Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge up Foel-fras: route map, distance and time
944 m · Snowdonia · OS grid SH696681
Foel-fras is the northern end of the Welsh 3000s, a grassy summit on the northern Carneddau ridge with a wall running across 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 580 m over 6.6 km to 934 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 14% to the top.
Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge at a glance
| Distance | 6.6 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 600 m |
| Climb on the track | 580 m up, 45 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 399 m to 934 m (summit 944 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 22%, from 5.5 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 9% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 20m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 3h 40m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Bwlch y Ddeufaen mapped track junction, LL32 8UR |
| Start grid reference | SH 729 714 |
| Summit grid reference | SH696681 |
| 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 |
| 6.6 km | 934 m | +85 m | 14% | SH 696 681 |
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 | 1h 55m | 3h 0m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 20m | 3h 40m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 2h 50m | 4h 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 13:33 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 40m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:11. Start by 13:31 to be down before dark, allowing 3h 40m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Foel-fras 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 24 mph gusting 30 mph, 21% chance of rain. Rated Good. Sunrise 07:48, sunset 18:13.
-
Marginal Tomorrow Monday 19 October
Moderate drizzle, up to 6°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 31 mph gusting 39 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 30 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-fras forecast · 14-day forecast · Is it safe to climb Foel-fras?
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-fras
Foel-fras is the northern end of the Welsh 3000s, a grassy summit on the northern Carneddau ridge with a wall running across its top. More about Foel-fras, with the live forecast.
On the lists: Furth, Hewitt, Nuttall.
Extend the walk: tops near the summit
- Llwytmor (849 m), 1.3 km north-west
- Garnedd Uchaf (925 m), 1.5 km south-west
- Drum (771 m), 1.9 km north-east
- Bera Mawr (794 m), 2.1 km west
- Foel Grach (975 m), 2.3 km south
- Bera Bach (807 m), 2.4 km west
Challenges that include Foel-fras
- 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 Grach
- 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-fras
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum | 5.1 km one way | 565 m | 2h 0m | Moderate |
| Rachub via Drosgl and Yr Aryg flanks, via Bera Bach | 8.6 km one way | 670 m | 2h 50m | Hard |
| Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge | 7.2 km one way | 770 m | 2h 45m | Hard |
| Abergwyngregyn via Drum via Drum and northern ridge | 6.8 km one way | 720 m | 2h 35m | Hard |
| Abergwyngregyn via Llyn Anafon | 6.3 km one way | 740 m | 2h 30m | Hard |
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 SH696681), 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 6.6 km one way to the summit of Foel-fras, with 600 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 13.2 km.
How long does the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge take?
About 2h 20m to the summit of Foel-fras and 3h 40m 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 4h 30m 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 9% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge climbs 580 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, such as Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum.
What time should I start the Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge today?
By 13:33 at the latest. Sunset on Foel-fras today is 18:13, The Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge takes about 3h 40m 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.