top of page
  • Writer's picturedai186

NW Trip.2.Day3 - Gallt Yr Ogof and Y Foel Goch (2xNuttalls, Glyders).

Updated: Oct 3, 2020

14.8.2020 - Gallt Yr Ogof and Y Foel Goch, Glyders, Snowdonia (Nuttalls)

Today the the third baking day on the trot was a planned much shorter route just to take in Gallt Yr Ogof 763m and Y Foel Goch 805m. We parked at Gwern Gof Isaf just off the A5 road in the Ogwen valley. Friendly staff and a £2 all day parking fee.

From there you can follow our up route which was okay but a tad wet even on this baking day or to be honest the down route was a much better path. Either way you make for the fence line about a km uphill directly South. Once you hit the fence line I would basically follow our gpx trail as it is basically spot on all the way round the route.

From the fence line you handrail SE to gain the shoulder of Gallt Yr Ogof. Then you start to head steeply uphill and directly south with no footpath to follow. Once you gain the spine of GYO there is a half decent path you follow all the way to the top. There are two summits one at 757 and one at 763. There is a cairn at 763m.

Now for the next km you go slightly downhill and then there is a moderate rise to Y Foel Goch. Now in this little valley is a water table in the vicinity of the little lake marked on the map. Even today on a baking hot day it was bogging wet. So wet you see a little gpx spike where I retraced my steps. Stay on the extreme right of this water table. Rob didn’t and ended up with his left leg disappearing up to his groin on a 30c degree day!

Anyway, keep going to the cairned summit of Foel Goch and then drop down and keep on going around the loop of the route to Drws Nodded. The next section has some high steep rocky steps that you have find your way through leading down to Braich Y Ddeugwm. In decent visibility you will find your way down but be careful when the clag is in. The gpx trail is bang on but you still have to negotiate the rocky terrain. There is easy grade 1 scrambling at some stages.

You will soon be on the lower slopes and back at the start point! Now you will noticed I have not mentioned the views. You are in the Ogwen Valley, Tryfan, the Garn, Glyder Fawr and Fach are a stone’s throw away…this is god’s country, the beating heart of it. The views speak for itself!


Parking: Gwern Gof Isaf. Plenty of it at £2 a day. £8 to stay there solo in a MH.

Route Summary: Heather walk, a bit boggy, mountain paths, a water table that swollows people up to the groin and views to kill for.

Route Statistics: 7km with 550m done in an all in time of 3hrs 25min. Yes it was bloody hot!


GPX files: For gpx files go to the Peakbagger website by following these links and go to the bottom right hand of the page and click ‘Download this GPS track as a GPX file.’

Ascent Entry on Peakbagger: Gallt Yr Ogof and Y Foel Goch


Route overview using ViewRanger.

Parking at Gwern Got Isaf campsite. £2 for all day parking.

This route shows the majesty of Tryfan off to a T.

6 views0 comments
bottom of page