Parking
Saith Groesffordd Car Park, Llanfachreth (SH 746 212). Use designated spaces and do not block field entrances or residential access.
Overview
About Foel Offrwm Circular
A circular route on the Nannau estate near Llanfachreth, just north of Dolgellau: 4.0 km / 2.5 miles total loop, about 1 hour, graded Moderate. It starts and finishes at Saith Groesffordd car park (SH 746 212). The distance above is the base loop only and does not include the optional path to the summit of Foel Offrwm.
Why go
- Wide views toward Cader Idris and southern Eryri
- Short loop with woodland and estate history
Heads up
- Natural ground can be wet and uneven
- The southern viewpoint section is harder than the rest
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 Foel Offrwm Circular, 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 trailhead
Precipice Walk and Llyn Cynwch0:00 / 0:28
“You're approaching Saith Groesffordd, the start of the Precipice Walk above the Mawddach valley.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Eryri Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Haunted Oak of Nannau
- The Bird That Climbs in Spirals
- The Oil Trick at Glasdir
- Lunch at the Old Courthouse
- 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 Foel Offrwm Circular
How the walk unfoldsThe appeal here is the mix of estate history, mature woodland and open panoramas across…
The appeal here is the mix of estate history, mature woodland and open panoramas across southern Eryri rather than any sustained climbing.
- Cross carefully from the upper end of the car park and pick up a gravel path through beech and oak woodland.
- Pass the site of the old Plas Nannau, then reach a bench looking toward Cader Idris and the former deer park.
- Climb oak steps beside a small quarry, go through gates and along the southern face, where rowan and hawthorn grow.
- Follow the fence beside a conifer plantation over wetter ground and rough stone, with views out to Rhobell Fawr and Llanfachreth.
- Return to the car park along the old road to the Plas.
Footing and difficultyThe opening section has a short rise and then runs fairly even, and that part is suitable for…
The opening section has a short rise and then runs fairly even, and that part is suitable for wheelchairs. Beyond it the ground is natural, uneven and wet in places, with rough stone. The path up to the southern viewpoint is the hardest part of the walk. There are no steep inclines on the base loop, and the elevation profile stays in low upland ground rather than climbing to a top.
Optional summit spurOn the return leg a path to the summit of Foel Offrwm is signposted, suggested for energetic…
On the return leg a path to the summit of Foel Offrwm is signposted, suggested for energetic walkers. It adds a bench and broader views toward the Garn, the Rhinogydd and, on clear days, Yr Wyddfa. Treat it as a separate add-on with more effort and rougher ground; the promoted loop stays below the summit.
Parking, facilities and dogsUse the designated car park at Saith Groesffordd and avoid blocking field entrances or…
Use the designated car park at Saith Groesffordd and avoid blocking field entrances or residential access. Toilets are listed at the car park, subject to opening arrangements. Dogs are allowed on public footpaths in Eryri but must be kept under close control, and on a short lead near livestock or wildlife, which matters here since the route crosses estate and farm country and open ground.
Practical preparationWalking boots and waterproof layers are essential.
Walking boots and waterproof layers are essential. Wet, uneven sections are a durable feature of this route rather than a seasonal exception, and they are more noticeable after prolonged rain. Allow extra time if you plan the summit spur, and give yourself a clear day if the long views are the reason you came.
A nearby alternativeIf you would rather have a lake as the focus, the Precipice Walk in the same Nannau landscape…
If you would rather have a lake as the focus, the Precipice Walk in the same Nannau landscape is a more structured circular with a lakeside stretch.
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.
