Easiest (non-scrambling) routes up Glyder Fawr & Carnedd Llewelyn

[Ducky]

Hi all, I thought it would be easier to resurrect this thread rather than start a new one.


So we're back in Snowdonia and wanted to have a crack at Diffwys, but wanted a straightforward walk that would take us to the summit and back on the same route. A start from the Cors Y Gedol carpark was mentioned earlier in this thread and we are more than happy to try that, but I can't find any information about the actual walk or route? Any advice? I wouldn't even know where to start from the carpark?


Thanks,
Ducky

[ninthace]

Found this https://osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/route/1791319/Country-Walking-Y-Llethr-Gwynedd  However, it is a circular but there is an obvious out back leg.
However, since your starting point is only a km or from Dyffryn Ardudwy, I am sure there is someone on here who can help.

[fernman]

 

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

May i suggest you park at Cors Y Gedol, and then as you leave the top carpark, where there's enough parking for around six or seven cars, go through the gate just behind the parking area, which goes off to your right.


In about two hundred yards or so, you will see the ruined collapsed burial chamber off to your right.


Continue along the tarmac road for another half mile, down the hill and you will come to the famous Drovers Cattle shoeing station called lletty Loeger, which i think is now a holiday cottage or persons home, and Pont fadog bridge is just below, with the beautiful river flowing down to the coast.


Check out the 18C dedication stone on the bridge, which is dead centre on the right.


Just imagine the stories and number of cattle who have passed over this bridge, during the height of the Drovers trade in the early to late 18C


Head up the hill, and at the top of the hill through the gate, you will come to a junction, with the Drovers Scotch Pine trees looking weather beaten , behind the wall, off to your left.


You need the path that goes off to your right, because if you went straight on, you would eventually come to Pont Scethin, another legendary bridge in these parts of the Rhinogs.


Take the right turn and this follows the very desolate mountainside, eventually leading to the pass at the top, named Bwlch Yr Rhiwgyr, its always directly in sight, right at the top of the hillside.

Right at the top of the pass, when you have reached the Bwlch, in about two miles, you will see there is a pathway up to your left.


Follow the famous Great Wall of Wales, that will eventually bring you to the summit of Diffwys in around an hour or so.


If you keep this wall as a marker, you cannot go wrong, and its best to use the same route for your return, as doing a circular route, involves traversing a lot of boggy ground, some of which cannot be avoided.


This is one of my favorite walks, and one i do on a regular basis, as you virtually guaranteed total solitude and quiet, and the views from Diffwys, towards Cadair Idris and beyond, are mind blowing on a clear day.

[Ducky]

Just got back from an absolutely wonderful walk to the summit of Diffwys. Thank you so much for the detailed instructions Dyffryn. We really appreciate it and it helped us immensely. We followed that route and came back the same way. The best part was that we only encountered about 4 other walkers over the course of the entire day. It was VERY boggy and it seemed as if all the paths doubled up as streams / waterfalls, but we were expecting that so managed to wade through. Luckily no rain, but it was very cloudy and most of the walk was done in a cloud. We had a few fleeting glimpses of the view from the summit as the clouds cleared momentarily, but we'll definitely be back on a clearer day.  

 
Thank you again for all the help. We still have a few days in Snowdonia, but it looks like the weather is going to be horrendous tomorrow and the day after so we can get some much needed rest as I feel like my back is breaking after hauling my 20 month old daughter up Diffwys, cadair Idris and Arenig Fach over the last 4 days  

[Dyffryn Ardudwy]

So glad i was able to help, and i am dead chuffed my directions proved useful, that's only the second time ive given any directions to a walker, they usually go astray somewhere, and curse me on their return, saying the directions were rubbish.

Four walkers, BLIMEY that's real congestion in the Rhinogs, it gets such little foot traffic that seeing anyone is an event.


Seeing so many fellow walkers, must be due to this Covid 19 thing, the most ive ever seen over the years, was six, and four of those were members of waterboard doing something to the resrvoir.

When one knows a walk so well, it sounds easy to put it into words, so that someone who has not done the walk before, can follow it.

I recon those Scotch pines really came into their own, they were more than useful for the Drovers passing this way over 150yrs  ago, and their a good marker today.

Such a shame the weather was not ideal, as the views from Diffwys are pretty spectacular on a clear day.

A few years ago, the air was so clear, i could see mountains on the far horizon.

I am not sure which ones they were, maybe not the Brecon Beacons, but the distance as the crow flies was considerable.

So glad i could help, and if you have the chance, return on a beautiful day, i can assure you it will be worth it.

[Ducky]

Thank you again. Your directions really helped us and you can be rest assured that we will be back