A walk up Y Garn and Elidir Fawr

Ogwen is a familiar and famous place to hillwalkers in Snowdonia. Surrounded on all sides by the high peaks of the Glyderau and Carneddau ranges It is the starting point to many an adventure in this mountain lovers paradise. It’s cluster of buildings including an outdoor centre, hostel and cafe, its small wood of tall evergreen trees, the constant sound of the Afon Ogwen crashing down nearby Ogwen falls and its location, nestled in the very heart of the mountains all combine to make this little hamlet feel like an altar in a mountain cathedral where hillwalkers come to worship and bring their offerings in the church of natural beauty.

 

I arrive early and have the place to myself, nothing is heard but the sound of the waterfall and the birds singing in the trees.

The path to Lynn Idwal is a well trodden one. Thousands of people walk up to the lake each year and the path is really a pavement of well placed, firm flat stones leading the way to the lake shore. The weather is dull and overcast and brooding cloud hangs low just above the lake obscuring the view of the mountains above. There are breaks in it though and the sun is starting to shine through so I am hopeful that the tops will clear as the day progresses. The water on the lake is still and reflecting the grey colour of the cloud above it. A lone fisherman, standing in the lake plies his trade under a blanket of cloud.

Although thousands walk to Llyn Idwal in any given year, for most of them that’s where the walking stops. Thankfully, this leaves the higher ground free for those who enjoy their mountains less crowded. The path to Y Garn follows the north shore footpath for a short while before branching off across open ground. It then joins a well built and well maintained stone staircase which climbs steadily up to Cwm Clyd.

From here the rock steps are left behind and after an initial easy incline the final haul up to the summit of Y Garn is quite steep and the path is worn. Just before the summit a Bwlch is reached and the incline eases off for the final fifty metres or so.

At the summit the clouds are still swirling but there are enough breaks in them to snatch views of the surrounding mountains and down into the Ogwen valley. Y Garn must be one of the few mountains where you can actually see the start of your walk from the summit and looking down, I can see my car parked on the roadside at Ogwen cottage 2,000 ft below my feet. There is a small stone shelter, minimalist shall we say, marking the summit and I take a seat, have a cup of hot chocolate and snicker bar and watch the cloud shadows racing across the valley floor bringing sunshine and shadows as they pass over the land.

From Y Garn my next objective Elidir Fawr, can be seen across Cwm Dudodyn. Its only seventy six feet lower than Y Garn but unfortunately, there is a four hundred foot drop off to negotiate to join the path around the head of Cwm Dudodyn. What the mountains give, they also take away. It’s only a short walk back to the Bwlch but instead of turning right back to Ogwen I take a left and drop off the ridge steeply at first, down to the head Cwm Dudodyn. The path around the valley follows the contour and so is fairly level and i make good progress, admiring the views across Nant Peris to the Snowdon range.

Elidir Fawr is a big whaleback of a mountain and it is not long before I am starting to climb up its long ridge. About half way up the Marchlyn Mawr reservoir comes into view hundreds of feet below. The ridge seems to go on forever but eventually you reach the point where you can climb no higher and know you are on the top.

The summit is marked by a very small, almost shrine like pile of sharp angled slate, In fact the whole summit is made up of loose rock with no shelter or flat area to speak of and so is not really conducive for a long stay. Walking around the valley the weather had brightened up a little but stood on top of Elidir Fawr the clouds are back, limiting the views and providing encouragement, not that it was needed for me to move on.

I’m tempted to drop off the mountain to the south west here, head down into Llanberis and enjoy a pint of tea and a sausage bap at Pete’s eats. Unfortunately for me my car is parked in a completely different valley so I resist the temptation, turn back on myself and follow the path I have just trodden. This isn’t all bad though, I get to see the views that were behind me on the way here and as the saying goes, even a bad day in the hills is better than a good day in the office. The 400ft descent from Y Garn has now become 400ft of ascent but the reward when I get to the Bwlch for the second time is a glorious view of the Ogwen valley in the sunshine.

Laid out before me are the high mountains of the Glyders and across the valley, Pen yr Ole Wen looks like a pointy witches hat. Far down below, Lynn Ogwen stretches out along the valley and in the near distance, Llyn Idwal looks blue and inviting in the afternoon sun. I stand for a while admiring the view and counting my blessings that the weather has come good.

I’m tired by the time I get down to Lynn Idwal and join in the procession of people who are walking to the lake and back. At Ogwen the sun is shining, the temperature is rising and the cafe is open. I sit on the wall sunbathing and enjoy a nice cup of tea and one of my favourites from here, a big fruit slice before walking back to the car, another satisfying day, another offering made in the church of the mountain gods.

For map, route details and picture gallery of this walk click on ‘Learn more’ below