Walking Route: Moel Hebog, Snowdonia

Walking Route - Moel Hebog, North Wales

Beddgelert > Moel Hebog > Moel Lefn > Beddgelert

Distance: 7.4 miles (11.7km)	Height Gain: 3212 ft (979m)
Moel Hebog is one of the most underrated hills in Snowdonia. Combined with Moel yr Ogof and Moel Lefn it makes for a good day far from the maddening crowds.	Maps: Landranger 115, Explorer OL17 Online: Streetmap
Strenuousness: 2 Technicality: 1 Photo Grade: 2	Start Point: SH 587 480

Sat on the far eastern side of the Lakes, High Street's long, grassy rolling ridge doesn't give the most interesting technical walking in the area, but it makes up for it with spectacular views westward of the likes of Fairfield and the Helvellyn range. Look the other way and you can see the Dales. On a clear day there are few better places to be.

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Section 1 - Beddgelert to Moel Hebog

Distance: 2 miles (3.2Km)

Height Gain: 2418 ft (737m)

A path leaves the south west end of the car park and heads north west to join the road up to Cwm Cloch.

Once past Cwm Cloch Isaf the road swings right with two footpaths leaving to the right hand side on the bend. Ignore the first, which provides your return route, and take the second.

The view over the church at Beddgelert, the start point of the route.
from Bex Led Good's OM album

The initial ascent is easy, but where the path splits in two the angle increases. Take the lefthand fork which starts with a single zig zag before straightening to attack the main ridge directly.

After 1400ft of steady ascent a brief respite can be found just before the final push through the rocks to the OS trig point marking the summit of Moel Hebog. From here you can look south to the Moelwyns and north east to Yr Aran and Snowdon.

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Section 2 - Moel Hebog to Cwm Trwsgl

Distance: 2.1 miles (3.4km)

Height Gain: 644 ft (196m)

Turn right (North) to follow a wall as it starts the descent to Bwlch Meillionen between Moel Hebog and Moel Yr Ogof.

After 800 ft of descent the climb back up the other side winds its way up through an obvious gap in the outcrops ahead. The reascent is only half the height gain of the drop from Moel Hebog so the summit arrives quickly, with an easier descent on the other side.

Snowdon in the distance from Moel Hebog
Marcus Crompton's OM album

The next bwlch is wider and more easily angled with a short 200ft reascent to the rocky summit of Moel Lefn. From here you can see the whole Nantlle Ridge spread out before you.

The descent starts steeply from Moel Lefn then eases again before another steep section down to a major meeting point of the paths at Cwm Trwsgl.

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Section 3 - Cwm Trwsgl to Beddgelert

Distance: 3.2 miles (5.1km)

Height Gain: 150 ft (46m)

Turn sharp right, almost back on yourself, at the junction and continue descending. A stile gives access into the forest, but the path soon emerges again to run parallel to the east ridge of Moel Lefn.

The Nantlle Ridge, one of the area's best quieter scrambles
Richard Sun's OM album

Re-enter the forest and after a quarter of a mile you reach the main track leading into the camp site. The path crosses the camp site to its southern corner and drops down to Cwm Cloch and the short stroll back to your starting point.

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Route Map