Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge up Foel Grach: route map, distance and time

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Llanfairfechan mapped track junction.

The Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge starts at about 218 m and gains 851 m over 10.0 km to 963 m on the track. The first kilometre climbs 122 m. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 7 km, which climbs 189 m at an average of 19%. The final kilometre eases to the top.

Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge at a glance

Llanfairfechan 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 Llanfairfechan 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.

Llanfairfechan 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.

How long the Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge takes

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 11:43 to be down before dark, allowing 5h 30m for the walk and an hour for stops.
• Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:11. Start by 11:41 to be down before dark, allowing 5h 30m 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 Llanfairfechan 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 Llanfairfechan mapped track junction

Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.

• Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge up Carnedd Llewelyn
• Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge up Foel-fras
• Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge up Garnedd Uchaf
• Drum from Llanfairfechan up Drum
• Llanfairfechan via Drum and Foel-fras up Llwytmor

Other routes up Foel Grach

In an emergency

Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at SH 689 737, 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.

Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge: questions and answers

How far is the Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge?

The Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge is 10.0 km one way to the summit of Foel Grach, with 880 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 20.0 km.

How long does the Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge take?

About 3h 30m to the summit of Foel Grach and 5h 30m 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 45m for the round trip.

How steep is the Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge?

The steepest 500 m averages about 22%, starting 6.1 km from the start, and 6% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge climbs 851 m in all on the track.

Where do you park for the Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge?

The Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge starts from Llanfairfechan mapped track junction. The grid reference is SH 689 737. No checked car park for this start; find lawful parking nearby

Is the Llanfairfechan 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 Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge today?

By 11:43 at the latest. Sunset on Foel Grach today is 18:13, The Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge takes about 5h 30m 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 Llanfairfechan 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.