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Glasgwm

Glasgwm is a tilted plateau of rough billowy moorland and small rocky knuckles, extensively wooded to the S and guarded to the E by the mighty battlements of Craig Cywarch. Its tall, elegantly rounded cairn is situated just off the N rim and has a distinctive beehive appearance (like the cairns on Glyder Fawr) when viewed from afar. A few steps N of the cairn is the shallow, rocky hollow that cradles the diminutive Llyn Bach. An equal distance S is the larger, more exposed Llyn y Fign, a lake that really needs blue skies to bring it alive.

Most Arans walkers stick pretty solidly to the main highways and Glasgwm is left in relative peace. All the more reason then to go the whole hog and tackle it from Dolobran in the S. This gives you the opportunity to link it with Pen y Bryn-fforchog and have a relaxing away-day in attractive country that is seldom visited save by the occasional shepherd (see AN H4).

Dolobran route (AN21)

I offer a couple of less strenuous variants later, but for my money this is the best approach of all from this side, despite some early collar work.

Start from the junction at 841165 and proceed E down a lane to a couple of adjoining gates. Go through the R gate into a field where a farm trail brings you by an idyllic cottage at 846163 to the foot of a prominent green path. Climb up the hillside on this until you reach a gate at the second switchback (850160). Go through the gate and then follow the fence up to Foel Benddin's breezy top. A stiff slog, quite as demanding as Pen yr Ole Wen ever was (or so it seemed the last time I took it on!).

The rewards are immediate with tremendous views of Maesglasau, Cribin and Bwlch Oerddrws. Ahead lies a seductive undulating grassy ridge that leads first of all down to a narrow neck, Bwlch yr Anges, then up to Y Gribin at 1975ft and finally down to a second neck at 842179 (where the forest trail of AN21,1 joins L and the Gesail Farm path, AN23, clears the edge of Cwm Cywarch R). The centre of attention has by now switched to the N, to the harsh serrated buttresses of Craig Cywarch and to Aran Fawddwy itself, riding astride Drysgol and the round of Hengwm. Stay with the fence that straddles the ridge, climbs a small rise and then heads across moorland flats until it makes a sharp L turn at 837188. Here strike out almost due N for the top, aided by a flinty track and the occasional stunted stake.

Foel Benddin across Cwm Cerist

For a less strenuous approach:

 The first variant (AN21,1) starts from the junction as before, but work your way across a field to pick up a path that enters a coppice at 842167. After twisting round the head of a stream this meets a new forestry road which zigzags easily (but at some length!) up the hillside to join AN21 at the neck NW of Y Gribin.

 The other option (AN21,2) is to join the forest track at its source, picking it up from the lane that leads to Pentrewern Farm at 825164.

Cwm Cywarch route (AN22)

Stay with AN5 until you meet the fence crossing the fells above Creigiau Camddwr. Follow this L up a slope of rocky debris direct to the cairn.

Gesail Farm route (AN23)

The coarse bulldozed track that zigzags so brazenly between the crags backing Gesail Farm (852184) is no substitute for the wisp of a trail that once followed much the same course – at least not in aesthetic terms, however helpful it may be in simplifying route-finding. To be fair it still retains a sense of occasion. How could it be otherwise in the august surroundings of Craig Cywarch? On top you join AN21 at 842179.