Dena. Just before reaching the farm gate take a pitched path heading up the hillside. This climbs beside the Afon Lloer, paved in places but quite wet in others, until it reaches the rim of Cwm Lloer. From here it turns leftwards up the fine enclosing ridge, which provides a simple scramble with impressive views back across the valley to the stern North Ridge of Tryfan and the rocky faces of the Glyderau.
The top of the scramble proves not to be the top of the hill, and the path continues around the rim of the cwm to the bare summit of Pen yr Ole Wen. Once this has been reached the hardest work has been done, and what remains is top quality ridge walking where it is possible to stride out and gobble up the miles.
Ridge to Pen yr Ole Wen
The track now curves away around the cwm, staying well away from the edge and crossing the minor top of Carnedd Fach, traversing a wilderness of stones relieved only by patches of Alpine grasses and mosses. The top of Carnedd Dafydd, perhaps not surprisingly, given the wealth of building material available on all sides, is crowned with a sprawling cairn and commodious windbreaks. From here the broad track carries on around the ridge towards Carnedd Llewelyn.
As you circle the cwm the Carneddau begin to reveal their true character, with deeply scalloped hollows cradling secret lakes and a surprising amount of naked rock worthy of any mountain lover’s attention.
The path stretches away along the largely featureless ridge before taking a distinct dogleg to the north to begin the climb of the final slopes of Carnedd Llewelyn, a great shivering pile of stones. The path arrives on the edge of the summit plateau by a windbreak. This is a crucial landmark for the descent.
Glancing round the summit reveals it to be decorated with a large number of rocky protuberances, any one of which might be the actual summit. With no trig point to settle the argument there is little for it but to check for yourself and at the end of your investigations you may well come to the conclusion that it is by the windbreak after all.
Descent from Carnedd Llewelyn to Pen yr Helgi Du
From here take what would have been a right turn on your arrival, heading south east towards the summit of Pen yr Helgi Du. The start is marked with a large cairn a few metres down the hill. The path drops steeply down and as it nears the col it passes above the climbing crag of Craig yr Ysfa down to the left. This is followed by a short section where it is necessary to clamber down rocks to reach the col, with the reservoir of Ffynnon Llugwy below to the right.
The ridge to Pen yr Helgi Du provides an enjoyable finale to the walk From the bald sheep-cropped summit there is a satisfying panorama of virtually the entire day’s route.
Shortcut missing out Pen yr Helgi Du
For those without the energy to spare for a final summit, the quickest and most direct descent takes a path from the far end of the col which drops steeply down to the reservoir, passing it on its left hand side to reach the access road which is followed to the A5.
From the summit of Pen yr Helgi Du turn right (south) down the broad grassy ridge which provides welcome relief for the knees and feet on springy turf after all the miles of stones. As it nears the A5 the path jinks to the right of some buildings and drops down to the access track. Follow this down to the main road.
The tiny building opposite is Helyg, a mountaineering hut owned by the Climbers’ Club, and a spot which has played a pivotal role in mountaineering both in Snowdonia and elsewhere. It was a temporary home to many of the early rock climbing pioneers when the sport was being developed in Wales and was also used as a training base by members of the 1953 Everest expedition before they left for Nepal to make the first ascent of the world’s highest mountain.
Cross the road to a ladder stile and take the path heading across the valley floor. At a stile and a T-junction where it reaches a broader track, the old road from Capel Curig before the present A5 was built, turn right for a pleasant traffic-free couple of miles back to Llyn Ogwen.
WALK 5
Cwm Llafar Horseshoe
| Start/Finish | Gerlan, Bethesda SH 634 664 |
| Distance | 16km (10 miles) |
| Total ascent | 1020m (3350ft) |
| Grade | Strenuous |
| Time | 5–6hr |
| Terrain | Grassy slopes and intermittent paths |
| Map | OS OL17 Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa |
| Access | From Bethesda turn uphill almost opposite the large and impressive central chapel. Turn right at a mini-roundabout a few metres up the hill and carry on into Ffordd Gerlan. |
| Parking | Roadside in Gerlan or free in Bethesda. Gerlan is a small community of narrow lanes and parking spaces are at a premium: take care not to block access or passing spaces. If nothing is available park in one of several free car parks in Bethesda and walk up. |
The eastern approach to the highest of the Carneddau tops is in complete contrast to the approach from Ogwen in Walk 4. While the ascent over Pen yr Ole Wen is taken by thousands, this route is walked by only a handful. The tracks are narrow and in places faint or even non-existent, while the overall feel is much wilder and more remote than the approach from Nant Ffrancon.
Walk out of Gerlan on its narrow main street, which quickly becomes an even narrower, tree-lined lane heading towards the mountains. At the end of the tarmac this comes to a house named Ty Dwr and a sign reading ‘private road’. This is, however, a public footpath. Go up this and take a stile to the right of the house gates. Carry on up the left hand side of the field to another stile by a gate almost in the top left hand corner. Go over this and carry on towards the mountains, as directed by a series of waymarkers and ladder stiles to the edge of open country.
Although the walk has started from the streets of Bethesda and the village is still visible behind, this feels like an altogether more remote landscape than the bustling paths of the Glyderau just a few miles up the A5. This may be because of the bare hills grazed by cattle and sheep or the neglected look of the often wet fields, which are running to sour grasses, rushes and bracken.
Ahead the horseshoe is now taking shape, with the grassy tongue of Mynydd Du rising towards Carnedd Dafydd and the rim of the cwm curling round rightwards to Carnedd Llewelyn and Yr Elen.
Just after reaching an incongruous ruined enclosure with concrete posts and iron railings the path carries on into the cwm, but for the horseshoe it is necessary to take a narrower path which breaks away rightwards up the enclosing ridge. The grassy path attacks the slope head-on before offering a brief respite on a level section perched on the edge of the steep-sided cwm with views down to the now unfashionable climbers’ crag of Llech Du below, with the shattered crags of the Black Ladders beyond.
There is little to amuse the summer rock climber on the Ladders, but in winter when the loose rock is frozen into place it offers some of the most challenging ice climbing in Snowdonia.
Summits of Carnedds Dafydd and Llewelyn
The final pull to the summit of Carnedd Dafydd is through large boulders interspersed with grass and bilberries.
At Carnedd Dafydd’s summit is a windbreak, which offers tremendous views particularly
