Bagging a Nuttall: A Walk up Y Garn in the Rhinogs
After a busy weekend with some wild weather, Monday looked like the perfect opportunity to head into the hills and bag another Nuttall. With a few still close to home that I hadn’t summited, I decided it was a good day to tackle Y Garn in the Rhinogs. The forecast looked promising for a short-ish hike, so I grabbed the chance.
After the usual domestic to-ing and fro-ing with car arrangements and sorting out the shopping order, I was finally on my way. I headed off towards Llanelltyd, just north of Dolgellau, where I parked and set off. The morning had been pretty wet, with heavy downpours and a few lingering showers on the drive, but the skies looked a little clearer now. The temperature at the base of the hills hovered around 11ºC, with a stiff, gusty breeze. Despite the chill, I opted for shorts and a thin base layer, though I had waterproofs and warmer layers in my pack—just in case. Along with the essentials, I had packed lunch, coffee-making gear, and an emergency kit. Today, I chose to wear boots to try and keep my feet dry. The Rhinogs are notorious for boggy ground, and while boots aren’t as comfortable as trail runners, dry feet are always worth the sacrifice. I’m still on the lookout for some truly comfy waterproof boots!
The New Precipice Walk
The walk started with a steep ascent along a footpath towards the New Precipice Path. I’d been along this trail before with Morgan when we climbed Foel Ispri back in 2014. After passing the small lake of Llyn Tan-y-Graig, I joined the New Precipice Walk, which contours around the hillside. The views down over the Mawddach Estuary were as spectacular as ever.
The path was easy-going for a while, winding around the hill with the breeze offering some welcome cooling after the warm-up climb. I considered a shortcut but decided to enjoy the route and followed it to the small car park at the farmhouse before turning right and heading up over the boggy terrain.
Foel Ddu and Y Garn
The climb became steeper, and the landscape more rugged, as I made my way through bogs and rocky outcrops. Behind me, views opened up towards Barmouth, while ahead lay the rugged Rhinogs with their tops shrouded by cloud.
I summited Foel Ddu, pausing in the shelter of some rocks for lunch. Out came the stove and coffee-making kit for a well-earned brew, with nothing but the sound of the wind and the occasional shower for company.
Waterproofs were needed as the rain came and went, but after lunch, I pressed on over increasingly rocky ground to the summit of Y Garn. At 629m (2,063 feet), Y Garn qualifies as a Nuttall—another one to tick off my list.
A Windy Summit and a Pleasant Descent
The wind at the summit was fierce, so I didn’t linger long.
I turned east and began the descent through very boggy ground towards the Cefn Coch Gold Mine. As I descended, the wind eased, and I shed my waterproofs, only to put them back on as another shower hit—typical Welsh weather! It passed quickly, though, and I was soon stripping layers again
From here, I turned right, contouring around the hills through head-high bracken, crossing streams, and onto a wooded trail high above the River Mawddach. My feet began to protest after a while, so I paused, taking off a pair of socks to give my toes some breathing room. Sitting on the hillside, I admired the view across the valley, spotting the original Precipice Walk where I’ve wandered with Anna in the past .
I didn’t head that way today, though, instead joining the Sarn Helen Trail, which guided me back down to Llanelltyd and the car—mission accomplished.
It had been a relatively short walk at just 8.82 miles, but I’d achieved what I set out to do and still had plenty of time to get home and cook dinner before Anna returned from work.
