Parking
Small roadside or verge parking near Arenig, about a mile from the A4212 turn-off by the disused quarry. Park considerately and keep the lane clear.
Overview
About Arenig Fawr from Arenig
This is an approximately 8-mile (13-km) circular mountain route from Arenig, climbing one of the finest and quietest summits in southern Eryri. Allow roughly 5.5 to 6 hours, with around 600 to 660 m of ascent depending on how you measure it.
The walk begins at small roadside and verge parking on the minor Arenig road just off the A4212, near the disused Arenig Quarry. Park considerately and leave the lane clear for other users.
Why go
- Quiet summit route with broad Eryri views
- Bothy and mountain-lake scenery
Heads up
- Boggy, pathless sections on the south-ridge return
- Limited parking and demanding mountain navigation
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Eryri Tour Guide
Your drive to Arenig Fawr from Arenig, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Eryri National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this area
The Small Lake That Supplies Bala0:00 / 0:28
“If you take the walk toward Arenig Fawr, the small stone hut beside Llyn Arenig Fawr has a story beyond mountain shelter. The lake was adapted as a reservoir in eighteen thirty to supply Bala.”
Plays on the road 1 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Eryri Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Remember Tryweryn
- The Mountain Innes Kept Painting
- The Ball from Frongoch
- The Mountain That Named the Rocks
- 298 audio storiesacross Eryri’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Heron, Tawny Owl, Common Raven, and 9 more
- Works offlinemaps, 120 trails, 82 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Arenig Fawr from Arenig
The routeFrom the road, head east along the access track to Llyn Arenig Fawr, a dark reservoir cupped…
From the road, head east along the access track to Llyn Arenig Fawr, a dark reservoir cupped beneath crags, where a small bothy sits near the shore. Beyond the lake the route climbs onto Y Castell and follows the ridge, with steadily widening views, up to the summit of Arenig Fawr.
The top carries a trig point and a memorial plaque to the crew of a B-17 bomber that crashed here, a quiet and moving spot in wild surroundings. The return crosses the south top and descends the rough south ridge before curving back around to the start.
Terrain and conditionsThis is a remote, exposed mountain walk.
This is a remote, exposed mountain walk. Good mountain paths alternate with rough and scree-covered ground, steep grassy sections, boggy patches and vague or sketchy stretches on the south ridge. Summit rock can be polished and slippery when wet, and there are crags to keep well clear of.
Navigation is genuinely difficult in mist or low cloud, so carry a map and compass (or GPS) and know how to use them. Sturdy mountain footwear with good grip is important, along with full waterproofs, warm layers, and all the food and water you will need. Do not count on finding facilities along the way.
ViewsOn a clear day the reward is a broad sweep of Eryri mountains in almost every direction, with…
On a clear day the reward is a broad sweep of Eryri mountains in almost every direction, with the Arenig ridges falling away below. Closer at hand, Llyn Arenig Fawr and the long silver line of Llyn Celyn give the walk its distinctive lake scenery.
DogsDogs are welcome on public footpaths and open-access land here, provided they are kept under…
Dogs are welcome on public footpaths and open-access land here, provided they are kept under close control. On open-access land a lead of no more than 2 m is required from 1 March through 31 July, and a short lead is prudent at any time of year near livestock, ground-nesting birds and other wildlife.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Eryri
77 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
17 sightingsTawny OwlMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
32 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
21 sightingsGreat Spotted WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
18 sightingsEuropean RabbitMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
161 sightingsViviparous LizardMost seen around 10 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Eryri. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
