Walk • Trek • Travel
A photographic record and journal of our walking, trekking and travelling adventures.
Marchlyn Horseshoe
Marchlyn Horseshoe

Sunday 04 February 2018

Susan and I were very fortunate to have been in the area when this walk came up. The weather had been completely rubbish in the week leading up to the walk and it was only at the end of Friday that the forecast showed any signs that, if nothing else, it might not rain on the day of the walk, Sunday.
After a quick coffee at the Moel Siabod Cafe with some other early arrivers in our group, we proceeded to the official meeting place in the car park behind Joe Brown’s shop.
After some deliberations, the group decided that the Marchlyn Horseshoe would be the objective for the day and so we made our way in several vehicles to the start of the walk near Deiniolen.
By the time we arrived the sun was shining and the tops looked fantastic and we couldn’t wait to get going.
We headed up the track and over the gate until we reached the bend where we found the track to be very icy and so moved on to the frozen grass. There is a well-defined path that takes you up to the col between Carnedd y Filiast and, what on my map is simply marked ‘Cairn’ but Mike informed us that it is known as Carnedd y Filiast North although Wikipedia refers to Y Fronllwyd (721 m) and as the Cairn is 721m I suspect they are one in the same. Either way, this is the most northerly summit of the Glyderau and a Nuttal.
From the cairn, it was a fairly steep 100m climb to the summit Carnedd y Filiast. My research found that the Welsh word Filiast refers to a ‘She-Wolf’ or ‘Grey Hound Bitch (not greyhound)’ so one wonders how this name came about.
There is a small wind shelter here which is where we stopped for coffee and a snack and where I put on my Micro Spikes. I found the steep slope a little slippy on the way up and thought I would just as well put my spikes on here whilst nice and comfy as anywhere else.
We left the shelter and headed over to a wall with a style, and then on to Mynydd Perfedd (812m) which is an another Nuttal. We stopped en route so that Mike could show us the huge slabs on the eastern side of Carnedd y Filiast which are apparently a fossilised seabed and you could definitely see the ‘waves’.
From Mynydd Perfedd we dropped down and then started back up Bwlch Marchlyn towards Elidir Fawr all the time with fantastic views of Foel-goch, Pen yr Ole Wen and Tryfan on our left and Caernarfon and Anglesea on our right. Also on our right was a steep drop all the way to the Marchlyn Mawr Reservoir at the bottom known as Craig Cwrwgl.
On reaching the summit of Elidir Fawr we were rewarded with breathtaking views in all directions. The sun was shining, the wind had dropped, and everything was perfect.
We walked to the most easterly point of the summit plateau and then down the steep and icy slope to Elidir Fach (795m) admiring the magnificent ice sculpture that was once a boring fence.
From Elidir Fach there were fantastic views over Llanberis, Llyn Padarn and Llyn Peris and over to Moel Eilio. From here it was an easy walk back down to the track and to the cars.
This was an amazing winter walk in perfect weather with some really great friends and Susan and I were both really pleased to have been invited.
The route was about 7 miles long and took in 4 nuttalls.
Carnedd y Filiast North or Y Fronllwyd 721 m
Carnedd y Filiast Summit
Enjoying the views from Mynydd Perfedd
Stuart starting off up Bwlch y Marhlyn
Sharon on Elidir Fawr Summit 924m
Ice Sculptures
Approaching Elidir Fach

The Route

Distance : 7 Miles

We parked on the service road below the ridge and walked.
Click HERE for a GPX file of the route.
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