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Secret Snowdonia – A Bimble up Clogwyn y Garreg

By Dave Roberts   

on July 30, 2015    5/5 (1)

Posted as a walk in – Europe, Snowdonia National Park, The Nantlle Ridge and Moel Hebog Ranges, Wales

Secret Snowdonia – A Bimble up Clogwyn y Garreg

Route Essentials

Route Summary

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

Distance

5.44 km

Ascent

227 m

Time

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

Start Location

Difficulty

Hazards

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. 

Secret Snowdonia – A Bimble up Clogwyn y Garreg Ordnance Survey Map and GPX File Download

View the full route map

Download file for GPS

Secret Snowdonia – A Bimble up Clogwyn y Garreg

At only 336 metres in height, Clogwynygarreg – or more correctly: Clogwyn y Garreg (you wouldn’t say Scafellpike or Bennevis) isn’t on many people’s bucket lists. With a short scramble and an easy walk, the extensive view across Snowdonia to Snowdon herself (Yr Wyddfa), Nantlle Ridge and Moel Hebog really is more than you deserve from the effort. It wasn’t even on ours until we found ourselves with only two hours to fill for one of our mid week evening walks and with no intention of breaking a sweat trying to squeeze a full sized mountain in.

This petite little peak dominates the view as you travel up the Drws y Coed road towards Rhyd Ddu, as well as Llyn y Dywarchen and provides a much more challenging trip than the simple stats would suggest and we found out!

1 We set off from a lay-by just outsde Rhyd Ddu on the Nantlle road (B4418), and walked back towards Rhyd Ddu to turn left up the forestry track. This pulls up steadily uphill for around 1.5km, with a few soggy sections of path as the track soon becomes overcome by the forest to become a path. There’s a footpath waymarker to mark the uphill section where you take the path uphill to emerge at Bwlch y Moch. Clogwyn y Garreg can be seen across the valley.

clogwynygarreg (2 of 30)

2 Contour along the hillside, heading towards a ruin and a large tree towards Llyn y Dywarchen. All the land to your right is a former reservoir and can be exceptionally wet, so don’t get tempted with taking a shortcut!

clogwynygarreg (3 of 30)

3 The route passes the ruin and is boggy in places, but the going improves as you reach the lake. Follow the shore right and the path starts to climb over and around the higher ground. Turn right here, and follow the grassy slope for a few 100m.

clogwynygarreg (4 of 30)

4 The ground steepens, and becomes bracken-infested, but there’s still an obvious path if you can spot it in the undergrowth! As the slope steepens, you’ll soon reach a false summit.

clogwynygarreg (5 of 30)

5 From the eastern summit, cross the col towards the rockface ahead and you’ll notice an easy scramble towards the left. At first glance it appears to be horribly exposed over a cliff, but once you get closer you realise it’s nothing too tricky and you’ll soon be onto the rocky summit.

clogwynygarreg (18 of 30)

6 The views from the summit are exceptional down Dyffryn Nantlle and all around from Mynydd Mawr, Wyddfa, Aran, Hebof and the Nantlle Ridge. You’ll be one of only a handful of people who have probably ever sat on the top!

clogwynygarreg (11 of 30)

7 Retrace your steps to the lake, though you can cut across to the old homestead. From here a wide track leads boggily along the lake shore to the dam at the southern end.

clogwynygarreg (25 of 30)

8 Cross the dam and pass through the gate to your right at the far end. Turn left on the minor road to return to the start in around 1km, taking care with a minority of traffic that tends to speed along this section.

Local Information and Recommended Maps and Guidebooks

Route Summary:

Route Start Location:

Distance
 Ascent
 Time
5.44 km 227 m

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

Activivity Type: 

Summits and Places on this Route

Facilities

Check out the businesses nearby for more places to stay and drink.

Hazards

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 :

Public Transport:

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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