Walk Cnicht, Hafod-yr-Hydd and Moelwyn Mawr from Croesor
Superb views of sea and valley.
This 9 mile, Grade 7 (Hard), easy-to-follow, hand-crafted walk, complete with GPS Waypoints, starts at Croesor in Snowdonia & will take you about 6¾ hrs to complete.
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Detailed walk route map PDF | |
Vital Statistics: | ||
| Walk No.: | gw224 | |
| Length: | 9 miles (14.5km) | |
| Ascent: | 3355 ft (1023m) | |
| Time: | 6¾ hours | |
| Grade: |  | |
| Walk Type: | High Mountains | |
| Gear Needed: | Full mountain gear including boots, warm layers, waterproofs, food & water, and good weather | |
Route outline for this walk:
Croesor - Croesor Bach - Cnicht - Cnicht (North Top) - Llyn Yr Adar - Afon Cwm-y-foel - Llyn Cwm-corsiog - Clogwyn Birth - Rhosydd Quarry - Moel-yr-hydd - Moelwyn Mawr (North Ridge Top) - Moelwyn Mawr - Croesor
Points of Interest/Notes on this walk:
Rhosydd Quarry opened in 1840 and employed some 200 men. Since closing in 1930, the ruined buildings have become dangerous and unstable. Whilst a fascinating place to wander and imagine, best stay out of the buildings and tunnels.
Cnicht is often referred to as the 'Welsh Matterhorn' due to its shape, particularly when viewed from Croesor. Cnicht means 'Knight' and is pronounced 'k-neecht'.
Peaks, Summits and Tops reached on this walk:
 3 Welsh Mountains |
 0 Wainwrights |
 4 Welsh Nuttalls |
 0 Welsh Deweys |
 0 Wainwright Outlying Fells |
 1 Welsh Marilyn |
 0 Bridgets |
Peak Bagging Statistics for this walk:
The highest point of this walk is Moelwyn Mawr at 770m (2527ft). Moelwyn Mawr is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (43rd highest in Wales, 103rd highest in England & Wales)
Moelwyn Mawr is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (54th highest in Wales, 127th highest in England & Wales) and a Welsh Marilyn (19th highest in Wales, 448th highest in the UK).
Moelwyn Mawr means 'Big White Bare Hill' in Welsh. The summit of Moelwyn Mawr is marked by an Ordnance Survey Trig Point.
Completing this walk will also take you to the top of Cnicht at 689m (2260ft). Cnicht is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (74th highest in Wales, 185th highest in England & Wales)
Cnicht is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (96th highest in Wales, 241st highest in England & Wales). The summit of Cnicht is marked by a rocky outcrop. Cnicht is often referred to as the Welsh Matterhorn. When viewed from the village of Croesor and the south-west, Cnicht appears to be a perfect pyramid shaped mountain that resembles the Matterhorn on the border between Italy and Switzerland.
You will also reach the summit of Cnicht (North Top) at 688m (2257ft). Cnicht (North Top) is also known as a Welsh Nuttall (98th highest in Wales, 243rd highest in England & Wales).
Along the way you will also bag and tick-off:
- Moel-yr-hydd at 648m (2127ft). Moel-yr-hydd is classified as a Welsh Mountain (Hewitt) (105th Wales, 252nd Eng & Wal) and a Welsh Nuttall (142nd highest in Wales, 336th highest in England & Wales). Moel-yr-hydd means 'Bare Hill with Stag' in Welsh.
- Moelwyn Mawr (North Ridge Top) at 646m (2120ft). Moelwyn Mawr (North Ridge Top) means 'Big White Bare Hill' in Welsh.
Be Adventure Smart
If walking in the Lake District (and anywhere else) please be adventure smart.
Ask yourself 5 questions before you set off:
- Am I confident I have the KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS for the day?
- Do I know what the WEATHER will be like?
- Do I have the right GEAR for the day?
- Do I have enough FOOD & DRINK for the day?
- Do I have all the ESSENTIAL ITEMS for the day?
Note that there is no mobile phone or WiFi coverage in many parts of the Lake District
A dedicated GPS Device can be a good navigational aid, but only if you know how to use it properly. See The Myths and Truths about GPS for Walking and Hiking
You can find this walk and other nearby walks on these unique Interactive Walk Planning Maps:
(worth a look if you're new to go4awalk.com & have never seen one of these before.)
1:25,000 scale OS Explorer Maps (orange/yellow covers):
1:50,000 scale OS Landranger Maps (pink/magenta covers):
Some Photos and Pictures from Walk Cnicht, Hafod-yr-Hydd and Moelwyn Mawr from Croesor
In no particular order . . .
Porthmadoc and Tremadoc Bay/Bae Tremadog from the summit of Cnicht - the Welsh Matterhorn
. . . load all 63 pictures & photos from this walk
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