| Moel Ysgyfarnod and Foel Penolau Mountain/Rock |
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| Moel Ysgyfarnod and Foel Penolau   | 
| Page Type: Mountain/Rock Location: Snowdonia, Wales, Europe Lat/Lon: 52.89088°N / 3.99387°W County: Gwynedd Activities: Hiking, Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Bouldering, Scrambling Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Elevation: 2044 ft / 623 m | Page By: Nanuls Created/Edited: Apr 28, 2007 / Aug 8, 2007 Object ID: 288877 Hits: 805 Loading... Page Score: 89.07% - 14 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
Overview
Moel Ysgyfarnod (623m Ordnance datum) and Foel Penolau (614m OD), which in welsh roughly translate as Hare's Hill and Hill of the Backsides, are the two most northern peaks in the Rhinog Range. Although the mountains are relatively close to one another, their summits only some 400m as the crow fly's their character differs completely. Moel Ysgyfarnod is a rounded grassy hill flanked by cliffs along its south and west slopes. On its north western slope there is a small cwm containing a lake that is slowly silting up. All over the southern approaches to the hill are quarry and mine workings that have been worked into the side of the hill.
Foel Penolau is much rockier, its sides are completely encircled by cliffs and broken stone. Its summit is flat and glacially abraded giving it the appearance of a stone fortress rising sharply out of the surrounding countryside. Despite Foel Penolaus rocky nature, climbing it is relatively easy and various routs can be found to the summit by carefully climbing through and around its rocks and crags.
The mountains can be reached from both the east and western sides of the range. In the west there are a variety of strating points, parking is available, either in small car parks or on the roadside, at Moel-glo (SH 628 342), Bryn Bwbach (SH 627 370) and near Tallin (SH 649 379), all of which offer excellent starting points and are nearby the start of paths or rights of way. In the east parking is available at Moelfryn (SH 683 360) and near Cefn Clawdd (SH 679 337) which are also near good staring points.
Getting ThereThe eastern part of the range can be accessed via the A470 which runs from Dolgellau to Conwy and Colwyn bay. The west can be reached by the A496, which runs along the coast from Llanulltyd near Dolgellau to Blaenau Ffestiniog in the north. To reach Moelfryn and Cefn Clawdd turn west at the junction at Cefn-gallt-y-cwm (SH 710 345) just south of Trawsfynydd (SH 707 355).
Moel-glo, Bryn Bwbach and Tallin can be reached easily from the A496, which runs along the coast from Llanulltyd near Dolgellau in the south to Blaenau Ffestiniog in the north.
Red TapeNo red tape! Although unlikely it is worth checking the countryside access map provided by the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) regarding whether or not any restrictions on movement in the area are in place.
Countryside Access Map
CampingThe nearest campsites are at Cae Adda (SH 690 355), which is near Llyn Trawsfynydd and Bryn Bwbach (SH 620 368) on the other side of the range.
Campsites, hostels, hotels and B&Bs can also be found at all of the larger nearby towns e.g. Trawsfynnydd, Porthmadog, Harlech, Dolgellau, and Barmouth; as well as in some smaller villages along the coast e.g. Dyffryn Ardudwy, Llanbedr and Coed Ystymgwern.
Maps
Navigation Maps
OS 1:25k Explorer Series OL 18 Harlech, Porthmadog & Bala/Y Bala
OS 1:50k Landranger Series 124 Porthmadog & Dolgellau
Harvey Map Services 1:25k Snowdonia South Rhinogs/Rhinogydd
Road Maps
OS Road Map 9 Wales/Cymru & West Midlands
GuidebooksSnowdonia (Official National Park Guide) by Merfyn Williams
The Mountains of England and Wales: Volume 1 Wales (Cicerone Guide) by John and Anne Nuttall
Hillwalking in Wales Vol 1 (Cicerone Guide) by Peter Hermon
Hillwalking in Wales Vol 2(Cicerone Guide) by Peter Hermon
Hillwalking in Snowdonia (Cicerone Guide) by Steve Ashton
Ridges of Snowdonia (Cicerone Guide) by Steve Ashton
Scrambles in Snowdonia (Cicerone Guide) by Steve Ashton
Climbers Club Guide Wales: Meirionnydd
Welsh Winter Climbs (Cicerone Guide) by Malcolm Campbell and Andy NewtonExternal Links
General
Snowdonia National Park Authority
Gwynedd County Council
Local Information from Gwynedd.com
Local Information from Snowdonia Wales Net
North Wales Index
Countryside Council for Wales
The National Trust
CADW
British Mountaineering Council
Rhinog SAC
Weather
Mountain Weather Wales
Weather from the Met Office
Weather Channel UK
Travel
Welsh Public Transport Information
Uk Train Timetable
Accomodation
Youth Hostel Association in Wales
Maps and Guidebooks
Ordnance Survey
Harvey Map Services
Cicerone Guidebooks
Images
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