Rhinog Fawr routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX

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

Rhinog Fawr 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.

Rhinog Fawr 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 Rhinog Fawr route

Cwm Bychan via the Roman Steps

The Roman Steps to Bwlch Tyddiad, then a rough path through heather and boulders to the summit. It starts from Cwm Bychan lakeside farm walkers' car park. 4.0 km one way with 580 m of ascent. About 1h 45m to the summit and 2h 35m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Graigddu-isaf via Llyn Du

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Cwrt Forest / Graigddu-isaf car park. It starts from Cwrt Forest / Graigddu-isaf car park. 4.3 km one way with 480 m of ascent. About 1h 40m to the summit and 2h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.

Cwm Nantcol western approach

A hard mountain walk to the summit from Maes-y-garnedd public path. It starts from Maes-y-garnedd public path. 8.8 km one way. Grade: Hard.

Rhinog Fawr route GPX

Download a GPX for each route with a track: Cwm Bychan via the Roman Steps, Graigddu-isaf via Llyn Du, Cwm Nantcol western approach. 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 Rhinog Fawr today and the Rhinog Fawr 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.

Planning a day on Rhinog Fawr 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 Rhinog Fawr, 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 Rhinog Fawr

What is the easiest route up Rhinog Fawr?

Cwm Bychan via the Roman Steps has the easiest grade of the 3 routes listed here (Hard).

How much time does each Rhinog Fawr route take?

Cwm Bychan via the Roman Steps: about 1h 45m up and 2h 35m there and back. Graigddu-isaf via Llyn Du: about 1h 40m up and 2h 30m 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 Rhinog Fawr route?

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