There’s nothing more satisfying than a decent traverse of an entire mountain range. This walk takes you loosely from Conwy over the Carneddau and down to Capel Curig.

Navigation can be tricky in some places, and you’ll certainly need to be able to take and walk on a bearing if the mists come down.

All in all, a satisfying day or two in the hills!

Distance, Ascent and Time 30km, 1800m, 12 hours

OS Map Required Explorer 017, BMC Map, Landranger 115

Difficulties Navigation on pathless sections and high Carneddau. Some difficult downclimbing with packs.

Start / End  Aber to Trefriw

Facilities Cafe at Aber and Trefriw. Shop in Trefriw

Public Transport Sherpa Buses to Llanberis and Betws y Coed.

The Route 

Starts off just outside the walled town at a railway crossing bridge on the A547 Bangor road opposite Ysgol Aberconwy (streetview link - note that there are houses here now!). This route is easily followed up Conwy Mountain, past the hill fort and onward to Pen y Sychnant.

Follow this route to Tal y Fan, though you can easily take a direct route up the grassy slopes rather than following the path at SH736 735 before continuing onwards to Foel Lwyd and descending the wall to Bwlch y Ddeufaen. Alternatively, you can descend from Tal y Fan to Bwlch y Ddeufaen directly, but is slightly longer.

Ascend the steep grassy slope up Drum by following the path on the western side of the wall. This provides a quick, if inelegant approach to the hills and you’re soon atop the ridge. The path from here is clear and you can follow the fence over Carnedd y Ddelw or lazily contour to the right and to Drum.

The fence continues to provide a foolproof route as you cross a wide boggy col and ascend the whaleback of Foel Fras. There’s a handy wall here, so if it’s blowing  a hoolie, you can usually get respite by crossing the wall.

The next section may need some compass work as the wall ends. The path is clear enough to follow, but any sort of lapse in concentration and you can easily lose it in mist so best take a bearing at this point. In clear weather there should be no problem!

Once at Garnedd Uchaf, you can follow this route over Carnedd Llewelyn and Pen Lithrig before rejoining us at Bwlch y Tri Marchog.

Follow this route now in reverse by slogging up the final ascent of the day to the summit of Pen Llithrig y Wrach and steady descent to Capel Curig.