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Pen yr Ole Wen and the Carneddau from Y Garn (GL 18)

Foel Goch

The best of Foel Goch (Red Hill) is on its E side. Like Y Garn, dull grassy slopes make W approaches monotonous and many walkers avoid the hill altogether, a decision encouraged by the main ridge path which bypasses Foel Goch to the W. A far cry from the plunging arête that captivates the skyline ahead as you approach Ogwen from Capel Curig! The arête is Yr Esgair, the NW arm of Foel Goch and potentially one of the great ridge walks. Regretfully it is not to be. It starts attractively on grass that soon narrows to a fine scrambling edge. However, beyond a conspicuous notch where the angle really takes off, splintered flaky rock and crumbly turf banks, coupled with severe exposure immediately above the notch, render it out of bounds to mere scramblers.

The best route on Foel Goch is over the Creigiau Gleision/Mushroom Garden edge, and if this is combined with Cwm Cywion or another of the Glyders’ NE cwms you are guaranteed a day full of fresh, dramatic scenery, well off the beaten track. The untidy pile of browny-red stones forming the summit cairn sits astride an airy promontory with calamitous drops into Cwm Bual and Cwm Coch. The fence that crosses the top leads sedately down to the ridge path, halfway to Y Garn.