Pen yr Helgi Du
833m (2734ft)
The Carneddau, Snowdonia, Conwy, Wales
Pen yr Helgi Du means 'Hill of the Black Dog' in Welsh and is pronounced 'pen-ur-hell-gi-dee'.
The summit of Pen yr Helgi Du is marked by a beehive shaped cairn.
You can find Pen yr Helgi Du & all the walks that climb it on these unique free-to-access Interactive Walk Planning Maps: (click/TAP to select)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Map (the ones with orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Map (the ones with pink/magenta covers):
See Pen yr Helgi Du and the surrounding tops on our free-to-access 'Google Style' Peak Bagging Maps:
See Pen yr Helgi Du and the surrounding tops on our downloadable PDF Peak Bagging Map:
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.5ml (15km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,714ft (827m) |
| Time: | 6.25hrs |
| Grade: |  (Moderate) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Eigiau Car Park - Craig Eigiau - Cwm Eigiau - Pen Yr Helgi Du - Bwlch Tri y Marchog - Pen Llithrig y Wrach - Cedryn - Hafod-y-rhrw - Llyn Eigiau Car Park
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 9.75ml (15.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,523ft (1,074m) |
| Time: | 7 hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Ogwen - Glan Dena - Llyn Ogwen - Afon Lloer - Clogwyn Mawr - Bryn Mawr - Ffynnon Lloer - Cwm Lloer - Pen yr Ole Wen - Carnedd Dafydd - Cefn Ysgolion Duon - Bwlch Cyfryw-drum - Carnedd Llewelyn - Craig Yr Ysfa - Bwlch Eryl Farchog - Pen Yr Helgi Du - Tal y Brarch - Gwern Gof Uchaf - Glan Dena - Llyn Ogwen
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 10ml (16km) |
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| Ascent: | 2,945ft (898m) |
| Time: | 6½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Capel Curig - Bron Heulog - Llyn Cowlyd - Pen Llithrig y Wrach - Bwlch y Tri Marchog - Pen Yr Helgi Du - Nant y Benglog - Capel Curig
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11ml (17.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 3,641ft (1,110m) |
| Time: | 7.75hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Eigiau Car Park - Craig Eigiau - Gwaun Y Garnedd - Foel Grach - Carnedd Llewelyn - Craig Yr Ysfa - Bwlch Eryl Farchog - Pen yr Helgi Du - Bwlch y Tri Marchog - Pen Llithrig y Wrach - Cedryn - Hafod-y-rhrw - Llyn Eigiau Car Park
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 11.5ml (18.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,599ft (1,402m) |
| Time: | 8.75hrs |
| Grade: |  (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Ogwen - Glan Dena - Afon Lloer - Clogwyn Mawr - Bryn Mawr - Ffynnon Lloer - Cwm Lloer - Pen yr Ole Wen - Carnedd Dafydd - Cefn Ysgolion Duon - Bwlch Cyfryw-drum - Carnedd Llewelyn - Yr Elen - Craig Yr Ysfa - Bwlch Eryl Farchog - Pen Yr Helgi Du - Glan Dena - Llyn Ogwen
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Vital Statistics:
| Length: | 13.5ml (21.5km) |
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| Ascent: | 4,477ft (1,364m) |
| Time: | 9½ hrs |
| Grade: | (Hard) |
Route Summary:
Llyn Eigiau Car Park - Craig Eigiau - Cwm Eigiau - Pen Yr Helgi Du - Bwlch Tri Marchog - Pen Llithrig y Wrach - Llyn Colwyd Reservoir - Craiglwyn - Creigiau Gleision - Creigiau Gleision (North Top) - Eilio Farm - Llyn Eigiau Car Park
Fellow go4awalkers who have already walked, climbed, summited & bagged Pen yr Helgi Du
Donovan Suddell walked up Pen yr Helgi Du on May 13th, 2024 [from/via/route] Llyn Ogwen [with] Solo [weather] Beautiful Sunny Day - Part of Carneddau Horseshoe
Adrian Haywood climbed Pen yr Helgi Du on January 22nd, 2023 [from/via/route] Pen yr Helgi Du & Pen Llithrig-y-Wrach circular [with] Darryl, Mike and Rob [weather] snow & cloudy & windy.
Melfyn Parry bagged Pen yr Helgi Du on January 12th, 2020 [from/via/route] Ascent of tarmac highway to leat. Along leat to ascend Y Braich to Pen yr Helgi Ddu and on to Pen Llithrig y Wrach returning down it's south ridge. Cross footbridge at south of LLyn Cowlyd followed the leat back to tarmac highway & returned to car park. [with] PRC [weather] Windy on Y Braich with hail showers.
Andy Buxton hiked Pen yr Helgi Du during August, 1964 [from/via/route] Dad - Took wrong turn: intended to Pen Llithrig, Pen Helgi & Carrneddau. Ended up doing Craig Eigiau & Pen y Castell as well. Very late back to Llanfairfechan.
Anthony Scott summited Pen yr Helgi Du on September 16th, 2018 [with] HF [weather] cloudy & drizzle
Hugh Strickland conquered Pen yr Helgi Du on September 1st, 2018 [from/via/route] 20 miles (just under 10 hours, 8500 feet) Capel Curig to Y Garn, down to Ogwen upPen Yr Ole Wen & back along Carneddau including Pen Llithrig y Wrach
Bleddyn Rhys scaled Pen yr Helgi Du on April 9th, 2018 [from/via/route] fynnu o'r A5 dilyn y llwybr amlwg ar y grib i Pen yr Helgi Ddu, lawr ir bwlch ar y dde ac i fynu i Pen Llithrig y Wrach. lawr heibio ceg y llyn ac yn ol ir lon drwy'r gors! [with] Gyda Caradog! [weather] Eithaf braf gyda cymylau ond sych a dim llawer o wynt mond ar y top Da iawn am fis Ebrill cynar. - Ddim yn hir iawn, a hawdd ei gyrraedd or ffordd gyda'r route yma. 3 awr in total Dod adra yn fwy anodd, mynd oddi ar y llwybr a ffeindio'n hynnain mewn cors wlub!
Mark Davidson walked up Pen yr Helgi Du on June 26th, 2003 [with] Alone [weather] Sunny & very hot - long tiring walk in such conditions - Ran out of water towards the end
Christina Lander climbed Pen yr Helgi Du on May 18th, 2016 [from/via/route] Llyn Eigiau - Pen Llithrig y Wrach - Pen Helgi Du - Carnedd Llywelyn - Foel Grach - Llyn Eigiau [with] Dick [weather] Cloudy on the tops
Iain Jones bagged Pen yr Helgi Du on March 29th, 2014 [from/via/route] Glan Dena, Llyn Ogwen [with] Jim Hamilton & Steven Hunt - 14 February 2015 - walked from Llyn Ogwen with Graeme High
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More Photographs & Pictures of views from, on or of Pen yr Helgi Du
Creigiau Gleision (left), Llyn Cowlyd Reservoir, Pen Llithrig y Wrach (centre) and Pen yr Helgi Du from Moel Eilio (Dolgarrog)
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