Parking
Farchynys Car Park near Bont-ddu (SH 662 186). Use designated spaces only and never block field or residential entrances.
Overview
About Farchynys Walk
Why go
- Mawddach Estuary viewpoints
- Short varied woodland loop
Heads up
- Steep or unsurfaced sections
- Marsh can flood at high tide
Treat this as a rewarding hour rather than a day out. A short climb buys two estuary viewpoints in a small amount of time, which is a fair trade for most walkers.
Parkwolf’s verdictWorth it or notMap & 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 Farchynys Walk, 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
Gold Before the Gold Rush0:00 / 0:30
“People were looking for gold along the Mawddach before the famous Clogau mine took off. National Museum Wales has a painting, dated to about seventeen ninety-five, of people panning this river.”
Plays on the road 1.1 km from the trailhead in the Parkwolf Eryri Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Clogau Trail and the Gold Mine
- Follow the Tide, Find the Birds
- Sea Mud and Volcanic Ash at Cregennan
- The Oystercatcher's Orange Tool
- 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 Farchynys Walk
The short versionA circular walk of 2 km, allow about an hour, starting and finishing at Farchynys Car Park near…
A circular walk of 2 km, allow about an hour, starting and finishing at Farchynys Car Park near Bont-ddu (SH 662 186).
How the route runsFrom the car park the route passes the Dark Sky Bench and continues to the first viewpoint,…
From the car park the route passes the Dark Sky Bench and continues to the first viewpoint, then retraces. Next comes a wide track with marsh alongside it, followed by a gate with a stile beyond. Do not cross the stile: instead climb through woodland following the fence line to the second viewpoint. The return is via a gravel track and two kissing gates back to the start.
Difficulty and footingClassified moderate, short but not easy going.
Classified moderate, short but not easy going. Expect steep and unsurfaced sections and a steady climb beside the fence. Suited to anyone with some countryside walking experience and reasonable fitness. Walking boots and waterproof layers are essential.
Two things to watchThe marsh beside the wide track can flood at high tide, so check that stretch before committing…
The marsh beside the wide track can flood at high tide, so check that stretch before committing to it. Higher up, the stile beyond the gate is not part of the route: stay with the fence line uphill. Getting that decision right keeps you on the circuit.
ViewsThe viewpoints look out over the Mawddach Estuary, with Cader Idris, Barmouth Bridge and the…
The viewpoints look out over the Mawddach Estuary, with Cader Idris, Barmouth Bridge and the Dolgellau area in view. The Dark Sky Bench makes a natural pause on the way out.
Parking and dogsUse designated parking only at Farchynys Car Park and do not block entrances.
Use designated parking only at Farchynys Car Park and do not block entrances. Dogs are welcome on public footpaths and open access land, kept under close control, on a short lead near livestock and wildlife, and on a lead of no more than 2 m on open access land from 1 March to 31 July.
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.
