When most people think of Wales’ mountains, they think of Snowdon. It is the highest at 1,085 and so is on most people’s bucket lists for this reason alone. There is of course much more to Snowdonia than just this mountain though. With a summit only twenty one metres lower than Snowdon’s, a walk to Carnedd Llewelyn is well worth considering, especially if you prefer your summits free of people. It really is remarkable how much quieter Wales’s second highest mountain is.
The mountain is located in a vast wild area called The Carneddau. This is a largely untouched collection of mountains and valleys found in the north eastern part of the park. I explored it for the first time during July with my partner at the time. On that occasion we camped totally alone by a stunning mountain lake. A few weeks after that relationship sadly ended, I returned to the area for some much needed nature therapy. Enjoying the lake covered with ice and many inches of snow on the ground made it an experience I shall never forget. Click here to read more about that memorable winter trip.
The walk to Carnedd Llewelyn was completed on a separate trip, where I had wild camped locally the previous night.
The Route
Our camp by the lake on our first trip had seen us surrounded by rugged mountains, which I had never had time to climb. On this hike in Snowdonia’s Carneddau Range I intended to scale them. It started by the gorgeous Ogwen Lake and would complete a big loop taking in all the highest summits in the Carneddau. The high point of the day would of course be the summit of Carnedd Llewellyn. I am a little embarrassed to admit I’d never heard of it before discovering it on my OS Map. Shocking really when you consider how close it is to being the highest point in all of England and Wales.
The Journey Skywards
The first part of this hike is tough. Starting by the lake at around 300 metres, it is all uphill to the first summit of the day up on Pen yr Ole Wen. At 978 metres I am sure you can do the maths. It’s a fair way up. The scenery and company of the cascading stream makes the first part of the climb very enjoyable. Along with the refreshing water, sheep and maybe even wild horses will be there to keep you entertained too. Just keep an eye out if it is fern season. Sheep can hide well and may well make you jump out of your skin as they suddenly bolt away as you are nearly on top of them. That was certainly the case with me.
The Terrain Steepens
At just over 670 metres, you reach the incredible Ffynnon Lloer lake. Even at this early stage of the hike in Snowdonia’s Carneddau range, you are treated to incredible scenery. This is where myself and Lou wild camped and it makes a great spot to rest if you need to. The clear waters are also very inviting on a warm day and you may well fancy a dip. You will have already earned it after climbing the equivalent of The Shard.
From the lake, the path steepens almost straight away. About half way up the path appears to vanish as you realise that the route appears to be near vertical up a rocky wall. It is a bit of a scramble and certainly requires all fours to negotiate it. I am relieved I was only carrying a day pack and felt sorry for a German couple I met going the other way carrying full camping gear. It was also a relief to be scaling this more sketchy part in the dry. I can well imagine the rocks to be pretty slippy in the wet.
There were a couple of tougher sections on the climb to the first summit, but other than that it was more of a steady slog to the top. It certainly got the legs and lungs burning, but the ever improving views proved a great distraction from the lactic acid. Glancing back down towards the lake was particularly rewarding as I got to celebrate how far I’d actually come.
Soon you reach the summit of Pen yr Ole Wen. It is fairly unremarkable, with a small pile of stones marking its summit. Even on a summer’s day you soon notice the drop in temperature as you stop to enjoy the views and get your breath back. Layers are certainly needed on this trip any time of the year as it is often around seven degrees colder on the tops compared to down by Ogwen Lake.
The Great Ridge Walk Begins
The great thing with this walk is that once you summit Pen yr Ole Wen, most of the climbing is done, even though you have another two summits to enjoy. As you look north, you are treated to a ridge line stretching off into the distance. Already standing at 978 metres, it is reassuring to know that the highest point is less than one hundred metres above where you currently stand. The path is also pretty clear as you are following The Cambrian Way along the top.
After around thirty minutes of fairly easy walking you reach the second summit of the day. At 1044 metres you easily find the cairn of Carnedd Dafydd. A stone shelter is also present, which would certainly come in handy on a gusty day. Unusually there was hardly a breath of wind the day I visited, but the clouds decided to come in and spoil the spectacular views I had been expecting. I hardly saw a thing on the entire ridge, but this blog shows how amazing it can be on a clear day.
Which Way Am I Going?
From Carnedd Dafydd the path descends before providing a stiff climb back up towards Carnedd Llewellyn. At this point the visibility had dropped significantly and it was proving hard to navigate. Thankfully a couple were just ahead of me and were using GPS to find their way. I made the error of only carrying a map with no compass. It would have been quite easy to have got lost up there, which is never advisable. I will never be making that mistake again.
Carnedd Llewellyn Reached
It proved to be quite a long walk between Carnedd Dafydd and the highest summit of the day. It does undulate somewhat, meaning I thought I’d sumitted at least three times before I actually did. The couple I was following must have found that quite amusing, hearing a voice celebrating in the fog only to realise moments later that he’d got it wrong again.
Eventually a stone shelter appeared out of the gloom and I found myself standing at the second highest point in all of England and Wales. Other than the couple, I was the only person up there. I found that incredible for a dry day in July. Mount Snowdon has sadly become famous in recent times for all the wrong reasons. Human defecating on its slopes has become a problem as have the queues who often form a line to get their photo taken on the summit. Here I was a mere 21 metres lower and I practically had it to myself. Amazingly though, some hardy sheep were close by munching away on what looked like all rocky ground. This only proves how right I am about sheep being the true bosses of the hills and mountains.
The Descent Begins
Now the walk to Carnedd Llewelyn was complete, it look a while to locate the path off of the summit. Its top covers quite a large area and visibility was rubbish. Thankfully I eventually did and started heading down. It proved to be challenging descent with loose rocks and steep inclines. Some sections even involved me sliding down on my bottom, which was rather fun. The walking pole certainly came in useful again in keeping me steady and taking the strain off of my knees a bit. Well worth investing in one or two if you haven’t already.
It did take a while to drop below the cloud base, but I did still get to enjoy some incredible views on the way down. Some of the drop offs to the right of the path were awesome and revealed views into the beautifully isolated Cwm Eigiau, which almost begged me to explore it. Certainly a good reason to come back.
Eventually the terrain flattened and I reached Ffynnon Llugwy reservoir. As I hiked along its eastern shore, I was able to glance back and admire where i’d just been. I also couldn’t help but marvel at the cascading river making its way into the head of the lake. I could hear the sound of the tumbling water in the breeze and it was beautiful.
In Conclusion….
This was an incredible hike and one of the best I’ve done. I wasn’t carrying a GPS device, but some simple research shows that the route is fairly long at around 14km, when you factor in the walk back to the car along the A5 at the end. It is physically challenging and technical in places, but doable for a fit enthusiast. I completed the entire circuit in just over five fours, but it’s certainly worth allowing up to seven if you tend to walk a little slower or just love stopping to take photos.
The best thing about this walk to Carnedd Llewelyn is the solitude. I only passed around twelve people altogether, which I think is amazing for Snowdonia in the height of summer. It’s a route well worth exploring that’s for sure. Of course the views aren’t half bad either!