This is a strenuous 11.5km mountain walk over rough terrain and with 900m of ascent that will take around 5hrs for a fit party.

Aran Fawddwy is the closest ‘big’ mountain to Isfryn and it’s a Snowdonian classic. Taller than Cader Idris at 905m (Cader is a mere 893m) it is the only peak over 900m in southern Snowdonia. You’re unlikely to see more than 3 or 4 people (the last 2 times I did it I saw no-one) so this is a perfect route if you like to get away from the crowds.

It is not to be underestimated, and a map and compass and the skills to use them are essential, especially if the weather is less than perfect.

The start and finish point is the head of the stunning valley of Cwm Cywarch - 'Valley of Hemp' - once a popular local crop. The impressive cliffs at the head of the Cwm are Craig Cywarch, a popular rock climbing area in the 1980s but now becoming overgrown except for a few routes.

The hillsides around Aran Fawddwy are peppered with the remains of small mines, mostly iron, copper or manganese. Gold was extensively mined just a few miles North of here. Peat for heating & cooking was the other natural resource taken from these hills and the easy-angled descent path for this route was probably made for taking the peat, loaded on sledges, down to the valley floor.

It takes about 15 minutes to drive to the car park at the start of the route:

From Isfryn, go to the main A470 and turn left. Go straight on at the Brigands Inn and after 1.3 miles, just past the Camlan Garden Centre on the left is the right turning for Dinas Mawddwy village. Take this and follow the road through the village to the T Junction at the Red Lion (an excellent place for a post-walk celebratory drink) then turn right. In just under a mile, at the bridge in the village of Abercywarch, turn left (signed Cwm Cywarch). The (free) car park is on the left after 2.5 miles (though it feels further), just before the farm at the very end of this narrow lane.

1) From the car park, turn left onto the lane and then take the signed footpath to the right of the buildings of Blaencywarch farm. Follow the broad path for around 300m and then, where the wall on your left ends, turns left uphill off the farm track to take a signed footpath leading over a stile. The path leads diagonally rightwards up the hillside.

2) After a short climb the track crosses a wooden footbridge and then follows the right side of a stream all the way to the col (1-1 ½ hrs from the car). As you approach the col, you will see wooden posts marking the route and at the col itself a fenceline running left to right. The route turns right here, following this fenceline virtually all the way to the summit of Aran Fawddwy. The ground here is extremely boggy, especially after rain, so pick your way to the fence with care. Once at the fence turn right and follow it for approximately 3km taking the best line you can find up the broad ridge, mostly on the right hand side of the fence. Note that there are several sections of (often slippery) planks, bridging wet sections.

3) Eventually (it took me around 3hrs from the car) you will reach flat ground with a small rocky summit to your right, shortly after a fence heading down the hillside to the right. You’re not quite there yet though – the main summit is a further 500m on, 150m right of the fence, and is marked with a trig point. Make a note of this spot though, as this is the start of your route back.

4) Once you’ve taken in the main summit come back to the earlier summit and pick up a small path heading left (South) through the rocks, down to a ridge. You’ll soon spot the fence you saw earlier before crossing it and then following it on your left. In 1km, there is a cairn and memorial plaque which is a good place to admire the lake of Creiglyn Dyfi below you, the source of the River Dyfi. From here the path bears left to contour around the head of the impressive valley of Hengwm and below the broad summit of Drysgol. The path then swings slowly rightwards, keeping Hengwm on your right and a wall to your left until you pick up a broad track that makes a slow descent along the side of Hengwm. Follow this track (which becomes a metalled road near the end) to the road you drove up. Turn right and follow the road back to the car park.