Gwynedd ArGyll/Perth & Kinross 23 Elidir Fawr & dinorwic Quarry 24 bEinn mhanach WALES w n a w n a SCOTLAND uDistance: 10½ miles/16.8kmuTime: 7 hours uGrade: Challenging S E b uDistance: 12½ miles/20km uTime: 7 hours uGrade: Challenging S E b llyn peris and snowdon from plan your walk plan your walk see Ure Dinorwic Quarries. EATage 68 F on p Photo: Photo: ralphstorer tom bailey tom route route Start/parking Gorsaf ddu Start/parking Access P&d in Padarn Country approaching beinn road to Auch farm on A82 Park, ll55 4ty, grid ref mhanach from auch Gleann. between tyndrum and sh585 604 Bridge of orchy, on verge, is it for me? requires grid ref nn317354 chosen by… If this demanding route isn’t good stamina for steep/ chosen by… The approach follows a is it for me? An easy philip thomas for you, a shorter walk (3¼ rough terrain, sometimes ralph storer 5mile/8km off-roader track approach track (with The slate quarries miles) is suggested on the map. exposed. Good navigation Beinn Mhanach along Auch Gleann to the fords) leads to a steep of North Wales once needed to follow faint (pronounced Vanach, foot of the mountain, with pathless ascent on grass paths (some not marked Stiles none roofed the world. The second Start meaning Monk) is a humble, the twin summits in view on OS maps). Quiet lanes largest of all was Dinorwic, 1Leave car park via road are used later on. bosomy 953m Munro all the way, forming a planning near Llanberis. It left Elidir you came in on, to mini Stiles 9 (it has rounded twin tops) photogenic composition. nearest town oban Fawr’s mountainsides roundabout. Turn L (past near Bridge of Orchy. Beinn Mhanach is on the right, refreshments the Green spectacularly gouged and Power Station sign), then L up planning Overshadowed by four Beinn a’ Chuirn (its lower welly in tyndrum, www. disfigured. The mountain now walled footpath through trees/ nearest town Caernarfon higher neighbours, it cowers west Top) is on the left. thegreenwellystop.co.uk conceals a hydroelectric power spoil heaps. Zigzag up to metal refreshments Cafés at sheepishly behind them at the Public toilets none start & in nearby llanberis Public transport none bridge, turn sharp R down to station, fed by a reservoir Public toilets At start head of Auch Gleann and is Start maps OS explorer 377; tucked up in a high cwm. and along tramway (follow Public transport Buses probably only ever climbed 1Take the paved road down landranger 50 But up top, this 3031-foot blue trail markers). Continue up 85/86 (Bangor) and 88 because of its Munro status. to Auch Farm. Pass the farm peak remains untouched and steep disused incline (passing (Caernarfon), & seasonal Don’t let that dissuade you. and follow continuing Land ruggedly beautiful. Beyond ruined Anglesey Barracks on snowdon sherpa s2/s6 On a hot summer’s day it’s a Rover track along Auch Gleann, 1½ miles/2.5km its shattered quarryscape, L). Go around next drum house maps OS explorer ol17; surprisingly pleasant objective ignoring all side branches. 2As it progresses upglen, landranger 115 a steep path leads up to Elidir and carry on up incline to in its own right. Although not Cross West Highland Way. track fords Allt Kinglass four Fawr’s rocky summit. A ridge kissing gate at top. Detour apparent from its position on Ford Allt Coralan, usually times, giving four easy paddles joins it to other outlying peaks L to viewpoint, then return. to follow track through the edge of OS Landranger passable dryshod on stepping in summer. Between fords 1 and in the Glyderau range, before a quarries. Where main track 50/Explorer 377, the summit stones. Pass under Horseshoe 2, and again between fords 3 descent to Dinorwig and 1 mile/1.6km swings R downhill after ¾-mile, view east (on OS Landranger Viaduct of West Highland and 4, occasionally muddy but through Padarn Country Park. 2Go R through adjacent gate take rough footpath ahead ➥ 51/Explorer OL48) is immense. Railway line. mostly grassy path runs along ➥ GRADIENT PROFILE GRADIENT PROFILE 1200 1200 800 800 400 400 metres metres 0 0 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 km 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 ✁ SCOTLAND WALES ArGyll/Perth & Kinross october 2019 Gwynedd october 2019 24 bEinn mhanach 23 Elidir Fawr & dinorwic Quarry uOS Explorer map 377 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map OL17 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop through kissing gate, jinking 6 7 down L off spoil tip and along 7 6 wall. Continue through fields, crossing footbridges, to cross ladder stile at ‘Fron’. 