Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge up Garnedd Uchaf: route map, distance and time
925 m · Snowdonia
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Cwm Eigiau road-end track.
The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge starts at about 376 m and gains 673 m over 8.1 km to 916 m on the track. The first 2 km are the easy part, averaging 9%. The steepest kilometre is the one ending at 3 km, which climbs 142 m at an average of 14%, with a 500 m stretch from 2 km at about 21%. The final 0.1 km eases to the top.
Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge at a glance
| Distance | 8.1 km one way, to the top |
|---|---|
| Ascent | 680 m |
| Climb on the track | 673 m up, 135 m down on the way |
| Start and top of the track | 376 m to 963 m (summit 925 m) |
| Steepest 500 m | About 21%, from 2 km |
| Steeper than 1 in 5 | 7% of the way |
| Time up | 2h 45m by Naismith's rule |
| There and back | 4h 20m, down the same way |
| Grade | Hard |
| Start | Cwm Eigiau road-end track, LL32 8SH |
| Start grid reference | SH 731 663 |
| Summit grid reference | SH 686 669 |
| Parking | Cwm Eigiau road-end car park (SH731662); the postcode is approximate |
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
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 | 453 m | +77 m | 8% | SH 725 669 |
| 2 km | 542 m | +89 m | 9% | SH 717 665 |
| 3 km | 683 m | +142 m | 14% | SH 713 657 |
| 4 km | 728 m | +44 m | 4% | SH 705 651 |
| 5 km | 839 m | +111 m | 11% | SH 696 651 |
| 6 km | 939 m | +100 m | 10% | SH 690 659 |
| 7 km | 960 m | +22 m | 2% | SH 688 659 |
| 8 km | 908 m | -52 m | -5% | SH 687 668 |
| 8.1 km | 916 m | +8 m | 6% | SH 687 669 |
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 15m | 3h 35m |
| Steady (Naismith) 5 km/h, 10 min per 100 m up | 2h 45m | 4h 20m |
| Relaxed 4 km/h, 12 min per 100 m up | 3h 25m | 5h 25m |
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 12:53 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 20m for the walk and an hour for stops.
- Tomorrow: sunrise 07:49, sunset 18:11. Start by 12:51 to be down before dark, allowing 4h 20m for the walk and an hour for stops.
Garnedd Uchaf 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
Slight rain, up to 6°C at the summit, feeling as cold as -2°C, summit wind 28 mph gusting 34 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: 4% (Low), best around 04:00.
Hour-by-hour Garnedd Uchaf forecast
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 Garnedd Uchaf
More about Garnedd Uchaf, with the live forecast.
Challenges that include Garnedd Uchaf
- Welsh 3000s · 15
- Welsh 100 Challenge · 100
- Snowdonia 900m Peaks · 16
- Carneddau Traverse · 7
- Furths · 34
- Hewitts · 523
- Nuttalls · 442
More walks from Cwm Eigiau road-end track
Routes in Peakify's guides that start within 500 m of this one, for another day from the same car park.
- Cwm Eigiau via Bwlch Eryl Farchog and Craig yr Ysfa up Carnedd Llewelyn
Other routes up Garnedd Uchaf
| Route | Distance | Ascent | Time up | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rachub via Drosgl and Yr Aryg flanks, via Bera Bach | 6.9 km one way | 620 m | 2h 25m | Hard |
| Bwlch y Ddeufaen via Drum and northern ridge | 8.3 km one way | 630 m | 2h 45m | Hard |
| Llanfairfechan via Drum and northern ridge | 8.8 km one way | 790 m | 3h 5m | Hard |
| Abergwyngregyn via Drum via Drum and northern ridge | 8.5 km one way | 750 m | 2h 55m | Hard |
| Abergwyngregyn via Llyn Anafon | 8.0 km one way | 770 m | 2h 55m | Hard |
In an emergency
Call 999, ask for the police and then mountain rescue. Give your location (the start is at SH 731 663, the summit at SH 686 669), 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 8.1 km one way to the summit of Garnedd Uchaf, with 680 m of ascent. There and back by the same way is about 16.2 km.
How long does the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge take?
About 2h 45m to the summit of Garnedd Uchaf and 4h 20m 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 5h 25m for the round trip.
How steep is the Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge?
The steepest 500 m averages about 21%, starting 2 km from the start, and 7% of the way is steeper than 1 in 5. The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge climbs 673 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 Cwm Eigiau road-end track (postcode LL32 8SH). The grid reference is SH 731 663. Cwm Eigiau road-end car park (SH731662); the postcode is approximate
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 12:53 at the latest. Sunset on Garnedd Uchaf today is 18:13, The Cwm Eigiau via the eastern Foel Grach ridge takes about 4h 20m 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.