The Best of Penrhyndeudraeth
This is our favourite walk around Penrhyn. You’ll need 2-3 hours for this one, so take the flask and stop somewhere along the way for a cuppa… Please refer to the map we marked with the numbers.
Take the OL18 map too.
- Turn left out of the front door and go down through the High Street, across the main road past the Griffin pub and continue down to Penrhyndeudraeth (Network Rail) station. Turn left at the station.
- Take the first left (before the road bends to the right) down a quiet country lane, and continue for about ¾ mile, until you reach a large farm on your left called Bryn Hafod. Just before the farm buildings you’ll see a gate, and a few yards after that, a signposted footpath through a smaller gate across the field.
- Go through the field and follow the track past a gate on your right until you come to a stile on the hill.
- Climb the stile and continue ahead (with the farm now on your right).
- When you reach a track, turn left onto it, and down the hill on the other side. You’ll pass a house on the right as the track bears left to meet the main road (A487).
- When you get to the main road, turn left, and then cross over the road and take the signposted bridle path on the right after about 50yds.
- After a left bend, take the right fork, and continue past a farm called Beudy Newydd. Keeping to the path you’ll cross the railway line, and come to Rhiw Goch farm. Here you can turn left (on the tarmac road) to return home in about 10-15 mins.
- Alternatively, go past the farm buildings and there you’ll see signposts for 3 paths. Turn right (marked as a bridal path), passing the farm buildings on your right. Go through the gate and turn immediately left uphill along the stone wall. At the top, climb the stile. (If you’re ready for a break, take a slight detour here, instead of going left uphill immediately after the gate, go straight on up a gentle slope. Just before you reach the edge of the forest, there’s a perfectly situated bench to sit and soak up the view.) Retrace your steps to the gate to continue the walk.
- After the stile, turn right onto a track after a few yards, and then take the right fork down. After 5-10 mins of this gravel track, you’ll reach a paved road. Turn left here and continue along this lane until you reach the main road (A4085).
- At the main road, turn left and then cross over and walk along the grass verge.
- As you come into Penrhyndeudraeth and see the first house (set back from the road on the right), there is a bench beside the road. After the drive-way to the house, there’s a public footpath next to this driveway (it’s easy to miss! If you get to the next house, you’ve missed it!). Turn right down here, and continue across into the fields. It can get very muddy here. If you’re not prepared for mud, carry on up the road to get home.
- Follow the path across the bottom of field until you come to a kissing gate with a footbridge across a stream to a paved lane. Turn left onto this lane, and then look out for a grassy path up to the right BEFORE you reach the farm. The path is marked with yellow posts.
- At the top of this small hill, turn left, so that you pass the farm on your left, and continue to follow the marked path, generally bearing left. When you come to a fork shortly before a gate, take the right fork through the gate and follow the path down to some farm buildings. (This path can get particularly muddy after wet weather).
- At the farm, turn right onto another track and then immediately left on to the road.
- As you walk up the hill, be sure to stop and look back as you get a great view across to Snowdon in good weather.
- You’ll pass a small caravan site on your right as you come down the hill. Turn left at the road junction, and continue under the railway bridge.
- Take the next left when you reach some houses, and continue on into the village. At Wenallt Guest House, turn right, and then left on to the main road. You’ll see home just ahead of you on the right hand side.
