Rugged Rhinog Fawr

An ascent to the top of rocky Rhinog Fawr, the third highest peak of the rugged Rhinogydd mountains at 2,360 feet (720m), is featured on this circular walk. The area offers some of the finest hill-walking in Wales with the promise of views across Cardigan Bay, the Llyn Peninsula, many of the high mountains of Eryri (SnowdoniaI) as well as the surrounding Rhinogydd peaks and lakes. There is some minor scrambling and a short crawl through a wall before reaching a plateau with a fine boulder crossing to the summit with its trig point and small stone shelter. The paths underfoot on the mountain itself are fairly uneven. After an ‘admiring the views lunch’ the shortish steep descent is undertaken with some minor bits of scree and easy scrambling between boulders. Then the gradient decreases markedly before the picturesque Llyn Du is reached with a boulder crossing of its shoreline. Further heather-clad paths take the route to just below the top of the Roman Steps and past Pistyll Gwyn (White Waterfall). Note that the parking area at the start is 2.5 miles along to the end of a lane to Graigdddu-isaf, reached from the main A470 road at a small junction which is at Grid Reference SH71343 30656, What3Words reshaping.revealing.lonely