Parking
Start at Dôl Idris Car Park on the B4405, just off the A487 between Dolgellau and Machynlleth. The car park is managed by Eryri National Park Authority and has a parking charge.
Overview
About Gorge Climb
A short out-and-back climb from Dôl Idris Car Park into the gorge, following the first section of the Minffordd Path and marked with maroon symbols. The official listing gives 0.2 miles / 0.3 kilometres there and back, so the distance quoted here is the full return trip, with 140 metres (460 feet) of climb one way and 15 to 30 minutes on the ground. It is graded moderate.
Why go
- Very short steep introduction to the Minffordd gorge
- Moss-rich woodland and a waterfall viewpoint
Heads up
- Many steep stone and timber steps
- No loop, so the return repeats the climb
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 Gorge Climb, 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
Dôl Idris and Cader Idris0:00 / 0:38
“You're coming up on Dôl Idris, the starting point for Cader Idris's steep Minffordd Path and a much gentler lakeside walk.”
Plays near this trailhead in the Parkwolf Eryri Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Ginger Beer Ruin
- The Cliff Wilson Made Taller
- The Mountain's Underwater Past
- Idris's Chair
- 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 Gorge Climb
What the walking is likeThis is a very short route that packs in a lot of ascent, so treat it as steep rather than easy.
This is a very short route that packs in a lot of ascent, so treat it as steep rather than easy. Expect:
There is no loop option, and the turning point is the bench with views across to the waterfall.
- Many flights of stone and timber steps
- Damp woodland footing in a wet gorge setting
- A return by exactly the same route
Gorge and rainforest characterThe path threads through Celtic rainforest that supports internationally important moss…
The path threads through Celtic rainforest that supports internationally important moss species, with the waterfall in view from the bench at the top of the climb. The combination of falling water, steps and mossy woodland is the reason to come, rather than any wide summit view.
Getting there and parkingStart from Dôl Idris Car Park, just off the A487 on the B4405 between Dolgellau and Machynlleth.
Start from Dôl Idris Car Park, just off the A487 on the B4405 between Dolgellau and Machynlleth. The car park is managed by Eryri National Park Authority and there is a parking charge. The trail begins from the car park area and is waymarked from the start.
DogsDogs are allowed on public footpaths under close control.
Dogs are allowed on public footpaths under close control. Use a short lead near livestock or wildlife.
If you want moreThe orange-waymarked Nant Cadair Bridge route uses the same access but is longer and harder,…
The orange-waymarked Nant Cadair Bridge route uses the same access but is longer and harder, officially 0.8 miles / 1.2 kilometres there and back with 190 metres of climb and 45 minutes to 1 hour, continuing past the waterfalls to the slate bridge and onto open mountain ground. The full Minffordd summit path is a much bigger undertaking at 6 miles / 9 kilometres return and very strenuous.
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.
