Nantlle Circular from Rhyd Ddu

QMD Walks

Relevant OS Maps include: OS Explorer OL17 (1:25), OS Landranger 115 (1:50), Harvey Snowdonia North XT40 (1:40).

Distance: c. 13 miles

Going: Demanding. Some rough ground. PRoW and FPs not always clear. Route finding necessary. Some boulder fields and steep ground. Grade 1 scrambles.

1. Start at layby just above Rhyd-Ddu at start of PRoW SH566526. Follow PRoW up to OA, BR on FP just before you reach OA SH563524 and follow FP up Y Garn SH551525, CB 290.

2. From Y Garn make way along ridge to Mynydd Drws-y-Coed, SH548518. Grade 1 scramble available. From Mynydd Drws-y-Coed continue on FP over Bwlch Dros- bern and on to Craig Cwm Silyn SH525502. Grade 1-2 available. Continue on FP to Garnedd Goch SH511495, CB 240.

3. From Garnedd Goch continue on FP, CB 205, until you reach JNCT with PRoW SH507491. TR CB 152 and continue to head of Bwlch Cwmdulyn SH509488. Pick up FP to Mynydd Graig Goch SH496485, CB 260.

4. From Mynydd Graig Goch retrace steps to Bwlch Cwmdulyn SH509488. From here you are aiming to join the FP on the other side of Cwm Braich-y-Ddinas at roughly SH528492, rough CB 080. SEE NUMBER 5.

5. From Bwlch Cwmdulyn cross wall fence rough CB 080. Continue to next wall/fence roughly 800m. Then rough CB 082 past another wall/fence after roughly 300m and another after that after roughly 250m (may not be visible) and final wall/fence after that after 450m. This should be Cwm Braich-y-Ddinas. FP is roughly 100m after cwm on the CB. (Cross/go past five walls/fences form Bwlch Cwmdulyn to FP.

6. When you reach the FP after Cwm Braich-y- Ddinas, or by your reckoning you are in the correct location, head down the valley handrailing the stream CB 150. At wall/fence JNCT SH531488 the FP BL then BR to down to road at either Braichydinas or Beudy Newydd or where the stream meets the road SH535485.

7. At road TL and follow to end. TR on PRoW at Beudy yr Ddol SH540492. BR at Cwn Trwsgl ruins SH543493 and follow round to bridge then take track up above Cwm Twsgl and reservoir from SH546492 CB 028. NOTE 1: There is a PRoW from cwm

trwsgl ruins up to the tips SH548498 on CB 040. I searched for around twenty minutes in heavy bracken in the summer heat and couldn’t find it. NOTE 2: There is a PRoW alongside Reservoir but this is v. boggy.

8. From the reservoir continue up to the tips past the mine workings. Stay on PRoW to Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor, SH552503. From Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor cross fence/wall and continue to forestry CB 035. NOTE: stay on rough CB from fence/wall to forestry. There is a path along the RHS but this leads into nowhere and traps you in the forestry.

9. Stay on PRoW through forestry to far side SH557515, CB 035. Continue on PRoW back to layby SH566526, CB 035.

Glossary BL - Bear Left BR - Bear Right CB - Compass Bearing FB – Footbridge FP - Footpath. Usually marked on 1:25 but not on 1:50 JNCT - Junction (paths/tracks cross/join) OA – Open Access PRoW - Public Right of Way. Usually marked on 1:25 and 1:50 Quad bike track - Two parallel lines going across the fell made by continued use by quad bike RHS – Right hand side LHS – Left hand side TL - Turn Left TR - Turn Right Track - A wide track that looks suitably for 4x4 vehicles