Pen yr Ole Wen
978m (3210ft)
The Carneddau, Snowdonia, Conwy, Wales
Pen yr Ole Wen means 'Light White Top' in Welsh and is pronounced 'pen-ur-olli-oo-en'.
The summit of Pen yr Ole Wen is marked by a cairn.
You can find Pen yr Ole Wen & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Pen yr Ole Wen and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Pen yr Ole Wen and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 4.5ml (7km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,329ft (710m) |
| Time: | 4 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Ogwen - Ogwen Cottage - Pont Pen-y-benglog - Afon Lloer - Clogwyn Llys - South Western Ridge of Pen yr Ole Wen - Pen yr Ole Wen - Cwm Lloer - Ffynnon Lloer - Afon Lloer - Tal y Llyn Ogwen Farm - Glan Dena - Llyn Ogwen - Pont Pen-y-benglog - Ogwen Cottage.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.75ml (15.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,523ft (1,074m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Ogwen - Glan Dena - Llyn Ogwen - Afon Lloer - Clogwyn Mawr - Bryn Mawr - Ffynnon Lloer - Cwm Lloer - Pen yr Ole Wen - Carnedd Dafydd - Cefn Ysgolion Duon - Bwlch Cyfryw-drum - Carnedd Llewelyn - Craig Yr Ysfa - Bwlch Eryl Farchog - Pen Yr Helgi Du - Tal y Brarch - Gwern Gof Uchaf - Glan Dena - Llyn Ogwen
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,599ft (1,402m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Ogwen - Glan Dena - Afon Lloer - Clogwyn Mawr - Bryn Mawr - Ffynnon Lloer - Cwm Lloer - Pen yr Ole Wen - Carnedd Dafydd - Cefn Ysgolion Duon - Bwlch Cyfryw-drum - Carnedd Llewelyn - Yr Elen - Craig Yr Ysfa - Bwlch Eryl Farchog - Pen Yr Helgi Du - Glan Dena - Llyn Ogwen
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Pen yr Ole Wen
Stephanie Doyle walked up Pen yr Ole Wen on June 21st, 2025 [from/via/route] Ogwen [with] Friend [weather] Mixed - Great views
Hazel Gilbert climbed Pen yr Ole Wen on May 12th, 2007 [with] Lawrence [weather] Sunny
Donovan Suddell bagged Pen yr Ole Wen on March 26th, 2024 [from/via/route] Aber Falls [with] Solo [weather] misty on summits
Melfyn Parry hiked Pen yr Ole Wen on August 18th, 2019 [from/via/route] Start point A5 near Glan Dena, ascent to ridge between Creigiau Malwod and Craig Llugwy, turned right along Bwlch Cyfryw Drum then turned right to follow path to summit of Yr Elen, retraced steps to join path to summit of Carnedd Llewellyn before descending back to ridge to follow path to summit of Carnedd Dafydd. Lunch stop here before descending along path to continue up to summit of Pen yr Oleu Wen. Descent from here back to start. [with] PRC [weather] Strong winds but dry. Cool at times.
Neall Garrad summited Pen yr Ole Wen on June 22nd, 2007 [from/via/route] 15 peaks route from Nant Peris to Llanfairfechan [with] Andy, Chris, John and Warren [weather] Mixed
Adrian Haywood conquered Pen yr Ole Wen on October 17th, 2021 [from/via/route] From Ogwen cottage [with] Rob and Steve [weather] Wet
Andy Buxton scaled Pen yr Ole Wen on June 22nd, 1968 [from/via/route] 14 Peaks (but done before & since) [with] BVGS
Angela Moroney walked up Pen yr Ole Wen during 2017 - 2017 3PEAKS
Wynne Roberts climbed Pen yr Ole Wen on June 22nd, 2019 [from/via/route] From Aber Falls to Llyn Ogwen over the Carneddau [with] Gareth [weather] Sunny, warm, no wind & very clear - Took us 8 hours to do 8 peaks over 2000ft
Alan Pritchard bagged Pen yr Ole Wen on October 5th, 2014 [with] A group [weather] Good - Walked the 15 peaks in 24 hours challenge - enjoyed... 😎🚶♂️
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Pen yr Ole Wen
Pen yr Ole Wen and Llyn Idwal from the top of The Devil's Kitchen (Twll Du)
Alan and Nikki on Y Garn (Glyderau) in the snow with Pen yr Ole Wen (left) and Tryfan above Llyn Idwal (right) in the background
Ogwen Cottage, Nant Ffrancon and the shoulder of Pen yr Ole Wen from Llyn Idwal
Y Garn (Glyderau) (far left), Foel-goch (Glyderau), Carnedd y Filliast, Ogwen Cottage, Nant Ffrancon and the shoulder of Pen yr Ole Wen (right) from Llyn Idwal
Y Garn (Glyderau), Foel-goch (Glyderau), Mynydd Perfedd and the shoulder of Pen yr Ole Wen from Llyn Ogwen
A sprinkling of snow on Tryfan (left) and Glyder Fach (right) above Llyn Ogwen from Pen yr Ole Wen
Pen yr Ole Wen, Llyn Clyd, Llyn Ogwen, Llyn Idwal, Tryfan, Glyder Fach, Glyder Fawr, Crib Goch and Garnedd Ugain from Y Garn (Glyderau)
. . . see all 24 walk photographs & pictures of views from, on or of Pen yr Ole Wen
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