Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach 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 Pen y Gaer hillfort car park.
The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge starts at about 357 m and gains 681 m over 10.2 km to 963 m on the track. The first 5 km are the easy part, averaging 3%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 6 km, which climbs 146 m at an average of 15%, with a 500 m stretch from 5.2 km at about 22%. It keeps climbing at 10% to the top.
Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge at a glance
| Distance | 10.2 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 700 m |
| Climb on the track | 681 m up, 76 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 357 m to 963 m (summit 975 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 22%, from 5.2 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 6% of the way |
| Time up | 3h 10m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 5h 15m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Pen y Gaer hillfort car park |
| Start grid reference | SH 743 692 |
| Summit grid reference | SH 688 659 |
| Parking | Pen y Gaer hillfort car park (SH74376931) |
Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach 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
Near the start
From OpenStreetMap, within 2 km. Check opening times before you rely on them.
Download the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach 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.
Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach 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 | 394 m | +37 m | 4% | SH 735 687 |
| 2 km | 393 m | -1 m | 0% | SH 728 680 |
| 3 km | 375 m | -19 m | -2% | SH 726 674 |
| 4 km | 445 m | +71 m | 7% | SH 725 667 |
| 5 km | 518 m | +73 m | 7% | SH 719 667 |
| 6 km | 664 m | +146 m | 15% | SH 714 659 |
| 7 km | 728 m | +64 m | 6% | SH 707 652 |
| 8 km | 812 m | +84 m | 8% | SH 698 651 |
| 9 km | 927 m | +115 m | 11% | SH 691 657 |
| 10 km | 938 m | +11 m | 1% | SH 689 661 |
| 10.2 km | 963 m | +24 m | 10% | SH 688 659 |
How long the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge takes
| Pace | To the top | There and back |
|---|---|---|
| Brisk 6 km/h, 8 min per 100 m up | 2h 40m | 4h 20m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 3h 10m | 5h 15m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 55m | 6h 30m |
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 11:58 to be down before dark, allowing 5h 15m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:11. Start by 11:56 to be down before dark, allowing 5h 15m 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 Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach 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 Pen y Gaer hillfort car park
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge up Carnedd Llewelyn
- Cwm Eigiau and northern uplands 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 |
| Rachub via Drosgl and Yr Aryg flanks, via Bera Bach | 8.1 km one way | 710 m | 2h 50m | Hard |
| Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge | 9.4 km one way | 710 m | 3h 5m | 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 743 692, 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.
Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge: questions and answers
How far is the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge?
The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge is 10.2 km one way to the summit of Foel Grach, with 700 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 20.4 km.
How long does the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge take?
About 3h 10m to the summit of Foel Grach and 5h 15m 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 30m for the round trip.
How steep is the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge?
The steepest 500 m averages about 22%, starting 5.2 km from the start, and 6% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge climbs 681 m in all on the track.
Where do you park for the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge?
The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge starts from Pen y Gaer hillfort car park. The grid reference is SH 743 692. Pen y Gaer hillfort car park (SH74376931)
Is the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach 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 Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge today?
By 11:58 at the latest. Sunset on Foel Grach today is 18:13, The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge takes about 5h 15m 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 Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach 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.