Get Lost Mountaineering

Rhinog Fawr from Cwm Bychan

Start/Finish

Car park at head of Cwm Bychan which can be accessed by a long narrow road, from Llanbedr on A 496 coastal road a few miles S of Harlech.

Distance/Time

9 km      Approx 5 hours

Peaks

Rhinog Fawr, 720 m, SH 657 290.     OL 18   Harlech, Porthmadog & Bala

Introduction

This is a very pleasant walk which includes two very scenic lakes.

Route

(1) Leave the car park by the top gate and turn right on to a good track which crosses a stream. The track becomes a path and has a wall on the right. A stile crosses a wall and the path enters an old oak wood. A stile also exits the wood. About 50 m further is a very small stone bridge. The path continues beyond here to the start of the famous Roman Steps which are slabbed in places. The path crosses a wall by a stile just after which there is a steep path heading SW. Ignore this and continue to a col. Descend about 300 m E before branching off S on a path which eventually climbs to the lovely Llyn Du. Follow a faint path, over boulders, on the N shore to join a more obvious path from a stone stile ( this came from the previously ignored path). Follow path on the left of a wall until just before a small rock face. Go through the rock “hole” and follow the path which shadows the wall. Take the first path which goes off left, E, and follow it to the summit cairn and trig point of Rhinog Fawr, 720 m.

(2) Aim for the flattish grassy area due W of the summit then descend N, on a choice of paths, to reach Gloyw Lyn, a large picturesque lake. Pass to W of lake then follow path to stile. Head NE to reach a wall running N-S and follow path on E side to rejoin outward route just above the oak wood.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 16^th April, 2010