Yr Elen
962m (3157ft)
The Carneddau, Snowdonia, Conwy, Wales
Yr Elen means 'Fawn Hill' in Welsh and is pronounced 'ur-el-en'.
The summit of Yr Elen is marked by a cairn.
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9ml (14.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,660ft (1,116m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Bethesda - Gerlan - Gwernydd - Afon Caseg - Afon Llafar - Mynydd Du - Foel Meirch - Carnedd Dafydd - Cefn Ysgolion Duon - Bwlch Cyfryw-drum - Carnedd Llewelyn - Yr Elen - Braich yLlyngwn - Foel Ganol - Braich y Brysgyll - Gwaun-y-gwiail - Gerlan - Bethesda
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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
See Yr Elen and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
The Carneddau of Snowdonia National Park
Less data - quicker to download
The Whole of Snowdonia National Park
More data - might take a little longer to download
See Yr Elen and the surrounding tops on our downloadable Peak Bagging Map in PDF format:
NB: Whether you print off a copy or download it to your phone, this PDF Peak Baggers' Map might prove incredibly useful when your are up there on the tops and you cannot get a phone signal.
You can find Yr Elen & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Yr Elen
Stephanie Doyle walked up Yr Elen on October 11th, 2025 [from/via/route] Bethesda [with] Friend [weather] Dry - Misty until around 800m then we broke through the clouds & found ourselves above them. Majestic scenes
Donovan Suddell climbed Yr Elen on May 13th, 2024 [from/via/route] Llyn Ogwen [with] Solo [weather] Beautiful Sunny Day - Part of Carneddau Horseshoe
Daniel Moran bagged Yr Elen on March 5th, 2021 [from/via/route] Bethal [with] Mark and Marc also wardy [weather] Windy - Small horse shoe
Melfyn Parry hiked Yr Elen 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 Yr Elen 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 Yr Elen on November 28th, 2021 [from/via/route] Gerlan [with] Mike, Arwel and Darryl [weather] Cold, windy & cloudy.
Andy Buxton scaled Yr Elen on June 22nd, 1968 [from/via/route] 14 Peaks (but done before & since) [with] BVGS
Angela Moroney walked up Yr Elen during 2017 - 2017 3PEAKS
Wynne Roberts climbed Yr Elen 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 Yr Elen on October 5th, 2014 [with] A group [weather] Good - Walked the 15 peaks in 24 hours challenge - enjoyed... ππΆββοΈ
Hugh Strickland hiked Yr Elen on September 1st, 2018 [from/via/route] 20 miles (just under 10 hours, 8500 feet) Capel Curig to Y Garn, down to Ogwen upPen Yr Ole Wen & back along Carneddau including Pen Llithrig y Wrach
Bleddyn Rhys summited Yr Elen on April 10th, 2015 [from/via/route] Fynnu ar y ridge o cwm Lloer, draw i Carnedd Llywelyn a'r Elen, ac yna yn ol i Carnedd Dafydd a Pen Yr Ole Wen ac i lawr nol i lon fawr. [with] Ar ben fy hyn... [weather] Eithaf braf ond 'hazy'... - Methy'r llwybr lawr pen yr ole a gorfod sgramblo lawr rhyw afon serth - braidd yn gyffroes!
David Wand conquered Yr Elen on July 30th, 2015 [weather] Hot clear sky - Wales 3000 14 peaks in 24hrs peak 3
Mark Davidson scaled Yr Elen on March 21st, 2004 [with] Mike [weather] Bit grim - cold & patchy low cloud - light dusting of snow on the highest peaks
Chris Newham walked up Yr Elen on March 25th, 2016 [from/via/route] cw129 [with] Michal & Craig [weather] Sunny, windy later
Christina Lander climbed Yr Elen on September 4th, 2015 [from/via/route] Gerlan - Mynydd Du - Carnedd Dafydd - Carnedd Llewelyn - Yr Elen - Gerlan [with] Dick [weather] Mostly in the clouds
Gerald Murphy bagged Yr Elen on July 24th, 2014 [from/via/route] Bethesda riverside car park, Gerlan, Gernydd, Gwaun-y-gwiail, cwm pen-llafar, Foel Fechan, Foel Ganol, Yr Elen, Carnedd Llywelyn, Foel Grach, Carnedd Gwenllian 9formerly Carnedd Uchaf, Foel Fras, Yr Aryg, Bera Bach, Drosgl, Gyrn Wigau, Gallt y Mawn, Gwernydd, Gerlan, Bethesda riverside car park. [with] alone [weather] Sunny, occasional high cloud, quite windy higher up, reasonable visibility but some heat haze. - This walk includes 5 of the Welsh 3000s. It would not be an easy or safe walk in poor visibility or during/following a spell of wet weather. Where the ground is not boulder it can be very boggy. In some places it is featureless eg atop Carnedd Llywelyn and, in fog, even with a compass it would be hard to find your way from some places to your desired path. Much of the walk is basically pathless unless you can spot previously trodden paths across marshy ground.
Robert Taylor-Marriott hiked Yr Elen on July 20th, 2010 [from/via/route] Clogwyn Maldy [with] Vince Wetton [weather] Sunny.
Iain Jones summited Yr Elen on March 29th, 2014 [with] Jim Hamilton & Steven Hunt
Vince Wetton conquered Yr Elen on October 6th, 2010 [with] RTM
Bay Wan scaled Yr Elen on April 1st, 2012 [from/via/route] Start from Gerlan, hit Dafydd & Llewelyn first before heading back to the start point [with] Mike Sullivan and Cocoa Dog [weather] Sunny
Paul Roddam, Wendy Sockett, Linda Mckeogh, Craig Lewis, Rachael Tyler, Paul Booth, Paul Donoghue, Trevor Williams, Steve Lockett, Stephen Hobdell and Stephen Millington have all walked, climbed & bagged Yr Elen.
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Yr Elen
Foel-fras and Carnedd Gwenllian (Carnedd Uchaf) with Yr Elen and Carnedd Llewellyn beyond from Tal y Fan
Panorama of Pen-y-gaer, Penygadair, Pen y Castell, Foel-fras and Carnedd Gwenllian (Carnedd Uchaf) with Yr Elen and Carnedd Llewellyn beyond from Tal y Fan
*Carnedd Gwenllian (Carnedd Uchaf), Foel Grach, Carnedd Llewelyn, Carnedd Dafydd, Yr Elen, Foel-goch, Elidir Fawr, Mynydd Perfedd and Carnedd y Filiast from Drosgl
Foel-fras (midground) with Yr Elen and Carnedd Llewelyn beyond from Bwlch y Ddeufaen
Send us your photographs and pictures on, of, or from Yr Elen
If you would like to add your walk photographs and pictures featuring views from, on or of Yr Elen to this page, please send them as email attachments (configured for any computer) along with your name to:
and we shall do our best to publish them.
(Guide Resolution = 300dpi. At least = 660pixels (wide) x 440 pixels (high).)
You can also submit photos via our Facebook Page.
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