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

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

Elidir 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.

Elidir 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 Elidir Fawr route

Nant Peris via the Afon Dudodyn

A path beside the Afon Dudodyn, then steep, grassy slopes to the ridge and the summit. It starts from Nant Peris public approach lane. 3.4 km one way with 810 m of ascent. About 2h 0m to the summit and 2h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Marchlyn via Elidir Fach

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Marchlyn public road end (SH596631). It starts from Marchlyn public road end (SH596631). 3.5 km one way with 560 m of ascent. About 1h 40m to the summit and 2h 20m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Marchlyn via Mynydd Perfedd

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Marchlyn public road end (SH596631). It starts from Marchlyn public road end (SH596631). 5.9 km one way with 670 m of ascent. About 2h 20m to the summit and 3h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Ogwen via Y Garn and Mynydd Perfedd

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Ogwen Cottage. It starts from Ogwen Cottage. 6.6 km one way with 920 m of ascent. About 2h 50m to the summit and 4h 10m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Elidir Fawr route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Nant Peris via the Afon Dudodyn, Marchlyn via Elidir Fach, Marchlyn via Mynydd Perfedd, Ogwen via Y Garn and Mynydd Perfedd. 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 Elidir Fawr today and the Elidir Fawr 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Elidir 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 Elidir 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 Elidir Fawr

What is the easiest route up Elidir Fawr?

Nant Peris via the Afon Dudodyn has the easiest grade of the 4 routes listed here (Moderate).

How much time does each Elidir Fawr route take?

Nant Peris via the Afon Dudodyn: about 2h 0m up and 2h 45m there and back. Marchlyn via Elidir Fach: about 1h 40m up and 2h 20m there and back. Marchlyn via Mynydd Perfedd: about 2h 20m up and 3h 30m there and back. Ogwen via Y Garn and Mynydd Perfedd: about 2h 50m up and 4h 10m 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 Elidir Fawr route?

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