Walk
Cwn Cynfal & Bryn Glas Mine

Distance
8 Miles Approx.

Elevation
1000feet

Time
5 Hours approx

Parking
Park at Bont Newydd (near Llan Ffestiniog) (Grid Ref SH714408) This is at the end of a Minor road.

Walk Description
The walk takes you along the river Cynfal keeping to the left the whole time you are in the valley,
Walk back towards Ffestiniog, cross the bridge and take the first turn right. Continue up to a fork just past a farmhouse.
Take the right fork and continue up the valley to reach a gate and an old ruined chapel in the trees on the left.
Ignore the footpath down on the right and go through the gate. Continue up the valley, ignore a fork down right to a footbridge and rise to a gate, going through into trees. Through another gate, walk across open ground to Cwm Farm.
Keep to the left of the farmhouse and walk with the river on your right to a ladder-stile.
Climb the ladder-stile and go left up a grassy track. Keep climbing, but spare time to look back down the valley. Where the ground levels out there are lovely views of Rhaeadr-y-Cwm as it drops 300ft down a series of cascades.
Keep climbing until you reach the road and find a stile which takes you onto it. Go right heading towards Bala until you quickly reach a turning (T Junction) to Ysbyty Ifan and take this. You will see a small lake in front of you on the left with a footpath sign heading off to the left of the lake – follow that (the path is indistinct) and keep in a straight line over the land until you see the lake “Llyn Morwynion”.

You can walk around either side of this and head for the “dam” at the far end – the footpath continues down a valley on the right side of this dam.

Heading down you pass the ruins of Bryn Glas Mine – if you pop in for a peep, please look at the floor in the passage (and don’t stand on it) – the gour formations are wonderful.

Follow the indistinct path to a road and you will see a farm track left (ignore this) and a footpath sign on the right (walk right a little). The footpath sign appears to be heading down a valley into nowhere but it is actually pointing exactly at your car if you parked where I suggested. Follow the path down the valley (this is a Roman road – well, it was – it’s now the site of a gas pipe underground). You will meet up with the minor road I mentioned at the beginning – keep walking to the bottom and there is your car.

Of course, there is a short video here;