Moel y Gest

The rocky little hill behind Porthmadog, all of 262 metres, with a summit view that takes in Eryri, the Llŷn, Cardigan Bay and the whole of the Glaslyn estuary.

Distance: 3.1 mi / 5 km
Time: 1 hr 50
Ascent: 250 m
Difficulty: Moderate
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

Head up from the lane onto the ridge and along to the summit, with a loop back down the eastern side. Short but rocky and steep in places.

Worth knowing

Best value view in north Wales for the effort. An hour up and you can see three counties.
The summit is a rock outcrop with a small scramble at the top.
Local favourite for sunset.

What you’ll see

Snowdon, the Moelwynion, Cardigan Bay and the Llŷn, all from one small summit.

Background

Quarried on its lower slopes for building stone, including much of the stone used in Porthmadog itself.