Gallt yr Ogof & Y Foel Goch

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Route: Nant y Benglog, Gwern Gof Isaf, Gallt yr Ogof, Y Foel Goch, Llyn Caseg-fraith, Drws Nodded, Braich y Ddeugwm, Gwern Gof Isaf, Nant y Benglog

Date: 20/04/2018
From: Gwern Gof Isaf

Parking: A5 layby
Start Point: Gwern Gof Isaf
Region: Snowdonia - the Glyderau

Route length: 6.1 miles (9.8 km)
Time taken: 02:56
Average speed: 2.1 mph
Ascent: 612m
Descent: 621m

Summits: Gallt yr Ogof (763m), Y Foel Goch (805m)

With a few days of excellent weather forecast, I managed to book a day off work to get myself over to North Wales. I had originally intended to do the Snowdon Horseshoe on the Friday, however, the prospect of getting around Manchester during the Friday morning rush hour made me think twice.

This, however, opened up the opportunity to complete a walk I have been looking at for a while - one that is recommended for a morning or afternoon and would add to my growing list of Nuttalls.

Pen yr Ole Wen

It was quiet in the layby on the A5

Tryfan

Gallt yr Ogof and Y Foel Goch are the two eastern-most mountains in the Glyderau range and are often overlooked in favour of the classics; Tryfan, Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach etc. As I've said before, these smaller, more isolated peaks often give some of the best views as they get to gaze upon these shapely favourites, Tryfan and Bristly Ridge are well seen during this walk.

Tryfan's east face

Gallt yr Ogof

After a leisurely drive over, I parked up in the long A5 layby and set off east along the road to the campsite at Gwern Gof Isaf. Shortly after the campsite, a track crosses the marshy ground of Afon Llugwy to another path before I ventured out onto the open hillside.

Looking across to Cwm Llugwy

The rough, grassy slopes of Gallt yr Ogof

The eastern Ogwen valley

Creigiau Gleision, Craig Wen and Crimpiau

Pen Llithrig y Wrach

Pen yr Ole Wen

I found the climb up Gallt yr Ogof fairly tough going; partly thanks to the pathless, heather-clad hillside and partly because of the scorching temperatures - easily 20 degrees which is no means feat in April. The climb begins pretty steeply before it levels off at a barbed-wire fence.

The fence across Cwm Gwern Gof

It would seem I missed the most commonly used route up the mountain as two ladder stiles were evident someway down the slopes - too far to make it worth my time going down to them. Instead, I carried on climbing, adjacent to the fence until I found a suitable spot to clamber over.

Cwm Llugwy 

Pen yr Helgi Du and Y Briach

Carnedd Llewelyn

The Ogwen valley

Following the fence leads to the ridgeline where the climbing becomes easier thanks to the disappearance of the heather and the appearance of a vague path. The path leads towards the summit but swings beneath it so a short diversion to the top is required.

Reaching the summit

Looking down towards Capel Curig

Gallt yr Ogof is named after a cave that can be found on the precipitous eastern slopes. It has a prominent peak at the end of the Glyderau massif that gives a fine panorama of the eastern Ogwen Valley, Capel Curig and Moel Siabod.

Gallt yr Ogof's summit

Moel Siabod

The Moelwyns

Creigiau Gleision

Crimpiau and Capel Curig

Glyder Fach and Tryfan from Gallt yr Ogof

Ogwen valley panorama

From Gallt yr Ogof, the route crosses a shallow col, complete with a pretty llyn, before a short climb to the summit of Y Foel Goch.

Y Foel Goch

The unnamed llyn

Gallt yr Ogof

Llynnau Mymbyr

Y Foel Goch's summit

Again, Y Foel Goch has good, up-close views of Tryfan and Bristly Ridge as well as the emerging Snowdon massif, looking magnificent as usual.

Tryfan and Cwm Gwern Gof

Snowdon

Glyder Fach

Bristly Ridge

After a brief pause on the summit, I descended down into another shallow col, this time heading for Drws Nodded, the beginning of an interesting, shallow ridge back to the valley - Braich y Ddeugwm. The ridge provides a great view of the wild Cwm Tryfan and Tryfan's east face though it was in shadow during the time I descended it.

Braich y Ddeugwm

Tryfan

Cwm Gwern Gof and Gallt yr Ogof

Adam and Eve cap Tryfan's summit

A faint path leads off the ridge, crossing the barbed wire fence from earlier in the day and dropping down to the campsite by the river. After passing through the campsite it's an easy walk back along the A5 to the layby.

Gallt yr Ogof

Braich y Ddeugwm

The eastern Ogwen valley

Gwern Gof Isaf

Braich y Ddeugwm

Gallt yr Ogof

Tryfan

The walk ended up being slightly longer than I expected and a little more challenging thanks to the heat and the heathery climb up Gallt yr Ogof. That said, these two hills are well worth a visit as they have some sublime views which you will often have all to yourself.