Moel Hebog routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

Peakify lists 3 measured routes up Moel Hebog, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.

Moel Hebog routes, easiest to hardest

Sorted by grade, easiest first: Easy, Moderate, Hard, then Scramble. Routes with the same grade keep the order in which Peakify's editors listed them.

Moel Hebog route times by Naismith's rule

The times above use Naismith's rule: 5 km/h on the flat plus 10 minutes for every 100 m of ascent, rounded to the nearest 5 minutes. "There and back" doubles the distance and counts the ascent once, for coming down the same way. Naismith assumes a fit walker and no stops, so add time for breaks, a heavy pack, rough or snowy ground, and a group that moves at its slowest member's pace.

Each Moel Hebog route

Beddgelert via the north-east ridge

A path up the north-east ridge to the summit. It starts from Beddgelert village main car park. 3.8 km one way with 740 m of ascent. About 2h 0m to the summit and 2h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Rhyd Ddu via Moel Lefn and Moel yr Ogof

A hard mountain walk to the summit from NRW Beddgelert Forest car park. It starts from NRW Beddgelert Forest car park. 6.8 km one way with 760 m of ascent. About 2h 40m to the summit and 4h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Cwm Pennant via Moel Lefn and Moel yr Ogof

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Cwm Pennant road-end walkers' parking. It starts from Cwm Pennant road-end walkers' parking. 5.8 km one way with 770 m of ascent. About 2h 25m to the summit and 3h 35m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Moel Hebog route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Beddgelert via the north-east ridge, Rhyd Ddu via Moel Lefn and Moel yr Ogof, Cwm Pennant via Moel Lefn and Moel yr Ogof. Each is an ascent-only planning track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths and not checked on the ground.

Before you pick a route

The grade describes the ground in fair weather. Wind, rain, cloud and ice change it: a Moderate path can be hard to follow in mist, and a scramble in strong gusts is a different proposition from the same rock on a calm day. Check whether it is safe to climb Moel Hebog today and the Moel Hebog 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Moel Hebog routes

The walking times above use Naismith's rule, which assumes a fit walker on good paths with short stops. Most groups take longer: add a quarter for a mixed group, more for children or heavy packs, and plan the descent as carefully as the climb, because tired legs and fading light cause more trouble on the way down than on the way up.

Start early. Car parks at popular starts fill by mid-morning in summer and at weekends, and an early start leaves spare daylight if the weather turns or the walk takes longer than planned. In winter, work back from sunset and leave a margin of at least an hour.

Carry a map and compass and know how to use them, even on a well-trodden path; a phone battery fails fastest in cold, wet weather. Pack a waterproof jacket and trousers, a warm layer, a hat and gloves in every season, plus food, water and a head torch. Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.

If you are new to Moel Hebog, choose the easiest route in the table for a first ascent and save the harder lines for a settled day when you know the mountain. Turning back is always an option; the summit will still be there.

Questions about Moel Hebog

What is the easiest route up Moel Hebog?

Beddgelert via the north-east ridge has the easiest grade of the 3 routes listed here (Moderate).

How much time does each Moel Hebog route take?

Beddgelert via the north-east ridge: about 2h 0m up and 2h 45m there and back. Rhyd Ddu via Moel Lefn and Moel yr Ogof: about 2h 40m up and 4h 0m there and back. Cwm Pennant via Moel Lefn and Moel yr Ogof: about 2h 25m up and 3h 35m there and back. Times are by Naismith's rule (5 km/h plus 10 minutes per 100 m of ascent), before stops.

Can I get a GPX file for a Moel Hebog route?

Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.