20.5.19 - Craig Y Castell, 321m.
This hike starts at the ample car park at Ty Nant at the bottom of the Pony Path on Cadair Idris. Pay and display with a grassed car park for overspill on busy days. Toilets available.
I love hiking in this area, not necessarily up high either as there are ample lower hikes and Craig Y Castell is one of them. Head out of the car park NW up a farm track towards Tyddyn Evan Fychan farm. Coming out of the other side of it you will get on a path. The surrounding views are stunning, towards Cadair Idris, the Cyfrwy Arete to the SE and towards the rocky ridge line of Pared Y Cefn Hir to the West. This along with being immersed in pristine countryside.
Picking up the footpath you keep on heading NW until you get to Hafod Dywyll where you turn right or East on a wide track that takes you nearly two kms until you see a large field on your right. I crossed into the field (no style) and headed over to an obvious wall that goes very steeply uphill to the flanks of Craig Y Castell. Once on the flanks it is but a short detour to the unmarked top. From here you have stunning views all round as described before plus down to Barmouth estuary.
There are two ways to get back the direct and the long and I did the latter to elongate the hike somewhat. Heading downhill and around to the NE until I hit the same track I followed in from Hafod Dywyll. I followed this to the end and turned South on a path that took me into a forest, along Llyn Gwernan and straight onto the finish at Ty Nant car park. A stunning walk.
Parking and Access: There is ample parking and toilets at the start point but it gets busy on the weekend.
Route Summary: Good farm tracks, footpaths and a bit of cross country work but nowhere difficult. Steep pull to the flanks of Craig Y Castell. Stunning views along the entire length of the hike.
Route Statistics: 6.5kms, 295m of ascent done in a leisurely 1hr 55min.
GPX files: For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’
Ascent Entry: Craig Y Castell
Foel Offrwm, 405m.
Adjacent to the popular ‘Precipice Walk’ on the back roads near Dolgellau is another Marilyn. Parking at the Precipice car park, there is quite a lot of room and toilets. No charge. I would imagine it will get busy in high season but not today on a Sunday. It was half full.
Anyway Foel Offrwm is on private land but it is marked on OS maps in orange and thus to me subject to Open Access. There is a trail round it, half way up it but not all the way up it. There is a sign to the effect that you can follow the trail to the wooden viewing bench half way up but no further and this is subject to permission between Snowdonia NP and the landowner. The trails are also work in progress. In my view there is no need for any authority or agreement to hike on any OA land??
Start on the trail opposite the car park and head North on a distinct trail. It is marked. I soon ran out of trail and just headed uphill. It was no problem and somewhere along the line I ended back on the trail and at this viewing bench. I carried on uphill and ended up on the summit cairn (large) and fort (nothing of note) at the summit. There are good views from there, not on my particular day of visiting but I did get some atmospheric pictures!
To come down I decided to make a loop of it and just headed off downhill to the South before heading West steeply downhill towards Nannau Home Farm. I ended up in some woods and came out in a field where there was no exit from except by mounting the fence onto the road (bit of a drop off the wall). Yes, I didn’t like doing this but I am entitled to do this to egress from OA land! Once on the road head North back to the car park.
Parking and Access: There is a car park and toilets at the start point.
Route Summary: Private land but designated on OS as Open Access (OA) land. Mix of distinct trails, no trails with few styles and no exit from land of note?
Route Statistics: 3.3kms with 210m of ascent done in 1hr.
GPX files: For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’
Ascent Entry: Foel Offrwm
Mynydd Cwmcelli 469m
This was a reasonably remote Marilyn near Mallwyd. I had noted that the access road was a back road leading off the A470 that looked somewhat restricted. At the start point (there is a telephone kiosk marked on the map - I didn’t see it!) there are signs saying that the road ahead is unsuitable for motor vehicles and that the road has a 20% gradient. Having my MWB sprinter with me I decided to leave it here as there was ample space.
I marched up the steep road heading West (steep!) and it was indeed restricted for my van but not maybe for a smaller vehicle. After two kms you leave the road on the left and there is ample parking here for a smaller vehicle or for a bigger one if you want to risk meeting another vehicle on a veryyy steep gradient.
After turning off you are on a forestry track that leads onto a footpath and after another km Mynydd Cwmcelli rises in front of you steeply. You come out onto the common and actually go round the Southern tip of the hill on a footpath and then head North again. I cut across country a little bit (easy enough) but you can stay on the footpath all the way round. It makes it a tad longer.
You end up on the back of the hill and there are a couple of small ups and downs to get to the summit trig point. There was a horde of off road bikes when I was there. The views are okay but nothing special. It was another one done. Simply retrace your steps.
Parking and Access: Ample room at the roadside at the start point.
Route Summary: Road march, forest track and distinct footpath. Okay views. Trig pointed summit.
Route Statistics: 7.5kms with 400m of ascent done in 1hr 35min. Lets go home!
GPX files: For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following this link and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’
Ascent Entry: Mynydd Cwmcelli
OS overview using ViewRanger.
There is a large car park at the start point.
Great view of the Cyfrwy Arete.
Pared Y Cefn Hir, the rocky outcrops in the centre right.
Simply great...
OS overview using ViewRanger.
Ty Nant car park at the bottom of the Pony path.
The bench seat where there is no permission to walk further by agreement.
Stunning atmospheric views.
The cairn at the top.
Just beautiful. Looking down the throat of the Mawddach estuary.
Even better.
OS overview using ViewRanger.
Uninspiring walk in. Mynydd Cwmcelli directly in line with the track.
TP.
You can park here within a km to the summit. See the write up regarding access.