Yr Eifl, Llyn Peninsula
Explore the three summits of the Yr Eifl massif high above the Irish Sea on the Llyn Peninsula, and finish at the stunning hilltop fort of Tre’r Ceiri.
The triple-topped Yr Eifl massif rises directly from the sea above the seaside village of Trefor on the Llyn Peninsula near Snowdonia. Geographically, Yr Eifl is part of The Rivals group of hills which are renowned for their rugged and often trackless walking.
The name Yr Eifl means, rather appropriately, ‘the forks’ and while the three summits are instantly identifiable from all over this area of north Wales, they look the most striking from the south-west coast of the island of Anglesey around Newborough. Of the three separate summits, Garn For is the lowest at 444m, Garn Ganol is the highest at 561m (and the highest point on the Llyn Peninsula) and Tre’r Ceiri (whose name means ‘town of the giants’) rises to 485m and contains the remains of the best preserved Iron Age hill-forts in the UK and Europe. Within the fort walls are the remains of over 150 circular and oblong stone huts in an elevated and easily defended location with excellent views in all directions.
Starting from the sea, this rugged walk takes in all three summits, saving Tre’r Ceiri hillfort until last as it makes a grand finale.
1
SH375472 Go right down the lane, passing by a gate left of the harbour. Take the Wales Coast Path ahead. When the surfaced path bends left – stay ahead through a kissing gate. Rise ahead continuing above sea cliffs to descend through a kissing gate. At a marker post go left through a gate. Go right to pass cottages. Pass through a gate to cut back left just before a gate/house. Curve right to take an access track to a lane. Go right to cut back right at a marker as the lane descends. Shortly go left up steps through a kissing gate. Take a field path curving left, then right through a gate. Follow the left field edge through a kissing gate to a lane. Go right, taking a track ahead as the lane bends left. Stay ahead through a gate when the track bends left. Stay ahead again when the path bends right below ruins. Rise through a gate following the path beyond with a fence right. When the fence cuts right, go right with the Coast Path following a narrower path past markers to go left on a quarry road near a gate. Rise to a path crossroads at Bwlch yr Eifl.
2
SH362454 Go right, then go left at a fork to rise to two buildings. Go right of these to go left up concrete steps. At the top go left past a fenced mast enclosure. At the fence end take a path right through boulders curving right higher up to the summit of Garn For.
3
SH361456 Re-trace your steps to Bwlch yr Eifl. Take the path ahead between two telegraph poles. Rise to boulder fields. Follow the path through them, curving left higher up over boulders. Continue to curve right with the path to the summit of Garn Ganol.
4
SH364447 Head easterly on the path towards Tre’r Ceiri, descending to curve left. Go through a gate. Cross a col, staying ahead at a path junction. Pass through a wall gap, continuing right to curve left through the hill-fort walls. At a path junction go left to curve right in front of hut circles. Go left at a path junction to the summit of Tre’r Ceiri.
5
SH374447 Re-trace your outbound route staying ahead (southwesterly) when it goes right. Stay left at a junction descending to exit the hill-fort through a wall gap. Follow the path curving right and left. By a small post (shortly before a wall) go left on a narrow path. Stay ahead at a path junction descending to pass through a gate in an enclosure corner. Descend through two gates to a lane. Go left past a parking area. At the next parking area go left through a kissing gate. Follow the arrow direction/path rising through two kissing gates. Descend the right side of a field exiting via a kissing gate at SH379451. Go left on a lane passing a mast and Cwm Pottery to go right through a kissing gate facing a white cottage. Continue right through a kissing gate and keep to the right side of the field. Pass through a gate, going right in front of a cottage over a bridge. Pass through a gate continuing along the left field edge. Just before a gate go right then left through a gate. Follow the right field edge through a gate in the corner. Cross a bridge continuing through a kissing gate. Continue to a lane. Go left, continuing to go left for ‘the beach’ before a green bus stop. Descend to the car park.