Farchog. This path starts off gently enough, but soon becomes rather steep and loose in places, so care is needed (its safer as an ascent than a descent).

Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
High Carneddau from Llyn Ogwen - Carnedd Dafydd and Llywelyn
High Carneddau from Llyn Ogwen - Carnedd Dafydd and Llywelyn
Best Walking Routes In The Carneddau
High Carneddau from Llyn Ogwen - Carnedd Dafydd and Llywelyn
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy

3 Bwlch Eryl Farchog is surprisingly narrow and you now feel that you’re up in the mountains proper. In one direction you can see Llewelyn and the Carneddau, as well as the ridge up to Pen yr Helgi and the imminent climb up Craig yr Ysfa. This first section does involve a short section of serious scrambling. By that I mean you have to use all your limbs and pull yourself up and over to continue the path, but only for one short section. Nothing too bad, but if you’ve not done a lot of scrambling it might pose a bit of a problem as there are few obvious holds on the initial section.

Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy

4 Once you’ve climbed Craig yr Ysfa, it’s then a good path all the way to the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn. It can be patchy in places, especially in mist, but with care should pose no problem. You’ve already completed the majority of the climbing, so you’ll find yourself on top of the 1064m summit before you know it.

Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy

5 Finally you’ll find yourself on top of Carnedd Llewelyn, with the summit shelter just to your left. If you’re lucky, the views are extensive, if rather lessened by the plateau like summit. Odds on, mist. The descent path is immediately to the left as you leave the summit shelter, and is really clear as you descend to Bwlch Cyfrwy-drum, one of the most interesting ridge walks in Snowdonia.

carneddauOgwen135
carneddauOgwen143
carneddauOgwen136
carneddauOgwen145
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy

6 This ridge eventually turns right towards Carnedd Dafydd which is our prompt to descend left down a pleasant grassy ridge. There is no path on the Craig Llugwy ‘ridge’. A very faint path leads down the ridge, and it’s all on easy grass if you can’t find it. From the ridge, you enjoy an alternative views of the Carneddau and at one point you can see the lakes at Ogwen, Bochlwyd, Idwal and Ffynnon Llygwy. You also enjoy the silence, as you’ll probably see nobody on here.

Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy

7 The final section, as you reach Creigiau Hirion needs care. You can descend left towards a wall as you reach the rocky outcrops, with the going boggy in places, before following the same wall back to Ffynnon Llygwy. You can continue along the ridge, but take care not to veer too far left towards Craig Llugwy as there is no way down there (other than falling).

Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy
Carnedd Llewelyn via Cwm Llugwy

8 The ground eventually relents, and avoiding the boggy areas, you’ll soon be back on the track from where you can retrace your steps. Thankfully this time, the reservoir road is much easier with gravity on your side.

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

Classic horseshoe route up Carnedd Llewelyn with a cheeky little scramble.

This walk includes the Washi of Carnedd Llewelyn

This walk includes the Hewitt of Carnedd Llewelyn

This walk includes the Nuttall of Carnedd Llewelyn

Route Start Location: Glan Denau (on A5 near Ogwen)

Distance
 Ascent
 Time
12.72 km 882 m 6.5 hours

Calculate the time using Naismith’s Rule and factor in your own pace.

Activivity Type: Hard Walk, Scrambling, Scrambling Grade 1

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

None

Hazards

Scrambling and steep scree, navigation.

Remember that we cannot outline every single hazard on a walk – it’s up to you to be safe and competent. Read up on Mountain Safety , Navigation and what equipment you’ll need.

Parking : LL24 0EU

On the A5

Public Transport:

Sherpa Buses from Bangor / Bethesda and Capel Curig.

Traveline for UK Public Transport

Weather Forecast:

Met Office Snowdonia Mountain Weather

Check out our Best Mountain Weather Forecast?

Recommended Maps: 

Guidebooks:

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

More Posts by Dave Roberts

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