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ROUTE 1

Southern Ridge Circuit 1-

A superb ridge walk over four major Carneddau summits, punctuated by short, easy scrambles.

Location	Carneddau, Ogwen
Grade	1-***
Circuit time	5–6hrs
Route length	16km
Conditions	Much of the route is exposed to strong crosswinds, although nowhere is the ridge particularly narrow or precarious. Take care with route-finding on Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn in mist. Wet rock does not significantly increase the difficulties.

This is the classic high-level ridge traverse of the Carneddau, and the best introductory outing in the group. Not only does it ascend four major peaks, but it also previews most of the routes described later in this section. Scrambling interest is spaced, short-lived and of minimal difficulty, although anyone insisting on including something tougher in their mountain day could substitute one of Routes 2 to 4 for their ascent of Pen yr Ole Wen, while Routes 5 to 7 could also be incorporated into the day with a bit of imagination. The route is on mostly good paths across stony ground or grass.

Approach

Via the A5 from Capel Curig or Bethesda. Park on the roadside near the bridge at Glan Dena (SH 668 605).

Ascent/Descent

Follow the track past Glan Dena almost to Tal y Llyn Farm. Turn right on a path by a stone wall, later crossing the wall by a ladder stile. Several little streams are crossed until the main stream is followed, mostly on its left side (various often-boggy paths), to Cwm Lloer. Just as the lake in Cwm Lloer comes into view, take the path left which ascends a broad runnel towards a quartz-veined slab visible above. This gains the left-bounding ridge of the cwm – the East Ridge. The scrambling starts above the quartz and ascends the ridge, in its initial stages via a simple 10m scramble up a rock gully. Follow the ridge to the summit of Pen yr Ole Wen, 1hr 15min from the start.

Circle the rim of Cwm Lloer northwards for 700m and ascend a broad ridge for 500m to the summit of Carnedd Dafydd. Descend east for 1.5km on a rocky path, then curve north for a further 1km around the rim of Cwm Llafar where a few small steps of scrambling interest can be sought by going over the rocky knobbles on the way to the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn. Here there are retrospective views of the Black Ladders and Llech Ddu.

Take the ridge east then south east for 1km, passing around the head of the Craig yr Ysfa Amphitheatre, and descend by a 20m scramble over a gently angled rock nose to Bwlch Eryl Farchog (there is a short-cut descent south from here to Ogwen). Walk or scramble very easily up the rocky ridge ahead to the summit of Pen yr Helgi Du.

Descend the grass ridge of Y Braich southwards for about 2km. On passing through a gap in the transverse stone wall at SH 699 609, contour right on a small path then descend diagonally to cross the leat (manmade watercourse) at a footbridge just left of a stone wall. Turn right and follow the leat to the surfaced Ffynnon Llugwy access road, which leads down to the A5. Follow the main road rightwards for 50m or so, but then turn off left up the track towards the Gwern Gof Isaf campsite. After 100m a bridleway on the right is followed to Gwern Gof Uchaf campsite, where a choice of two paths leads back to the parking near Glan Dena.