Aran Fawddwy & Aran Benllyn
1 SH879297 Exit the car park, going left then right through the second gate before the bridge (signposted ‘Aran Path’). Follow the track to rise to a stile, gate and ‘bridleway’ sign right. Cross the stile (signposted ‘Aran Ridge path’), taking the rising track beyond over two stiles by gates. Follow the rising track to take the left fork at a split by a post with ‘A.R.’ on it. Rise steeply through a wall gap. Beyond, stay on the lower right path by the fence, dipping to go left and right around a boggy hollow. Cross a stile in a corner. Climb steeply beyond by the fence right. Follow the fence, crossing a stile left of a gate. Continue by the fence, passing around boggy hollows. Further on stay left at a fork before a boggy col, climbing on the path to join a path at a stake and continue over a stile. Rise beyond, crossing a stile in a fence corner. Cross a boggy hollow, rising right of a rocky bump. Continue through rocky ground, passing odd fence posts. Higher up continue with a fence left to pass a cairn and zigzag up a scree slope. Climb to go left over a stile, going right and climbing a path that cuts back left through rocks. Cross a subsidiary summit, descending past a stile and tarn. With the fence right, climb to the summit of Aran Benllyn.
2 SH867242 Follow the path south to cross a stile. Continue over another stile, continuing with a fence left to descend, cross a depression and rise to drop again to a shallow col. Cross a stile left, going right to follow the fence right. Further on the path veers left away from the fence, dropping to a gully left in a col. Pass through a fence, cross a broken wall and take the path steeply up through rock bands above. Follow the path – it gets vaguer higher up – passing through rock outcrops. Carry on to pass right and below the summit of Aran Fawddwy to go left up the right side of a rocky depression to the summit.
3 SH862223 Re-trace your steps back down to re-cross the broken wall and fence. Follow your outbound route, keeping the fence left. Follow the fence towards an intermediate summit (spot height 872m). Watch for a prominent cairn over right, and when you can head for it – it’s on the plateau edge. Here cut left uphill, passing a small cairn to reach a cairn on the top at SH864233. Head half right (southeast) down Erw y Ddafad-ddu (trackless), shortly picking up a track. Follow this downhill, curving right then go left of Creiglyn Dyfi (tarn). After this drop into a grassy gully to a path crossroads.
4 SH870226 Go left into Cwm Llwydd, descending to pass through a gate. Descend half right down the field, passing through another gate. Descend a track to cross a ford near sheepfolds. Take the track ahead, rising to descend through a wall. Follow the track to pass through a gate. Follow the track beyond, passing through an opening and continuing beyond. Join a track coming in right and continue through a gate opening. Rise to descend, passing through a gate. Follow the descending track through a gate. Go half right through the farmyard of Nant-ybarcut, exiting to pick up a good surfaced track. Follow this, eventually curving right and left over two bridges. Curve left to a lane junction.
5 SH894270 Go left, following the lane for about 3.2km / 2 miles to a junction. Go left to return to the car park.