5 e Survey. Media 001/19 e Survey. e Survey. Media 001/19 e Survey. C C 8 4 5 2⅓ miles/3.8km rdnan Go L of buildings along rdnan 4 o 3 o Short 19 19 E lane, shortly turning L up path rout along wall to ladder stile. Date walke Date 2 walke Date yright 20 yright 20 Follow path through next stile/ P P o o C 3 gate, zigzagging and curving C Start 1 R up into Cwm Dudodyn. Turn L over ladder stile at grid ref ©Crown ©Crown SH608 595 to cross stream ©Crown D D (footbridge on OS map isn’t there) and trace a faint hill path 3 (not on older OS maps) steeply N. Cross stile (after boggy 5½ miles/8.9km Newydd Farm’, through kissing 2 patch) in wall ahead. Continue 6Take a rocky path NE down gate and over stile to next gate. time t time t on same bearing up through R-hand side of shelter for 100m. Go R to paved track, and follow gaps in next fences, beyond Turn L up and over shoulder it L, over bridge and through Start 1 which the now clearer path (through grassy gap between gate signed ‘Pen yr Allt’. Past aken trends N-NE, crossing scree boulders), to follow stony path cottage, pick up path R of aken up to summit shelter of Elidir NW, twisting downhill to small second dwelling. At junction, Fawr (grid ref SH612 613). pond in saddle. Bear W to pick follow yellow trail marker L into near bank, enabling you to its end on pass to Loch Lyon. Gentle turf slopes climb to up path curving south towards Coed Dinorwig. At fork, take avoid crossing river at all if you Mhanach’s flat, stony summit. 4 miles/6.4km dam, descending to cross stile path down R (yellow/blue). wish to avoid wet feet. Reach 4¾ miles/7.75km 4Leave summit R (easterly), to paved access road. Follow it Keep straight at next junction farm buildings at aptly named 5Turn L to tackle main 6¼ miles/10km following narrow path down L, curving up to meet another (green), then down R at next Ais an t-Sithean (Back of the ascent of day, climbing steep 7Return same way. Before ridge to Bwlch y Marchlyn. Stay road from dam. Keep straight marker. At track, go R (green/ Hillocks). grass for 480m to skyline descending, you may wish to on ridge crest where path dips on, continuing down access yellow), then R again to front yo yo saddle between Chuirn (L) and visit Beinn a’ Chuirn (only 74m to R-hand side, bearing NE, road for 1½ miles to gate. of old Quarry Hospital. Cross U U r rating 3¾ miles/6km Mhanach (R). Stream coming ascent from saddle), but return r rating uphill to pick up fence line. railway bridge L to viewpoint. 3Main river bears L beside down from saddle indicates to saddle before descending Cross stile and follow fence up 7⅔ miles/12.3km Follow trails L through country glacial moraines but track goes line to be taken. Climb either to avoid craggy ground. to summit shelter of Mynyndd 7Continue down public road park back to start. straight on beside tributary side. On R you can veer away Perfedd, beyond fence corner to junction on corner. Turn L, (Allt a’ Chuirn). Three more higher up to head directly for (at grid ref SH623 619). along lane for one mile, past © Country © Country V iew the walk on © Country V iew the walk on fords follow, but stream now Mhanach’s summit. For easier OS MAPS online: chapel into Dinorwig. OS MAPS online: shallow enough to cross on going, stay L, where rough lfto.com/cwroutes 5 miles/8km lfto.com/cwroutes w stepping stones. Reach fork track gives head start and w Follow the faint path N, alking 5 9 miles/14.5km alking at foot of Beinn a’ Chuirn. angle eases towards saddle. IN ASSOCIATION WITH curving N-NW over stile. 8Cross road and head IN ASSOCIATION WITH o o ctober 2019 ctober ctober 2019 ctober Cross boulders up to crest of down lane L of bus shelter. 4¼ miles/6.75km 5¾ miles/9.25km Carnedd y Filiast, bearing R to Take second footpath R after 4Follow R branch of track to 6Bear R/east on saddle. summit (grid ref SH621 627). converted chapel. Go R of ‘Ty ✁.