Moel Ysgyfarnogod, Craig Cwm Silyn

[poppiesrara]

Two really good short walks either side of Tremadoc Bay, picking up a couple of new 'Nuttalls' alongside the main peaks.

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Moel Ysgyfarnogod is one of the friendlier Rhinogs to climb, helped by a (testingly narrow and quite hard-to-locate) road up to a high western starting point, and then a gently-ascending grassy track most of the rest of the way. Twisting between a series of llyns and cut into the craggy face of the mountain, it's a fine easy walk that gets you right to the final slopes before fading away in the col just south, from where it's just a steep scrabble up grass to the top.

Tremadoc Bay

Llyn Eiddew-Mawr

Llyn Du

Moel Ysgyfarnogod

Clip from Moel Ysgyfarnogod, and shadows of the high Rhinogydd

With morning haze blocking out all long views, the sights were of the nearby, craggy and daunting, neighbour Rhinogs – the sister peak of Foel Penolau rising up in a series of bizarre square lumps of rock, as if built from breeze-blocks or even Lego. It looks a fairly daunting climb from the approach, but a little avalanche of chunky scree in the middle marks a pretty straightforward scramble up a gully onto a rock shelf curving to the right and up to the flat 'crazy paving' summit. Getting down north-east to Llyn Dywarchen and then the track back is a bit of a marshy thrash, but a short enough one before an easy downhill stroll to finish a decent taster of this challenging range.

Foel Penolau

The ascent gully

Llyn Dywarchen

Fishing in Llyn Eiddew-Bach

Moel y Geifr

By afternoon, the clouds had burnt away and all was clear blue sky for a little bite out of the Nantlle Ridge, the simple way dodging all the awkward areas. The western approach does give a really inviting view of the steep rocks of Craig Cwm Silyn rising above its eponymous twin lakes though, and there's a fine path up there hugging the edge of the cliffs and giving views of some daredevil climbing feats on the crags, along with what is supposed to be a manageable walking route up the scree but looked like a desperate dusty scramble from this angle. I was up here chiefly for Garnedd Goch next door, but it was worth a weave through the stony ground to the main summit for a grand view of high Snowdonia to the north.

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Craig Cwm Silyn over Llynnau Cwm Silyn

Moel Tryfan & Mynydd Mawr

Down the ascent slopes, Menai Straits & Anglesey horizon

Moel Hebog from Craig Cwm Silyn

The Carneddau & Snowdon over the Nantlle Ridge

Lllyn Nantlle Uchaf & the Nantlle quarries

Cwm Pennant & Moel y Gest

After a marshy and then bouldery stroll south to Garnedd Goch, the way down was surprisingly well-built for what had seemed quite an 'off-piste' route, a clearly marked and stoned path cutting across the hillside and down towards Nebo. The footpaths on the OS that should cut back to the car-park simply don't exist on the ground unfortunately, blocked (quite deliberately by the locals, it seems) by closed gates, 'Keep-Out' signs and impenetrable vegetation, but the bridleway further down works okay, if involving an unwelcome final kick back uphill. Good stuff still, and a route that does justice to its main peak rather more than climbing it as a rise on a long ridge.

Craig Cwm Silyn from Garnedd Goch

Llyn Cwm Dulyn, Yr Eifl behind

Garnedd Goch

[ChrisW]

Cracking pair P (ooh eer mrs ) The day really cleared up for the afternoon session and helped with making those beautiful shots as the day progressed

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

A great report of two less well known but favourite peaks of mine! Some great photos that capture the strange rock scenery.

reminds me that next time I'm near Moel Ysg I must also take a look at Bryn Cader Faner http://www.megalithic.co.uk/a558/a312/gallery/wales/gwynedd/yt_DSC_1045_c.jpg

Tim