Arenig Fawr routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Arenig Fawr, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Arenig Fawr 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.

Arenig Fawr 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 Arenig Fawr route

Arenig via Llyn Arenig Fawr

A track to Llyn Arenig Fawr, then a path up the slopes to the summit ridge. It starts from Old road near Arenig. 3.4 km one way with 444 m of ascent. About 1h 25m to the summit and 2h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Llyn Arenig Fawr and Y Castell

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Arenig mountain-path entrance on minor road. It starts from Arenig mountain-path entrance on minor road. 4.9 km one way with 540 m of ascent. About 1h 55m to the summit and 2h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Arenig quarry and northern ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Arenig public track near old quarry. It starts from Arenig public track near old quarry. 4.9 km one way with 530 m of ascent. About 1h 50m to the summit and 2h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Arenig Fawr route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Llyn Arenig Fawr and Y Castell, Arenig quarry and northern ridge. 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 Arenig Fawr today and the Arenig Fawr 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Arenig Fawr 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 Arenig Fawr, 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 Arenig Fawr

What is the easiest route up Arenig Fawr?

Arenig via Llyn Arenig Fawr has the easiest grade of the 3 routes listed here (Moderate).

How much time does each Arenig Fawr route take?

Arenig via Llyn Arenig Fawr: about 1h 25m up and 2h 5m there and back. Llyn Arenig Fawr and Y Castell: about 1h 55m up and 2h 50m there and back. Arenig quarry and northern ridge: about 1h 50m up and 2h 50m 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 Arenig Fawr route?

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