Walk gw122 The Cwm Llafar Horseshoe

This 9 mile, Grade 7 (Hard), easy-to-follow, hand-crafted walk, complete with GPS Waypoints, starts at Bethesda & will take about 7 hrs to complete.

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Vital Statistics:

Length:9mls (14.5km)
Ascent:3,660ft (1,116m)
Time:7hrs
Grade:Walk Grade 7_23_with_text.png Icon

Route outline for walk gw122:

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

Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:

Hewitt Icon
3
Welsh
Mountains
Wainwright Icon
0
Wainwrights
Welsh Nuttall Icon
4
Welsh
Nuttalls
Dewey Icon
0
Welsh
Deweys
Wainwright Outlying Fell Icon
0
Wainwright
Outlying Fells
Marilyn Icon
1
Welsh
Marilyn
Bridget Icon
0
Bridgets

Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:

The highest point of this walk is Carnedd Llewelyn at 1064m (3492ft). Carnedd Llewelyn is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (3rd highest in Wales, 3rd highest in England & Wales)

Carnedd Llewelyn is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (3rd highest in Wales, 3rd highest in England & Wales) and a Welsh Marilyn (2nd highest in Wales, 57th highest in the UK).

Carnedd Llewelyn means 'Llewelyn's Cairn' in Welsh and is pronounced 'kan-neth thl-oo-el-lin'.

The summit of Carnedd Llewelyn is marked by a cairn. Carnedd Llewelyn is the highest point in the county of Conwy.

Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Carnedd Dafydd at 1040m (3413ft). Carnedd Dafydd is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (4th highest in Wales, 4th highest in England & Wales)

Carnedd Dafydd is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (4th highest in Wales, 4th highest in England & Wales). Carnedd Dafydd means 'Dafydd's Cairn' in Welsh and is pronounced 'kan-neth da-vith'.

The summit of Carnedd Dafydd is marked by a cairn & a windbreak.

You will also reach the summit of Yr Elen at 962m (3157ft). Yr Elen is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (9th highest in Wales, 11th highest in England & Wales)

Yr Elen is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (10th highest in Wales, 12th highest in England & Wales). Yr Elen means 'Fawn Hill' in Welsh and is pronounced 'ur-el-en'.

The summit of Yr Elen is marked by a cairn.

Along the way you will also bag and tick-off:

  • Foel Meirch at 800m (2625ft). Foel Meirch is known as a Welsh Nuttall (44th highest in Wales, 94th highest in England & Wales). Foel Meirch means 'Stallion Hill' in Welsh and is pronounced 'foil-may-r-ch'.


You can find this walk and other nearby walks on these unique Interactive Walk Planning Maps:

(worth a look if you're new to go4awalk.com & have never seen one of these before.)

Snowdonia National Park


1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (orange/yellow covers):

OS Explorer OL17 Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa and Conwy Valley/Dyffryn Conwy


1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (pink/magenta covers):

OS Landranger 115 Snowdon & Caernarfon



Some Photos and Pictures from Walk gw122 The Cwm Llafar Horseshoe

In no particular order . . .

The Cwm Llafar Horseshoe via Mynydd Du

The Cwm Llafar Horseshoe via Mynydd Du

Photo: Roger Maloney (2)

Foel Ganol and Yr Elen from Braich y Brysgyll

Foel Ganol and Yr Elen from Braich y Brysgyll

Photo: Roger Maloney (10)

Foel Meirch from Carnedd Dafydd

Foel Meirch from Carnedd Dafydd

Photo: Roger Maloney (4)

Carnedd Dafydd from Gwaun-y-gwiail, Bethesda

Carnedd Dafydd from Gwaun-y-gwiail, Bethesda

Photo: Roger Maloney (11)

Carnedd Dafydd from Bwlch Cyfryw-drum

Carnedd Dafydd from Bwlch Cyfryw-drum

Photo: Roger Maloney (7)

Carnedd Llewelyn from Bwlch Cyfryw-drum

Carnedd Llewelyn from Bwlch Cyfryw-drum

Photo: Roger Maloney (6)

Llyn Ogwen and the Ogwen Valley from the lower slopes of Cefn Ysgolion Duon

Llyn Ogwen and the Ogwen Valley from the lower slopes of Cefn Ysgolion Duon

Photo: Gwyn Sharps (2)

Yr Elen from Carnedd Llewelyn

Yr Elen from Carnedd Llewelyn

Photo: Roger Maloney (8)

Bethesda from Foel Ganol

Bethesda from Foel Ganol

Photo: Roger Maloney (9)


. . . load all 15 walk photos from Walk gw122 The Cwm Llafar Horseshoe


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To steep and difficult descent, trusting ourselves, we wound from crag to crag, where passage could be won - William Wordsworth: 1770-1850
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