Foel Grach routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 7 measured routes up Foel Grach, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Foel Grach 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.

Foel Grach 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 Foel Grach route

Abergwyngregyn via Foel-fras

A long climb onto the northern Carneddau ridge and south over Foel-fras and Garnedd Uchaf. It starts from Abergwyngregyn. 10.7 km one way with 1,089 m of ascent. About 3h 55m to the summit and 6h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Pen y Gaer hillfort car park. It starts from Pen y Gaer hillfort car park. 10.2 km one way with 700 m of ascent. About 3h 10m to the summit and 5h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Rachub via Drosgl and Yr Aryg flanks, via Bera Bach

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Rachub upland path junction. It starts from Rachub upland path junction. 8.1 km one way with 710 m of ascent. About 2h 50m to the summit and 4h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Bwlch y Ddeufaen mapped track junction. It starts from Bwlch y Ddeufaen mapped track junction. 9.4 km one way with 710 m of ascent. About 3h 5m to the summit and 4h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Llanfairfechan mapped track junction. It starts from Llanfairfechan mapped track junction. 10.0 km one way with 880 m of ascent. About 3h 30m to the summit and 5h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Abergwyngregyn via Drum via Drum and northern ridge

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Abergwyngregyn via Drum mapped track junction. It starts from Abergwyngregyn via Drum mapped track junction. 9.6 km one way with 840 m of ascent. About 3h 20m to the summit and 5h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Cwm Llugwy and Craig yr Ysfa via Carnedd Llywelyn

A grade 1 scramble to the summit from Cwm Llugwy reservoir access track. It starts from Cwm Llugwy reservoir access track. 6.7 km one way with 810 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 4h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Scramble.

Foel Grach route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge, Rachub via Drosgl and Yr Aryg flanks, via Bera Bach, Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge, Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge, Abergwyngregyn via Drum via Drum and northern ridge, Cwm Llugwy and Craig yr Ysfa via Carnedd Llywelyn. 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 Foel Grach today and the Foel Grach 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Foel Grach 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 Foel Grach, 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 Foel Grach

What is the easiest route up Foel Grach?

Abergwyngregyn via Foel-fras has the easiest grade of the 7 routes listed here (Hard).

How much time does each Foel Grach route take?

Abergwyngregyn via Foel-fras: about 3h 55m up and 6h 5m there and back. Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge: about 3h 10m up and 5h 15m there and back. Rachub via Drosgl and Yr Aryg flanks, via Bera Bach: about 2h 50m up and 4h 25m there and back. Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge: about 3h 5m up and 4h 55m there and back. Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge: about 3h 30m up and 5h 30m there and back. Abergwyngregyn via Drum via Drum and northern ridge: about 3h 20m up and 5h 15m there and back. Cwm Llugwy and Craig yr Ysfa via Carnedd Llywelyn: about 2h 40m up and 4h 0m 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 Foel Grach route?

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