Aran Fawddwy routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 4 measured routes up Aran Fawddwy, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Aran Fawddwy routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Aran Fawddwy route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Aran Fawddwy route

Llanuwchllyn via Aran Benllyn

A long ridge walk over Aran Benllyn to Aran Fawddwy. It starts from Llanuwchllyn. 15.7 km one way with 866 m of ascent. About 4h 35m to the summit and 7h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Llanuwchllyn and Aran north ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Llanuwchllyn car park beside Afon Twrch. It starts from Llanuwchllyn car park beside Afon Twrch. 8.2 km one way with 810 m of ascent. About 3h 0m to the summit and 4h 40m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Cwm Cywarch via Gwaun y Llwyni

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Cwm Cywarch signed walkers' car park. It starts from Cwm Cywarch signed walkers' car park. 6.7 km one way with 840 m of ascent. About 2h 45m to the summit and 4h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Cwm Cywarch via Bwlch y Main and Waun Camddwr

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Cwm Cywarch signed walkers' car park, over other tops on the way. It starts from Cwm Cywarch signed walkers' car park. 5.8 km one way with 780 m of ascent. About 2h 30m to the summit and 3h 35m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Aran Fawddwy route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Llanuwchllyn and Aran north ridge, Cwm Cywarch via Gwaun y Llwyni, Cwm Cywarch via Bwlch y Main and Waun Camddwr. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.

Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Aran Fawddwy today and the Aran Fawddwy 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Aran Fawddwy routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Aran Fawddwy, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Aran Fawddwy

What is the easiest route up Aran Fawddwy?

Llanuwchllyn via Aran Benllyn has the easiest grade of the 4 routes listed here (Moderate).

How much time does each Aran Fawddwy route take?

Llanuwchllyn via Aran Benllyn: about 4h 35m up and 7h 45m there and back. Llanuwchllyn and Aran north ridge: about 3h 0m up and 4h 40m there and back. Cwm Cywarch via Gwaun y Llwyni: about 2h 45m up and 4h 5m there and back. Cwm Cywarch via Bwlch y Main and Waun Camddwr: about 2h 30m up and 3h 35m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Aran Fawddwy route?

Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.