Snowdonia circular walk: Carneddau Traversal via East Ridge (10 miles)

Featured photo of this event:

• Carnedd Llewelyn by Peter S is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Route:

• Komoot
• GPX

Route Description
This challenging high-level route across the eastern Carneddau offers spectacular scenery, dramatic ridges, and a real mountain experience. The route includes the following summits:

1. Pen yr Ole Wen
2. Carnedd Dafydd
3. Carnedd Llewelyn
4. Yr Elen (optional)
5. Pen yr Helgi Du

It will finish then with a superb ridge descent via Y Braich.

Ascent of Pen yr Ole Wen via East Ridge
From the A5 near the eastern shore of Llyn Ogwen, take the clear path heading north past Glan Dena. Follow this track as it gently climbs alongside Afon Lloer, drawing you into the dramatic mountain amphitheatre of Cwm Lloer.
The East Ridge of Pen yr Ole Wen soon dominates the view—a steep, rugged wall of rock and grass that encloses the cwm. Begin to climb at the base of the ridge and follow its narrow crest directly to the summit. This section is steep and demanding, with some loose rock and occasional hands-on scrambling, but rewards you with ever-improving views over Ogwen Valley and the Glyderau.

• Summit: Pen yr Ole Wen (978m)

Carnedd Dafydd
From Pen yr Ole Wen, descend briefly north, then begin a steady climb heading northeast. The route curves gracefully around the upper edge of Cwm Lloer, offering airy views down to the tarn below. The gradient eases before the final push to the broad summit plateau of Carnedd Dafydd.

• Summit: Carnedd Dafydd (1,044m)

Carnedd Llewelyn
Descend east from Dafydd and continue along the main ridge path, gradually curving northeast to reach the col at Bwlch Cyfryw-drum. From here, the trail becomes more demanding again with a stiff, sustained climb up the rounded ridge to the summit of Carnedd Llewelyn, the second-highest peak in Wales. If the weather is clear, the views across the Snowdon massif it is said to reach over to Anglesey.

• Summit: Carnedd Llewelyn (1,064m)

Yr Elen (Optional but Recommended)
To reach Yr Elen, descend east-southeast from Llewelyn, then curve around and gain the southeast ridge. This is a quieter and more atmospheric part of the route, with a true sense of remoteness. A short final climb leads to the summit of Yr Elen, a superb viewpoint and often less crowded than its loftier neighbours.

• Summit: Yr Elen (962m)

Pen yr Helgi Du & Descent via Y Braich
Retrace your steps briefly, then follow the south-east ridge to climb Pen yr Helgi Du—a minor summit but with commanding views over the Ogwen and the Carneddau. From the summit, pick up the broad ridge of Y Braich, which offers a scenic and relatively easy descent.
Continue along Y Braich to its terminus. At the base, cross the leat (water channel) and join a bridge heading southwest toward the A5 near Helyg Climbing Hut. From here, walk west along the road to return to the starting point near Llyn Ogwen.

• Summit: Pen yr Helgi Du (833m)

Hike Details:

• Grade: Difficult
• Distance: 9-10 miles (15 km)
• Total Ascent: 3,300 ft (1,000 mt)
• Terrain: steep, high mountain ridges; exposed summits; rocky crests
• Map: Use GPX data as a guide only - accuracy may vary depending on the map used
• Parking: it is possible to park on the A5 roadside.
• Meeting Location: A5 roadside near the eastern end of Llyn Ogwen, Betws-y-Coed, LL24 0EU, Snowdonia National Park. See here for the exact location on Google Maps. There is also a Google Maps screenshot attached to this event.
• Meeting Time: 7:45am
• Start Time: 8:00am
• Duration: 6–7 hours
• Walk Leader: Andreea

Notes:

• Navigation: This is a high-level route with limited signage. In poor visibility, good map and compass skills (or a reliable GPS) are essential.
• Weather: Conditions can change rapidly - check forecasts and carry full hillwalking gear.
• Water: No reliable sources along the ridge - carry enough for the full duration.
• Wildlife: Keep an eye out for wild ponies, ravens.
• Please make a booking only if you are seriously interested in attending the event.
• This is a hilly walk that includes some ridge walking and scrambling. Make sure to understand walk description. Ask yourself if you are able to complete this walk.
• Bring enough water and food for the day.
• You need proper hiking footwear for this walk. The terrain will be rocky.
• It might be very windy and cold when we are on top of the hills. So you will need to bring some warm clothes with you.
• If you have knee pain when walking downhill, try using hiking poles.
• Fit and friendly dogs can join. But please keep your dog on a lead when we find livestock.
• Please don't come with flat trainers and/or jeans. You need comfortable walking trousers and shoes with good grip (so that you minimise the risk of falling down and potentially getting injured).
• Be aware that in case of extreme weather conditions this event might be canceled or postponed.
• Any important news or updates before the event will be posted in the comments section. Make sure you check them. You can also enable automatic email notifications in your Meetup profile's settings.
• ​We have a WhatsApp community which you can join after attending at least one event.
• We would like the group to offer more walks, and of different level. But we need more people to help by creating hiking routes and/or leading walks. If you are interested to be involved, please talk to the organisers. In case you don't have experience, we will help you.

Terms and Conditions:
Anyone joining this walk is responsible for their safety and health (including guests). The group does not have any insurance policy covering injuries. If you RSVP to this event, you must agree to these conditions.

If you have any questions, please contact the event organiser and/or write a message in the comments section.