Joe Brown

Pen-yr-ole-wen by the east ridge, Carnedd Dafydd, and Carnedd Llewellyn

A high level walk taking in three 3000ft summits.er

• 9.5 miles

• 4,700ft ascent

• 5hr. 30mins

Not too arduous (once the first summit is reached the rest is relatively easy), and with an optional easy (road) descent.  By the waterboard road descent 7.5 miles, 3,600ft. ascent, 4hr. 15mins (A5 to A5).  Pen yr Helgi Du adds half a mile and 250ft of climb.  Pen Llithrig y Wrach makes it 9.5 miles, 4,700ft ascent and about 5hr. 30mins.  The road section is 1.25 miles, and slightly uphill (160ft) - allow 30 minutes

To climb Pen-yr-ole-wen by from the west end of Llyn Ogwen is one of the most tedious ascents in Snowdonia - steep, and with several false summits. 

A far pleasanter way is from Glan Dena at Llyn Ogwen's eastern end.  Park on the roadside near the small plot of trees.  Walk through these past Glan Dena (the Midland Association of Mountaineers hut), and follow the tarmac drive to a wall shortly before the farm.  The path turns up the wall a short way before crossing it.  The way on (usually wet) wanders up the hillside (some markers) to reach the fridd (mountain) wall at a gate and stile.  On the far side head almost immediately half left - there is no well established path, but you may find traces here and there - heading for a rocky step on the ridge, or follow the stream upeards to reach the lake, and start to ascend the ridge from there.

A little higher a short easy scramble leads up a groove before the ridge opens out again.  Follow the ridge upwards on the now well marked path which will eventually reach the smooth summit plateau.  Keep alongside the edge of Cwm Lloer, descending to the central cairn before heading gently uphill over rocky ground to the summit of Carnedd Dafydd.  Now keep along the ridge that runs eastwards above the cliffs of Ysgolion Duon.

Pleasant mainly grassy walking leads, after about a mile, to the narrow ridge that links Carnedd Dafydd to Carnedd Llewellyn.  Cross this ridge and then plod steadily uphill to reach the summit cairn on Carnedd Llewellyn.   Descend by the east ridge, towards the top of Craig yr Ysfa (a classic, long easy climb ascends to this point from Cwm Eigiau). 

At the lowest point on the ridge a path drops to the right to skirt Fynnon Llugwy, the lake below.  The easy option is to take this path, which follows the eastern side of the lake, to join the waterboard road from its far end.  This leads directly to the A5, about a mile east of where you started.

The alternative is to climb quite steeply to the summit of Pen-yr-helgi-du, and then follow the ridge of this down to reach the waterboard road by its junction with the A5 - alternatively continue yet further over the next summit of Pen Llithrig y Wrach, and then follow a wet path diagonally down to the A5 about a mile outside Capel Curig.