Pen yr Ole Wen routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

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

Pen yr Ole Wen 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.

Pen yr Ole Wen 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 Pen yr Ole Wen route

Glan Dena via Cwm Lloer

A path into Cwm Lloer, then up the east ridge to the summit. It starts from Glan Denau path junction. 2.8 km one way with 660 m of ascent. About 1h 40m to the summit and 2h 15m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Moderate.

Ogwen via the south ridge

A steep climb up the south ridge with rocky steps near the top. It starts from Ogwen Cottage car park. 4.6 km one way with 936 m of ascent. About 2h 30m to the summit and 3h 25m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

South-west ridge from Ogwen

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Ogwen Cottage north-side path. It starts from Ogwen Cottage north-side path. 2.0 km one way with 690 m of ascent. About 1h 35m to the summit and 1h 55m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Pen yr Ole Wen route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Glan Dena via Cwm Lloer, South-west ridge from Ogwen. 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 Pen yr Ole Wen today and the Pen yr Ole Wen 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Pen yr Ole Wen 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 Pen yr Ole Wen, 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 Pen yr Ole Wen

What is the easiest route up Pen yr Ole Wen?

Glan Dena via Cwm Lloer has the easiest grade of the 3 routes listed here (Moderate).

How much time does each Pen yr Ole Wen route take?

Glan Dena via Cwm Lloer: about 1h 40m up and 2h 15m there and back. Ogwen via the south ridge: about 2h 30m up and 3h 25m there and back. South-west ridge from Ogwen: about 1h 35m up and 1h 55m 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 Pen yr Ole Wen route?

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