Western Ridge: Cwm Pennant to Mynydd Graig Goch
DAY 1 1
SH540492 From the car park, cross the stile and take the signed path, following it through the field. Cross a wooden ladder stile next to a tumbledown building and turn left onto a slate-strewn path. Continue along this path, which follows the bed of an old tramway, contouring around the hillside with great views of the ridge up to the right. Leave the old tramway just before its end and start climbing, crossing the remains of an old wall. Continue to climb, making for the far side of the cwm, just left of a stream.
2
SH547507 Eventually you will reach a grassy plateau. From here there is a clear path heading up along the ridge. Turn left onto the path and start climbing again. Eventually you’ll reach another plateau, where you head slightly left to pick up the ridge heading towards an obelisk. The crest of the ridge narrows here. Head through the gap in the wall to reach the obelisk at the summit of Mynydd Tal-y-mignedd.
3
SH535514 From here you start the descent to Bwlch Dros-bern, initially following the fence line. The descent is over tussocky grass, so watch your ankles on this section. Cross the fence at a stile and continue to follow it downhill, with the fence now on your right, before crossing to the other side once again and eventually reaching Craig Pennant.
4
SH529507 Follow the path, which contours around the hillside before heading uphill through heather, with gullies falling away to the left. Keep climbing to reach the summit of Craig Cwm Silyn, marked with a summit cairn. From here there are great views of the Moel Hebog range, and all the way out to the coast near Caernarfon. The next summit on the ridge is Garnedd Goch, which is almost straight ahead along a broad, stony ridge. If visibility is poor, you can follow the wall all the way to the summit, which is marked with a trig pillar. On a clear day, it offers up great views over the Llyn Peninsula.
5
SH512496 Head south-west for approximately 1km to reach some level ground on your right. Turn left to contour around Bwlch Cwmdulyn, then swing right uphill, heading for Mynydd Graig Goch, which marks the end of the Nantlle Ridge. The craggy outcrop marks the summit at 610m, but there is flatter ground away to the south-east, which is a great spot to pitch a tent for a memorable wild camp.