Y Garn routes, easiest to hardest: times, distances and GPX
947 m · Snowdonia
Y Garn is a pointed Glyderau summit above Llyn Idwal, with a classic view down to the Ogwen valley and Tryfan.
Peakify lists 6 measured routes up Y Garn, traced on OpenStreetMap paths from the start to the summit. Distances and ascent are one way, to the top.
Y Garn 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.
| Route | Start | Distance | Ascent | Time up | There and back | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ogwen via Llyn Clyd | Ogwen Cottage car park | 4.4 km one way | 741 m | 2h 5m | 3h 0m | Hard |
| North East Ridge | Llyn Ogwen / Ogwen Centre car park | 2.6 km one way | 640 m | 1h 35m | 2h 5m | Hard |
| Devil's Kitchen / Twll Du | Llyn Ogwen / Ogwen Centre car park | 4.3 km one way | 670 m | 2h 0m | 2h 50m | Hard |
| Llwybr y Carw / Afon Las | Gwastadnant / Afon Las public footpath entrance | 3.6 km one way | 800 m | 2h 5m | 2h 45m | Hard |
| Elidir Fawr, Mynydd Perfedd and Foel-goch | Nant Peris public approach lane | 7.5 km one way | — | — | — | Hard |
| Marchlyn via Elidir Fawr and Mynydd Perfedd | Marchlyn public road end (SH596631) | 7.6 km one way | 870 m | 3h 0m | 4h 30m | Hard |
Y Garn 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 Y Garn route
Ogwen via Llyn Clyd
A path towards Llyn Idwal, then up the steep north-east ridge past Llyn Clyd. It starts from Ogwen Cottage car park. 4.4 km one way with 741 m of ascent. About 2h 5m to the summit and 3h 0m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
North East Ridge
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Llyn Ogwen / Ogwen Centre car park. It starts from Llyn Ogwen / Ogwen Centre car park. 2.6 km one way with 640 m of ascent. About 1h 35m to the summit and 2h 5m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Devil's Kitchen / Twll Du
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Llyn Ogwen / Ogwen Centre car park. It starts from Llyn Ogwen / Ogwen Centre car park. 4.3 km one way with 670 m of ascent. About 2h 0m to the summit and 2h 50m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Llwybr y Carw / Afon Las
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Gwastadnant / Afon Las public footpath entrance. It starts from Gwastadnant / Afon Las public footpath entrance. 3.6 km one way with 800 m of ascent. About 2h 5m to the summit and 2h 45m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Elidir Fawr, Mynydd Perfedd and Foel-goch
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Nant Peris public approach lane. It starts from Nant Peris public approach lane. 7.5 km one way. Grade: Hard.
Marchlyn via Elidir Fawr and Mynydd Perfedd
A hard mountain walk to the summit from Marchlyn public road end (SH596631). It starts from Marchlyn public road end (SH596631). 7.6 km one way with 870 m of ascent. About 3h 0m to the summit and 4h 30m there and back by Naismith's rule. Grade: Hard.
Y Garn route GPX
Download a GPX for each route with a track: North East Ridge, Devil's Kitchen / Twll Du, Llwybr y Carw / Afon Las, Elidir Fawr, Mynydd Perfedd and Foel-goch, Marchlyn via Elidir Fawr and Mynydd Perfedd. 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 Y Garn today and the Y Garn 14-day forecast before you set off, and allow for the walk out in daylight.
Planning a day on Y Garn 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 Y Garn, 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 Y Garn
What is the easiest route up Y Garn?
The north-east ridge from Ogwen is the standard route, though it is steep.
How much time does each Y Garn route take?
Ogwen via Llyn Clyd: about 2h 5m up and 3h 0m there and back. North East Ridge: about 1h 35m up and 2h 5m there and back. Devil's Kitchen / Twll Du: about 2h 0m up and 2h 50m there and back. Llwybr y Carw / Afon Las: about 2h 5m up and 2h 45m there and back. Marchlyn via Elidir Fawr and Mynydd Perfedd: about 3h 0m up and 4h 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 Y Garn route?
Yes. Open a route below and download its GPX: an ascent track from the start to the summit, plotted on OpenStreetMap paths.