Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksEryri: Ffestiniog and the Moelwynion

Eryri: Ffestiniog and the Moelwynion

Borth-y-Gest to Black Rock Sands

Round the headland from a quiet harbour village to a beach you can drive a car onto, with the Glaslyn estuary behind and Eryri above.

Distance
5.6 mi / 9 km
Time
3 hr 5
Ascent
180 m
Difficulty
Moderate
Shape
There and back

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

The coast path runs west from Borth-y-Gest round the headland to Morfa Bychan and Black Rock Sands. Undulating with woodland sections.

Worth knowing

  • Portmeirion is a short distance east and is a separate ticketed visit.
  • Black Rock Sands allows cars onto the beach, which is unusual and divides opinion.
  • The estuary at Borth-y-Gest is a good spot for waders on a falling tide.

What you’ll see

The Glaslyn estuary, the headland and its coves, and the beach with Eryri behind.

Background

Borth-y-Gest was a shipbuilding village, launching schooners that carried slate from Porthmadog worldwide.