Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksEryri: Yr Wyddfa and Llanberis

Eryri: Yr Wyddfa and Llanberis

Moel Eilio Ridge

The grassy hills west of Llanberis, walked as a horseshoe. Nothing like the crowds on Yr Wyddfa opposite, and the view of it from here is the best there is.

Distance
6.8 mi / 11 km
Time
4 hr 30
Ascent
700 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

Climb Moel Eilio directly from Llanberis, then follow the ridge over Foel Gron and Foel Goch to Bwlch Maesgwm, descending by the track back to the village. Grass underfoot almost throughout.

Worth knowing

  • The best viewpoint of the whole Snowdon massif, and you will likely have it to yourself.
  • Grass ridges are fast in good weather and featureless in cloud. Carry a compass.
  • Steep grass on the descent from Moel Eilio is slippery when wet.

What you’ll see

The full Snowdon Horseshoe across the valley, Anglesey and the sea to the west.

Background

These hills were grazed and quarried at their lower edges but never developed. The bwlch tracks were used to move sheep and slate between valleys.