Foel-goch & Y Garn
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SH648603 Begin at Llyn Ogwen and walk past National Trust Ogwen Cottage and YHA Idwal Cottage. Follow the track past a DofE centre and continue downhill. The track bends right, passing a waterfall on the left with a stream running below the track. As soon as you’ve crossed the small bridge over this stream, pick up the faint track that climbs the hillside immediately on the left.
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SH642606 Follow this faint track up and to the right, eventually reaching a fence line, which has recently been rebuilt. Fortunately, you can still hop it at any number of handilyplaced boulders. Continue following the path, zigzagging uphill to reach a collection of drystone walls. Contour around the hillside, soon entering Cwm Coch.
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SH634612 There are impressive views of what’s to come on the day’s scramble. Looking across the cwm, the jagged, craggy arête of Yr Esgair looms up in front, while up to the left, almost overhead, is the Mushroom Garden, which is where the route will take you. To reach the scramble, cross a section of scree fall and look for two pinnacles. These mark the walls at the base of a gully, which sits pretty much directly above Pentre Farm down in the valley below. This marks the start of the scramble. The opening section simply involves picking your way carefully up the scree, but as you gain height, the scrambling gets steeper and more adventurous. Pick a route that suits your abilities and continue up, working you way up the gully until eventually emerging to reach a saddle.
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SH633609 Pause here on the shoulder of Foel-goch to catch your breath and enjoy the spectacular views out over Ogwen, Pen yr Ole Wen, Tryfan, Idwal, the Glyderau and Cardigan Bay, before following the ridge, Y Llymllwyd, all the way up to the summit.
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SH628611 From the summit of Foelgoch, follow the fence line down to Bwlch y Cywion, crossing the fence either at a gap or over the stile, which is just a little farther on. Now follow the fence line once more, which starts to climb as it gradually ascends the flanks of Y Garn.
On a clear day, look to your right for spectacular views of the Snowdon massif, away to the south-south-west.
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SH630595 From the summit of Y Garn, take the clear path down to Llyn y Cwn, before bearing to the left and picking up the path that takes you over a stile at a wall and down through Cwm Idwal, via the
striking landscape of Twll Du, or Devil’s Kitchen.
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SH639587 As the path splits, take the left-hand fork, which leads you around the left-hand side of Llyn Idwal and across the shingly beach. This is a great place to take a break and perhaps soothe your tired feet while you admire the impressive natural bowl of the cwm that you have just descended.
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SH646598 From here, the return to Ogwen is simple. Take the unmistakable path back down to Ogwen Cottage, crossing over the bridge and down the steps to emerge at the café/toilets and the end of the route.