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Eastern Carneddau from Capel Curig

Snowdonia/Eryri Walk

Nat Park - Snowdonia - Western Carneddau

County/Area - Conwy

Author - Stephen Starkey

Length - 8.5 miles / 13.8 km    Ascent - 2750 feet / 833 metres

Time - 7 hours 0 minutes    Grade - moderate

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Ordnance Survey Explorer OL17Sheet Map1:25kBUY
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Ordnance Survey Landranger 115Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 115Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Eastern Carneddau
Click image to visit gallery of 8 images.

This Snowdonia (Eryri) walk follows clear paths throughout though a number of these paths are not shown on the Ordnance Survey map. Apart from the bridleway that runs from Capel Curig to the Blaen y Nant farmstead, the paths can be very boggy underfoot. If staying at the Youth Hostel (grid ref. SH726579), leave the car in the hostel car park. Alternatively there is a free National Park car park behind Joe Brown's outdoor shop in the village (grid ref. SH720582).

From the Youth Hostel, head West along the A5 for about 80m then turn right in to the access to the camp site. Follow the waymarked path through the field and climb steadily to the wall and the complex of gates and stiles. After crossing the wall, turn right and follow the clear bridlepath as it continues to climb gently. Keep following the path until, at grid ref. SH7384-5961 next to a couple of sizeable rocks, the path forks. Ignore the stony path ahead and take the muddy path to the left. Just over 100m along this path you come to the remains of a dry stone wall with the path passing through a gap in the wall. Do NOT go beyond the wall but instead you should double back to your left on a muddy, grassy path.

The path climbs quite steadily in a generally Westerly direction for 500m before leading up through a short rocky section on to the summit of Crimpiau, which offers good views of the route to Craig Wen and the ridge above Llyn Cowlyd. Continue following the path North West from the summit and descend steadily. The path now is not as obvious on a stretch of short grass. When you get to the remains of a dry stone wall at grid ref. SH7316-5967, ignore the grassy path that stays on the left of the wall and instead cross the wall and pick up a less obvious path on the right that descends towards Castell y Gwynt (the path to the left descends in to some very marshy ground that involves quite strenuous walking through heather and reeds to regain the required path).

Once across the saddle, the path starts to climb once more, heading towards the obvious summit of Craig Wen. Craig Wen is a surprisingly good viewpoint with clear views towards the main peaks of the Glyders and also to Moel Siabod. From Craig Wen the path heads North, passing the summit of Craiglwyn on the way to acquiring the main ridge above Llyn Cowlyd at the summit of Creigiau Gleision.

The ridge path continues NNE with impressive views down on to Llyn Cowlyd but those spending too much time admiring the views are likely to find themselves calf deep in bogs long before reaching the second (Northern) lower top of Creigiau Gleision. From the secondary top, follow the path ENE across a very boggy stretch to arrive at a fence. Cross the fence and descend the hill side. The path is not always too obvious, but basically keep as close to the line of the fence as the bogs permit. The 'path' swings around to the NE and continues downhill to a path junction at grid ref. SH7415-6243.

Ignore the path ahead at this point and turn right to follow a vague path across a very marshy area. After crossing the worst of the marshy area, take care to ensure you are heading the right direction - the more obvious path that heads off on a grid bearing of 155 will lead to a long walk home. Instead look for the line of old fence posts and use these as a navigational handrail. As you get closer towards the wood ahead, a path of sorts appears, leading you to the stile over the fence at the Northern corner of the woodland.

Cross the stile and follow the initially pleasant path in to the wood. The path soon becomes something of a quagmire for a short distance and you have to negotiate the very slippery path down through the wood as best you can as the pine trees make it difficult to find an alternative option. Although the path is never dry underfoot, the going does improve and the path soon opens out on to a clear forest track at grid ref. SH 7406-6144. At this point you could continue straight ahead to the South on a marked footpath through the wood but this path is, once again, very muddy. Although longer, a much drier option - and the one recommended - is to turn left and follow the well made forest track on an East cum South cum West loop descending through the woods. This meets up with the more direct path at SH 7406-6118.

From the point where the path emerges to join the track, continue along the track for a further 50m to arrive at an opening and junction of forest tracks. Look to your left (East) at this opening and you should see a narrow grassy path entering the woods. Follow this path and then the yellow directional waymarkers for the final descent through the wood to emerge on to a good track just North of the buildings at Hendre. From here regain the main path across the mountains to Capel Curig. This climbs to a col on the south side of Crimpiau after which you rejoin the outward route which is followed back to the start.

Other walks nearby

Walk 3402 Moel Siabod circular from Pont Cyfyngmoderate6.5 miles
Walk 3005 Clogweneasy2.0 miles
Walk 1151 Moel Siabod from Pont Cyfynghard5.5 miles
Walk 2919 Moel Siabod & Capel Curig moderate6.0 miles
Walk 3056 Pen yr Helgi Du from Ogwen Valleymoderate5.5 miles
Walk 1232 Carnedd Llewelyn, Llyn Eigiau & Llyn Cowlydhard16.0 miles
Walk 2855 Gallt yr Ogof & Braich y Ddeugwmmoderate4.0 miles
Walk 1332 Gwydir ForestLakes from Tyn Llwyneasy/mod6.5 miles
Walk 2285 Llyn Geirionydd & Llyn Crafnanteasy/mod5.5 miles
Walk 2592 Llyn Geirionydd & Llyn Bychan from Llyn Crafnantmoderate9.5 miles

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