Check points 37 & 38 and end of day 39

Final section is called the Carneddau comprising 11 peaks on a ridge of 16.5 miles. After the third peak each is progressively lower than the previous. The first six are over 3000’/915m. The third and highest, Carnedd Llewelyn, is only 65’/21m lower than Snowdon. Perhaps because they do not ‘quite’ have the record they are less visited, including by me. I have never been to any of these peaks, my only knowledge of them is what I have read. There is a Bwlch (saddle) between each peak, so navigation was an easy task of walk up one peak, walk down to the Bwlch, then up the next peak. At least it was easy for me because weather was still glorious for the fourth day. Because they are so high they are often in cloud so I was privileged to see them all in sunshine.

The first was the hardest - Pen Yr Ole Wen. It began with a Crag of 100’/30m facing due east. I tried three routes up, twice driven back. Part way up the third it occurred to me, surely Tony Drake, the author of the Cambrian Way, had not intended a climb on what was a hiking route with a few scrambles. When I got to the top, ahead of me was a walker who had been below me before I started ascending. He must have overtaken me via another route. A few people on the top and the guidebook confirmed I should have walked further round the mountain where there was an easier route from the north. I had seen a party walk this way but they had stopped beside the tarn so assumed the route only lead there.

Once on top of the Crag the path was a straightforward steep walk to the top of Pen Yr Ole Wen. The route up and down the next peak Carnedd Dayfydd 3423’/1044m (check point 37) was over square stone blocks 3-4” across. This was hard going because these are ankle breaking sizes. Surface improved to a worn track to peak 3 Carnedd Llewelyn 3485’/1062m (check point 38). Then was the delight of grass down the next Bwlch (Gwaun y Garnedd) and up Foel Grach 3202’/976m, itself surrounded by rocks. This was my wild camp pitch for the night at 3100’/950m but the sun was blazing, breeze was just the occasional zephyr, the view was magnificent and the pegs went in all the way.Read more