The ascent of Garn Boduan

WALK DETAILS

START 

Exit the car park to go left for a short distance then fork right taking the lane of Y Fron. Climb steeply through houses to a point where the lane ends at the house of Frondirion. Continue ahead up a rising track to shortly curve right past ruined buildings and take a track left before an inhabited house. When this track bends left towards ruined buildings, stay ahead to pass through two gates in quick succession. Climb the sunken lane beyond to reach a field. Cross this on the left side passing through an opening to the next field and cross this on the right side. At the top pass through a kissing gate to a path junction.

Points of interest on this section

  •  Nefyn has a population of around 2,600 and is popular with tourists due to its superb sandy beach. It is likely the original town was established because of the existence of the Iron Age hill fort on the summit of Garn Boduan
  •  From here you can easily see Holyhead Mountain on Anglesey’s Holy Island on a clear day. This rises to 722 ft/220 metres

2) Go right on the lesser path and follow it through fern by a fence (above fields) to cut left and rise on an improving path by an old wall right. Continue by the wall and a new plantation (left) to climb more steeply and rise beyond the old wall to a track junction with a marker post and a turning area left. Go ahead following the arrow to continue climbing. When the path levels a bit and curves left, reach a marker post right. Leave the good path to take this fainter marked path and climb through trees and fern before winding a way through heather towards scree slopes. As the angle levels the path becomes fainter and you should aim to follow it right to just before a scree slope. Here cut left and immediately right to curve left and pass through the scree run. At the end of this and before the next scree run (which is below cliffs), go right on a faint path to work a rough way up a path between scree runs and boulder fields.  In the upper reaches the path cuts right of a scree run to reach the wind shelter on the summit of Garn Boduan.

Points of interest on this section

  •  The summit of Garn Boduan has an Iron Age hill fort covering around 10 hectares where the remains of 170 hut circles have been recorded. Around 100 are still visible and it has been estimated that somewhere between 100 to 400 people lived here

3) Head over the summit following the main path to shortly go right at an old concrete plinth and then curve left on to the walls of the hill fort. Take a path right after a solitary dead tree to descend to a path below a breach in the walls. This path descends initially south westerly through ferns, odd conifers and the remains of old trees to gently curve left past a rock and grass outcrop and old hut circles. Pass through low trees and continue to descend the path as it improves. When you reach a footpath sign and marker post follow the arrow to go right descending the wide path to curve left to reach a crossroad or paths by a sign for Garn Boduan. Follow the arrow ahead to curve left on a surfaced track and then cut back right to follow the track to pass through a kissing gate by a barrier to reach a road.

4) Go left along the road passing a house right and then one left. After a road junction right, the road starts to rise up to reach a road junction left, signposted ‘Mynydd Nefyn’. Take this turning and follow the rising winding lane to a junction at the end. Go left to shortly take a lane right which is amongst houses. Follow the rising lane past the entrance to Cae Glas. Rise beyond passing through a wall gap to reach a house. Pass through a gate by the house and continue on the lane to a kissing gate left just before a gate across the road.

Points of interest on this section

  •  As you rise on the lane on this section you get good views of the Snowdonian mountains across to the left

5) Go left through the kissing gate to take a rising woodland path. As the angle eases drop over the crest of the hill and descend to a marker post. Here go right on a track and after a few paces, take a footpath half left to descend through trees and reach the track again. Cross this half left to take a descending footpath through a felled area of forest to pass through a wall gap. Continue descending the path to reach a lane and go left. As the lane bends left take a footpath right (sign fallen down) to descend to a bench, signpost and wall (left). Take the left fork descending to join a track by a bench. Go right and at the track end (by a sign for ‘Tia Ffolt’) take a marked footpath half left. Descend the path through a kissing gate to a lane and go right. Follow the lane past Y Fron (from your outbound route) and continue back to the car park.

Points of interest on this section

  •  Yr Eifl –  The hill visible over left as you descend back to Nefyn is the Yr Eifl Massif and is part of The Rivals hill range. Yr Eifl rises to 1,850 ft/564 metres at its highest point. The massif contains the famous ‘Tre Ceiri’ Iron age Hill Fort whose name means ‘Town of The Giants’

A WORD OF CAUTION

Walking in the outdoors can be a strenuous activity and it is up to you to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to undertake the route described and to approach the venture with caution and care. You should wear appropriate footwear and suitable clothing, take along food and drink plus carry the relevant map and a compass and be able to use it. The details given here are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. However, neither North Wales Magazine nor the author can accept responsibility for inaccuracies encountered. 

Route map

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