Cwm Lledr Horseshoe: Ysgafell Wen & Allt-Fawr

[poppiesrara]

A beautiful and interesting walk around the backwaters of Snowdonia.

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Having expected this area to be deserted, even on an Easter weekend, there were actually a few cars at the road end near Coed Mawr and a couple of big groups visible in the distance heading up the bridleway west. No-one was taking quite this route, but then it does need a bit of pathless – if easy enough – grassbashing to gain a foothold on the long ridge of Yr Arddu. A good perspective of the Snowdon horseshoe and Moel Siabod, seen in full profile to the north, fill the eye for these miles, but the ridge makes for very interesting walking anyway – a constant succession of little rocky peaks and tiny pools amid the heather and a tangle of half-paths. I’d been up on Haystacks in the Lakes a few days before, and the walk along here and over the succession of summits of Ysgafell Wen must be Wales’ closest thing to that - without the crowds too…

Yr Arddu from the road-end

Allt-Fawr & Moel Druman on the skyline

Snowdon

Llyn Edno with Yr Aran right

On Ysgafell Wen's north ridge - one of Llynnau'r Cwn below

The highest of of Llynnau'r Cwn

Moel Siabod from Ysgafell Wen

The Moelwyns from Ysgafell Wen summit

Turning east over the tops of Moel Druman and Allt-Fawr, the going becomes grassier and quicker but no less attractive, the ridge lined by wide blue llyns in the sunshine, and the high Moelwyns and Cnicht rising temptingly close by. Allt-Fawr – this circuit’s highpoint at 698m has a fine summit of jagged rocky teeth, but also a startling sudden view of the vast Ffestiniog slate quarries climbing the hillsides opposite.

Llyn Terfyn

Back to Ysgafell Wen

Cnicht

Moelwyns from Moel Druman

Llyn Conglog

Pool on ridge between Moel Druman & Allt-Fawr

Ysgafell Wen & Snowdon

Moel Druman

Cnicht & Moel Druman over Llyn Conglog, from Allt-Fawr

Allt-Fawr summit

Blaenau Ffestiniog quarries and Manod Mawr from Allt-Fawr

The descent north is easy if occasionally steep going over grassy subtops onto a circuitous quarry track back into the lovely valley. It’s also marked at first by the recent scars of industry (the sad little dammed llyn below Iwerddon and some rather prominent power-lines) but it’s a damn sight better than the way down the last time I climbed these hills a few years back: descending directly from Ysgafell Wen to the headwaters of the Afon Lledr and following the river into the valley is probably the wettest stretch of walking imaginable, a long, long slog of waist-high reeds hiding knee-deep watery marsh… This however was a terrific circuit of little-visited hills, very highly recommended.

Descending to Iwerddon, the Crimea Pass far below

Moel Dyrnogydd and its Llyn, Moel Siabod behind

Close-up of the way down from Ysgafell Wen to be avoided, the upper Afon Lledr

Mine ruins in Cwm Lledr, Yr Arddu ridge behind

Moel Siabod

[clivegrif]

Cracking report there P!

Been a long time since I was up there, and this shows what I have been missing.

I know parts of Snowdonia was mobbed out over Easter, it seems hundreds even wanted to climb Maesglase from the cars jammed in & double parked at Bwlch Oerddrws.

However, it looks like you had a wonderful corner of Wales all to yourself.

[poppiesrara]

Thanks, Clive! Not quite all to myself, but 3 other people seen all day after the start must be nearly as close you can get... it was a great route.

I can't remember seeing anyone actually parked up at Bwlch Oerddrws, god knows where they were off to! Maesglase is a favourite of mine but it's not obviously the place to climb it from, and I'm not sure anyone heads out for a family Easter up Cribin Fawr or Pen y Brynfforchog??!

[ChrisW]

Great stuff P and what a cracking day to be doing it. Those beautiful blue skies really showed the area off at its very best (that and your photography skills mate )