Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge up Foel Grach: route map, distance and time
975 m · Snowdonia
Foel Grach is a Carneddau summit north of Carnedd Llewelyn, with a small emergency refuge hut below its top.
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Bwlch y Ddeufaen mapped track junction.
The Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge starts at about 399 m and gains 680 m over 9.4 km to 963 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 3%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 164 m at an average of 16%, with a 500 m stretch from 5.5 km at about 22%. It keeps climbing at 13% to the top.
Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge at a glance
| Distance | 9.4 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 710 m |
| Climb on the track | 680 m up, 117 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 399 m to 963 m (summit 975 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 22%, from 5.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 6% of the way |
| Time up | 3h 5m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 55m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Bwlch y Ddeufaen mapped track junction, LL32 8UR |
| Start grid reference | SH 729 714 |
| Summit grid reference | SH 688 659 |
| Parking | Bwlch y Ddeufaen eastern road-end car park (SH720715); the postcode is approximate |
Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge map
The track from the start (green) to the summit (blue), with a marker at each kilometre.
Height profile and getting to the start
Download the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge GPX
Ascent only: plan your way down. A planning track, not checked on the ground; it doesn't show safe scrambling moves. Track data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), heights from a terrain model.
Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge kilometre by kilometre
Height, climb and average gradient for each kilometre of the track, with a grid reference at the end of each one to check your position on the map.
| At | Height | Climb | Gradient | Grid ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 km | 422 m | +23 m | 2% | SH 720 715 |
| 2 km | 460 m | +38 m | 4% | SH 711 717 |
| 3 km | 624 m | +164 m | 16% | SH 705 710 |
| 4 km | 689 m | +65 m | 7% | SH 707 701 |
| 5 km | 724 m | +35 m | 3% | SH 707 691 |
| 6 km | 850 m | +126 m | 13% | SH 701 683 |
| 7 km | 925 m | +75 m | 8% | SH 695 678 |
| 8 km | 907 m | -18 m | -2% | SH 688 670 |
| 9 km | 914 m | +7 m | 1% | SH 688 662 |
| 9.4 km | 963 m | +49 m | 13% | SH 688 659 |
How long the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 30m | 4h 5m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 3h 5m | 4h 55m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 45m | 6h 5m |
Times leave out stops. Coming down the same way, the table counts the ascent once; steep descents on rough ground can be as slow as the climb.
- Today: sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:13. Start by 12:18 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 55m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:11. Start by 12:16 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 55m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Foel Grach summit weather for this route
-
Good Today Sunday 18 October
Overcast, up to 4°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -4°C, summit wind 23 mph gusting 29 mph, 21% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:13.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Moderate drizzle, up to 5°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -3°C, summit wind 29 mph gusting 36 mph, 73% chance of rain. Rated Marginal. Sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:11.
Best day of the next seven for the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge: Sunday 18 October, with summit gusts around 29 mph and a 21% chance of rain.
Cloud inversion tomorrow morning: 3% (Low), best around 09:00. 7-day inversion outlook.
Hour-by-hour Foel Grach forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Foel Grach?
Before you go, also check: MWIS Snowdonia forecast · Met Office mountain forecast.
What to take today
- An insulated jacket, hat and warm gloves: it feels like -4°C on top.
- A waterproof jacket. It can rain on the tops in any forecast.
- Map and compass, and the skills to use them. A phone is a backup, not a plan.
- A head torch, food, water, a charged phone and a small first aid kit.
About Foel Grach
Foel Grach is a Carneddau summit north of Carnedd Llewelyn, with a small emergency refuge hut below its top. More about Foel Grach, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Furth, Hewitt, Nuttall.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Garnedd Uchaf (925 m), 1 km north
- Carnedd Llewelyn (1,064 m), 1.6 km south
- Yr Elen (962 m), 1.7 km south-west
- Foel-fras (944 m), 2.3 km north
- Bera Bach (807 m), 2.5 km north-west
- Craig Eigiau (735 m), 2.5 km east
Challenges that include Foel Grach
- Welsh 3000s · 15
- Welsh 100 Challenge · 100
- Snowdonia 900m Peaks · 16
- Carneddau Traverse · 7
- Furths · 34
- Hewitts · 523
- Nuttalls · 442
More walks from Bwlch y Ddeufaen mapped track junction
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge up Carnedd Llewelyn
- Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge up Foel-fras
- South ascent from Bwlch y Ddeufaen up Tal y Fan
- Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge up Garnedd Uchaf
- Drum from Bwlch y Ddeufaen up Drum
- Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and Foel-fras up Llwytmor
- Bwlch y Ddeufaen and Drum ridge up Pen y Castell
Other routes up Foel Grach
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abergwyngregyn via Foel-fras | 10.7 km one way | 1,089 m | 3h 55m | Hard |
| Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge | 10.2 km one way | 700 m | 3h 10m | Hard |
| Rachub via Drosgl and Yr Aryg flanks, via Bera Bach | 8.1 km one way | 710 m | 2h 50m | Hard |
| Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge | 10.0 km one way | 880 m | 3h 30m | Hard |
| Abergwyngregyn via Drum via Drum and northern ridge | 9.6 km one way | 840 m | 3h 20m | Hard |
| Cwm Llugwy and Craig yr Ysfa via Carnedd Llywelyn | 6.7 km one way | 810 m | 2h 40m | Scramble |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at SH 729 714, the summit at SH 688 659), what happened and how many are in your group. If you have no signal for a call, a text to 999 works once you have registered your phone with emergencySMS: text "register" to 999 before you go.
Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge: questions and answers
How far is the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge?
The Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge is 9.4 km one way to the summit of Foel Grach, with 710 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 18.8 km.
How long does the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge take?
About 3h 5m to the summit of Foel Grach and 4h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops. A relaxed group takes nearer 6h 5m for the round trip.
How steep is the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge?
The steepest 500 m averages about 22%, starting 5.5 km from the start, and 6% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge climbs 680 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge?
The Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge starts from Bwlch y Ddeufaen mapped track junction (postcode LL32 8UR). The grid reference is SH 729 714. Bwlch y Ddeufaen eastern road-end car park (SH720715); the postcode is approximate
Is the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge suitable for beginners?
Not as a first mountain. Peakify grades it Hard: steep, rough ground where a slip matters. Build up on an easier route first.
What time should I start the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge today?
By 12:18 at the latest. Sunset on Foel Grach today is 18:13, The Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge takes about 4h 55m there and back, and that leaves an hour for stops. Start earlier in winter or if the forecast turns.
Is there a GPX for the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge?
Yes. Download it from this page. It is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.