Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksBerwyn and Lake Vyrnwy

Berwyn and Lake Vyrnwy

Aran Fawddwy

The highest mountain in Wales outside Eryri’s northern ranges, on a long ridge with crags on the eastern side and hardly anyone about.

Distance
8.1 mi / 13 km
Time
5 hr 30
Ascent
850 m
Difficulty
Strenuous
Shape
Circular

Where it is

The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.

The route

From Cwm Cywarch, climb steeply to the ridge at Drws Bach and follow it north over Aran Fawddwy, returning by the same ridge or a longer circuit.

Worth knowing

  • Access here was contested for years and the paths are permissive; keep to the agreed routes.
  • The memorial cairn at Drws Bach commemorates an RAF mountain rescue member killed by lightning.
  • Long, remote and exposed. Full mountain kit and navigation.

What you’ll see

Creiglyn Dyfi under the summit crags, the Aran ridge, and Cadair Idris to the south-west.

Background

Creiglyn Dyfi below the summit is the source of the Afon Dyfi, which reaches the sea at Aberdyfi.