ROUTE 3 AUGUST 2017 15.5km/9½ miles 7 hours

If you sleep on ' slopes, legend has it you'll awaken either a madman, a poet... or you won‘t awaken at all!

ROUTE STATS Strenuousness lllll Navigation lllll Technicality lllll Trail 100s 1

Cadair Idris from the west BEN WEEKS Brace yourself for a varied and challenging walk up and over peaks from Cadair Idris’ quiet side. Kate Worthington takes the lead...

adair Idris. Cader Idris. Taking in the view Penygadair (or indeed, Pen y above LLyn Cau. CGadair)? An array of titles for this majestic peak, rising so stupendously from the lowlands of the (Mawddach Estuary) to its north west and the Dyfi Forest to its south east. From the quiet and more arboreal hamlet of Llynfihangel-y-pennant, the mountain’s smoother western flanks keep secret its impressive set of glacial cwms and northern scarp slopes. A longer day out could take in a linear walk from east to west along Penygadair’s spine, but this more modest loop allows for topping out on its highest point at 893m, via Mynydd Pencoed. After an impressive effort of the legs to rise out of the valley, you are rewarded with a high level and rocky mountain: does the ‘cadair’ name imply summit or ‘top/head of’ Penygadair, as it is parade above Llyn Cau to reach the that the legendary giant Idris sat atop the spelled on OS maps, you’ll also see why summit, Penygadair. summit in his ‘chair’ to ponder heaven, or this location is spot-on for surveying the Even Snowdonia National Park is maybe ‘cader’ refers to the giant’s fortress Welsh landscape around you. For here, undecided as how to refer to this grand or stronghold. Once standing aloft on the you stand in the footsteps of …

AUGUST 2017 TRAIL 99 Thurso

ISLE OF LEWIS

HARRIS Lairg Ullapool

ISLE OF SKYE Inverness

Portree Shiel Bridge Aviemore Inverie Aberdeen Mallaig Invergarry Braemar

Fort William

MULL Oban

JURA Glasgow Edinburgh

ISLAY Berwick-upon-Tweed

ISLE OF ARRAN Ayr Jedburgh

Ballantrae Dumfries Newcastle Newton Stewart Londonderry -upon-Tyne Stranraer Carlisle

Donegal Belfast Keswick Penrith Middlesbrough Always take a map ROUTE 3 out with you on Kendal Northallerton Windermere the hill AUGUST 2017 SnowdoniaIngleton Bentham York 15.5km/9½ Lanmilescaster 7 hours Skipton Leeds SH672088 From the grassy top here it’s a Your descent route will of path that need care Dublin Liverpool Manchester ROUTE STATSRhyl 1 Conway car park follow the little ill-defined, so check pick up the Pony Path that when wet, but the track is Bodelwyddan village laneShe el northd for a bearing for your onward extends westwards more defined than your around 400m until a progression, and note the down, initially hugging ascent route. More Betws-y-Coed Llangollen public right of way path is steep drops to Llyn Cau to the steep cwm with Llyn y grassy and some boggy markedDerb offy to the right the east below. Heading Gadair as its base. It’s a ground as you reach a (ignore other signs for north-north-west you’ll quick loss of 300m down distinct turn in the track, Dingle Tralee Peterborough Aberystwyth Birmingham Waterford ‘Cader Idris’ – they are soon see evidence again there! You may choose to heading south-west. Killarney your descent route). of the good track leading rise again to SH703133 Cork Cardigan Hay-on-Wye Gently rise and then to the summit, hugging SH679125 The Kenmare Brecon Glcontouroucester above Afon Craig Cau’s edge. 7 final leg back to Cadair. After crossing the your start Distance 15.5km Oxford Pembroke lower reaches of Nant (9½ miles) SH710130 Swansea Pencoed, you’ll start to 5 Penygadair 6 Total ascent 964m Cardi Bristol gain height towards the summit. A rightful Time 7 hours open fell, above Pencoed relaxation spot for Start/finish Minehead farm building. a giant! Southampton 5 Llanfihangel-y-pennant Brighton car park (SH672088Ex)eter PoolSH685110e After Nearest town Tywyn 2 crossing a stile to Bodmin 7 Terrain farmland;Plymouth the right of the building, rocky/grassy slopes; you now have 400m to high mountain plateau gain to Mynydd Pencoed. Maps OS Explorer There is not much of (1:25,000) OL23; OS a path here on the 4 Landranger (1:50,000) ground, and in poor 124; Harvey Superwalker visibility you might want (1:25,000) Cadair Idris to take a compass 3 bearing towards the hill’s summit area. On a clear day you can see your best line up the broad shoulder, all the while 2 gaining height through rocks and grass. You’ll point meet a line of fence posts should not cause rising from your right too many navigational at 670m. spot decisions, as the track is height 811m well defined, entering Accommodation SH696113 (Cwfrwy – The lower farmland and some Graig Wen (camping, Mynydd 3 Saddle) to gain tracks at times. Pass by bunkhouse, cottages, Pencoed: what a another Hafotty Gwastadfryn at self-catering), treat to gain this height viewpoint. SH678121 (Haffoty or near now! It's a really lovely Hafodty being a ‘summer (01341) 250482 progression along this SH691135 house’ for animals when Public transport Lloyds high ground in a 6 Otherwise, grazing high). It will Coaches 01654 702100 north-easterly keep going down the belong to the farm (only to ) direction towards Craig Cwm Amarch main Pony Path for a Gwastadfryn in the valley Guidebook and a cairn at 791m. 1 further 1km. Descending below. A steady valley Great Mountain Days It's pleasant walking in from the summit, there descent now, to complete in Snowdonia: 40 good weather, but is very are a few rocky sections a (fairly) giant day out. classic routes exploring much exposed to the There are impressive Snowdonia by Terry elements if its windy! views to the coast The Pony Path towards Marsh, pb Cicerone especially, but in poor Press Carnedd Lwyd and Tyrrau SH710121 From weather you’ll be Mawr, viewed from near the Tourist info Cadair Idris 4 this fine viewpoint, thankful for the shelter of summit of Cadair Idris. Visitor Centre & Tea a great deal of Cadair a small summit building. Room 0300 065 3000 Idris’ east-west traverse Cadair Idris does present Best café Caffi’r can be viewed, over the challenges in terms of Ceunant, Abergynolwyn gaping hole that holds the high summit being so (at the base of Cadair Llyn Cau, towards the relatively exposed to Idris) (01654) 782372 summit and east to wind and weather and beyond. coming from the coast, Here the very well- and the rocky terrain at established Minffordd this level can be greasy Path clambers up from when wet. A wonderful

below, but just on the Welsh peak, this. HASKELL / ALAMY GAVIN

GET THIS ROUTE GRADIENT ON YOUR PHONE! PROFILE Start Craig Cwm Amarch Cadair Idris LFTO.COM/ 1400 1200 TRAILROUTES METRES 1000 In association with ABOVE 800 SEA 600 LEVEL 400 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 200

MILES 0 2 4 6 8 OS Maps KILOMETRES 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2017 . MEDIA 001/17 COPYRIGHT 2017 ORDNANCE SURVEY. ©CROWN

100 TRAIL AUGUST 2017