Date: Sunday 12th March 2017
Company: Just myself
Distance: 13.7km, Ascent: 680m
Time: 4Hrs 35Mins
I set out today with the intention of ascending Carnedd y Filiast via a circuit starting and finishing at Ysbyty Ifan, as per the route suggested in the Cicerone guide, Great Mountain Days in Snowdonia.
On arriving in Ysbyty Ifan, firstly I was impressed with the lovely village and secondly I was impressed with the Ford Capri parked near the start of the walk. Back in the late eighties I owned two Ford Capris. Seeing this one brought back various memories.
Ford Capri parked near the start of the walk:
Bridge at Ysbyty Ifan:
Ysbyty Ifan car park information board:
Click here to see a map of the route undertaken
From the small car park, I set off walking a short distance along the road before turning right up the lane immediately beyond the lane leading to the toilets. After walking a couple of hundred metres up the lane, I entered a grassy field via a rusty iron swing gate.
Looking back to Ysbyty Ifan:
The grassy field led to another grassy field and then another before taking me out onto the tarmac road leading to Cerrigellgym Isaf.
Looking towads Cerrigellgym Isaf:
I passed through the Cerrigellgym Isaf farm and continued along the unsurfaced track beyond. One of the many puddles on the track was full of spawn.
Spawn:
On the track leading to Blaen-y-cym:
As I continued along the track, I heard a really loud noise ahead. Tearing round the corner came not one or two but five large quads. The drivers seemed to be having great fun!
Passed by five quads:
On reaching the track high point, I walked a little beyond to reach a gate providing access to the open hillside.
The Great Mountain Days in Snowdonia guidebook suggests this section "provides the most difficult going". Correct.
Ascending into the mist:
I was hoping the terrain would improve on reaching the wide ridge. It didn't. The circa 2km walk to the summit is trackless with ample bog and hags. I was now walking in cloud.
Following the fenceline towards Carnedd y Filiast:
As I walked along the unpleasant ground leading to the summit, I passed several slate markers. I am not sure what the "TM" signifies.
One of several slate markers:
At the 644m top:
Matchstick lichen, a splash of colour in the mist:
A hundred metres or so before reaching the summit, I encountered a wide vehicle track leading to the summit. Had I undertaken this walk from the south, I could have had track from start to finish thus avoiding the bog and hags.
At the summit of Carnedd y Filiast:
According to the guidebook, it is possible to see pretty much every hill in Snowdonia from the summit. Unfortunately, this was not the case today.
Slate in the cairn at the summit of Carnedd y Filiast:
Summit trig point:
Until now it had been my intention to undertake a circuit however doing so would mean walking directly into the wind and drizzly rain. I therefore decided to return via my inbound route to get the wind and rain at my back.
Looking back as the mist temporarily cleared:
Looking back:
During the descent the cloud lifted such that the top of Carnedd y Filiast was out of the cloud. I suspect the views would still not have been great as all of the higher surrounding peaks were still in cloud.
Carnedd y Filiast now clear of mist:
Of all the peaks I have undertaken in Snowdonia this is probably the one I am least likely to repeat.