WALK DETAILS

START 

Exit the car park at the bottom near a road junction going left before the road to follow the sign for ‘The Precipice Walk’ and follow the footpath to the road. Go left to descend and in a short distance (at the entrance to ‘Gwern Offeiriaid) leave the road going left to take an uphill track. Rise steadily with the forest right. As the angle eases a track joins from the left and you curve right near a gate to descend into trees and continue to reach the parking area for the house of ‘Gwern Offeiriaid’

2) Go left to rise left of the house and once above it cut right then shortly cut left. Rise up to curve left and pass through a gate. Continue by a wall to a point where the path splits with the seemingly better path going left towards Llyn Cynwch. However, our way is along the right fork where we follow a rising path to cut right at a wall corner. Rise by the wall passing through a wall gap. Continue on the path beyond keeping the wall right. As you proceed great views open up of the valley to your right. Pass a sheepfold at a narrow end of a field and continue next to the now crumbling wall. Soon leave the wall to follow the path over the hillside to make a short descent and rise to pass through a wall gap.

Points of interest on this section:

  • The hill you are walking around is Foel Cynwch and it rises to around 1,050 ft/320 metres.

3) Continue to follow the path along the hillside to pass a path junction right for ‘The Copper Mines’. Stay ahead here for ‘The Precipice Walk’ and continue on the obvious high level path high above the valley. Pass over a scree slope as the path narrows and continue to reach a gate in a fence above a house in an enclosure in the valley below (‘Dol-y-clochydd’).

Points of interest on this section:

  • The river in the valley below is The Afon Mawddach which rises on the slopes of the Snowdonian mountain of Ddualt and flows for 28 miles/45 Km to run into a wide estuary near Dolgellau and continue to the sea at Barmouth. The road visible is The A470.
  • There are stunning views all along this section with The Rhinog Mountains to the west being very prominent and the valley below looking superb.

4) Pass through the gate and continue on the path beyond. The path rises slightly and curves around a gully to continue high above the valley. As you proceed there are large drops to the right and stunning vistas all around. Continue on the path to pass through a broken wall at a wall junction and by a post

Points of interest on this section:

  • Above you and left here is the small hillock of Foel Faner (951 ft/290 metres) on the top of which is an Iron aged hill fort.

5) Continue on the path as it curves left and right above a shallow valley and a small scree slope and continue to curve right around another shallow valley. Continue on the path to pass a bench viewpoint and continue to pass through a gate in a wall. Now follow the path to soon head towards a forest. Curve left to continue above a steep sided valley to continue past the forest right. At a wall near a forest corner pass through a gate and follow the path beyond passing marker posts to curve right and reach Llyn Cynwch at a junction by a large footpath sign.

Points of interest on this section:

  • The bench viewpoint passed has superb views of the impressive Cadair Idris massif to the south.
  • Llyn Cynwch is a reservoir and is very popular with fishermen and according to legend there is a marble palace at the bottom inhabited by fairies.

6) Go left to follow the west shore of the lake to pass through a wall gap. Next continue through trees to walk up the final narrow section of the reservoir. At the reservoir end continue on the path to re-join your outbound route near a wall and go right on it to pass through a gate and continue to reach the house of ‘Gwern Offeiriaid’. Go right following your outbound route to curve left near a gate. Shortly leave your outbound route to cut right at a junction. Follow this path to re-enter the car park at the top end.

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.

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