Rhobell Fawr (Sept 2014)

PLEASE NOTE: The GPX trace on this route is for use as a guide only, its accuracy may change depending on the scale of map you are using. Use in combination with judgement and a paper map. We have taken all reasonable steps to ensure these walks are safe and correctly described. However things do change and all outdoor activities involve a degree of risk. The publishers accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any injuries or accidents that occur whilst following this walk. Trail magazine, Copyright Bauer Media Limited.


Distance 14km (8¾ miles)
Total ascent 680m
Time 5-6 hours
Start Llanfachfreth, SH755225
Nearest town Dolgellau
Terrain a mix of clear footpaths and broad tracks, with the odd trackless section over the mountain; navigation would be difficult in poor visibility
Public transport buses Dolgellau - Llanfachfreth: www.traveline-cymru.info 


SH755225 Turn right onto the road and walk past the school before turning right again onto a bridleway that leads steeply uphill. Follow this easily upwards, eventually entering woodland where you bear right, through a gate, to emerge onto sheep pasture. Continue ahead in the same direction, now with the wall to your left, and you’ll eventually meet a broad track – an old drovers’ road.

SH766235 Turn left onto this and follow it easily up towards the saddle of Bwlch Goriwared, which was once an important mountain pass. Continue past sheep folds then cross a ladder stile on your right, which leads onto open hillside. Keep the wall to your right and follow it easily up to Rhobell Fawr’s rock-peppered summit. Set away from the main peaks, the summit makes a great viewpoint, especially back over Dolgellau to the imposing crags of Cadair’s north face.

SH786256 Getting up may have been straightforward but getting back down is less so. Leave the trig point to the east, continuing in roughly the same direction as you approached. All being well, this will lead to a ladder stile that hurdles a wall. Beyond you’ll locate a clear path, which you then follow down until it eventually joins another drystone wall. Follow this slightly rightwards to another ladder stile. Cross this and continue pretty much straight down the steep and often boggy hillside, flanking small outcrops and crags to the left and right. You’ll eventually reach a broad, boggy plateau, where you need to keep straight ahead to cross a brook. Climb the bank on the other side and keep straight ahead, all the way to a gate that leads onto a forest track.

SH798255 Turn right and then first right at a major junction. Now contour around the hillside, staying on a forest track, for around 3km to a disused quarry. Turn right here onto a waymarked footpath and follow this steeply up to a stile at the top. Keep straight ahead to descend through gorse to another stile on the right. Continue straight ahead through a gap in a wall to a waymark post in a dip and now follow footpath signs and stiles around to the left and onto a drive.

SH766226 Follow this downhill, keeping right to reach a lane. Turn left onto this and then turn right again to follow a succession of footpath signs and stiles across sheep pasture. This eventually leads to a gate that brings you back onto the green lane you walked up earlier. Turn left to retrace your steps back past the school to the car park.