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Elidir Fawr and Garn From Llanberis

A real beast of a slog from Llanberis that almost manages to be as tough as the usual Nant Peris ascent. We detail the ascent only here, as the descent has been detailed elsewhere.

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Height Gained 1,345mDistance 19kmTime 6 hrs 13 minDownload Route

The Route.

1 If you start in the village, you’ll need to get over to Gilfach Ddu and the Slate Museum on the other side of the Lake. On the road leading to the museum, which incidentally provides an excellent view towards Crib Goch over Llyn Peris, you’ll find the start of the Zig-zag path up Elidir Fawr.

2 The path ascends quickly between steep slate walls, zig-zagging hence the local name for the path. It is diverted in places as the old path, which the quarrymen would have taken every morning to work, has started to deteriorate.

3 When you reach the old drumhouse and a metal bridge, you need to drop down to your right rathe than following the obvious path forwards. This leads you to the incline which makes for a punishing ascent towards the viewpoint far above. Note the Anglesey Barracks at about half way, where quarrymen from Anglesey would have lived during the week.

4 Finally, once the incline has relented, you can walk out to the viewpoint high above the lake. Behind you, the vast quarries of Dinorwig. There’s an incline directly ahead that indicates where we’re headed, but by much easier quarry tracks. The start of the path is past the remains of the mill with a sign that you should not cross the gate! Therefore the following is for information only and we don’t recommend you follow the route at all! Despite this, you’ll see plenty of locals in the quarry, with this particular stretch being a favourite with mountain bikers and particularly sadistic fell runners.

5 – The quarry road twists it’s way slowly upwards between the remains of the slate quarry. There are even sheds in the quarry which still have the quarrymen’s coats from 1969 hanging from the pegs, but they are seriously off path and not easy to find without some knowledge of the quarry’s layout (and probably not allowed either!). It eventually leads you to a tarmac road that’s part of the hydro plant, from which you can choose your attack point on the mountain. They’re all much of a muchness really, and a direct plod as soon as you reach the first hairpin (not including the one you started on) in the road is as good as another.

© Copyright Stephen Elwyn RODDICK and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

6 – From Elidir Fach there’s a scree path that’s not at all easy to find in mist as it’s not marked on the map and isn’t obvious until you’re actually on it. The gps co-ordinates provided will help, or failing that aim for SH606 613 and with a bit of luck you’ll find it. It’s a steep path that’s unrelenting at this stage, but over as soon as you break a sweat with only a pleasant scramble across the summit before you can collapse in the shelter.

The descent from Elidir Fawr is described here - http://www.walkeryri.org.uk/?p=4248

I’ve added some images from a winter walk through the quarries as well. For more quarry images visit Geograph - http://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/SH5960

The highlight of the trip was wild camping above the Devil’s Kitchen -

You can’t wake up to a better view than this (other than I’m in the way).

And possibly, finding a frying pan in the tarn. We intend to return forthwith armed with brillo pads.

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Elidir Fawr and Garn From Llanberis, 3.5 out of 5 based on 2 ratings

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  1. Avatar of Andrew Woodvine Reviewer
    Andrew Woodvine says
    May 28, 2012, 8:10 pm

    I did this route on Saturday. It was most enjoyable. I loved wondering around the old slate mine and the views of Llyn Padarn as I made my way up. The strong winds around the summits stopped me from getting too hot.

    The Vaynol Arms was a right little treat as well afterwards.

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