Maesglase Summit from Isfryn
A 5hr strenuous mountain route for experienced walkers with some pathless sections - one for good weather.
The routes are available online on the Ordnance survey website:
Maesglase (674m) is the tallest peak within walking distance of Isfryn. It gives a real off-the-beaten-track experience. The views are stunning, and you're very unlikely to meet anyone else, but some of the route options require care with navigation on the higher ground. The most straightforward option follows a fenceline. I would recommend that this route is one for experienced hillwalkers with a map, compass and a good forecast.
It can also be climbed from Dinas Mawddwy in an hour or so less
time.
The first half of the ascent is on partially-signed, well-made tracks and paths but there is a ford to cross; usually just a few inches deep in summer, but up to 30cm deep after heavy rain. Once past Bwlch Siglen, there are no further signs and only poor paths over open moorland to the summit. I’ve therefore described a route that follows a fenceline once at Bwlch Siglen (Step 6a of this guide) as well as an alternative that more scenically skirts the cliffs of Craig Maesglase (6b).
The route up takes you through the upper village of Aberangell and then into the valley of Cwm Glanmynach - “The valley alongside the monk’s stream” – so-named because there was thought to be a monastery in the valley in medieval times. Indeed even the name of the mountain is thought to mean the ‘Field of the Cloisters’. Cwm Glanmynach is a mix of farmland and forestry plantation (much being cut at the time of writing this in July 2021). As you climb up at the head of Cwm Glanmynach towards Bwlch Siglen (“The boggy pass” – even though it’s not at all boggy) the terrain opens up to become classic upland moorland – excellent for blueberries between late July & September. The rest of the route to the summit is the same terrain.
The views on a clear day are pretty stunning, with hills & mountains all around. To the North Cader Idris and the Rhinogs, the Arans are to the NE and Berwyn Nature reserve are to the E.
There are several options for the return from the summit – either fully or partially re-tracing your ascent, or returning via the village of Dinas Mawddwy. The descents via Dinas take around 30 minutes longer but Dinas does at least have two pubs and two cafes! The route to the summit is also part of the Waun Oer Ridge walk which ends at Talyllyn pass car park (SH753136) but requires a car to be left there.
Directions:
Ascent:
1. From Isfryn walk down to the crossroads and then up the hill into the upper village, passing the graveyard and Bethania Chapel (now a private house) on your left.
2. At the road junction turn left (signed to Corris) and continue on the road through the village for 400m until a small road junction by the isolated house of Pantycelyn. There is a slate sign for Cwm Glanmynach and Cwm Du pointing rightwards.
Shortly before the junction is the spring of Ffynnon Byseiri (Carpenter’s Spring) which is marked by a slate sign. It was used until mains water was introduced in the 1930s and is good to drink.
3. Turn right up the narrow lane at Pantycelyn and follow it for 1.5km until the tarmac runs out at a Y junction.
4. At the Y junction bear left, downhill & then back up again, on a broad farm track and follow this for 1.5km through the ford, to where the broad track ends at a gate with an old barn on the right. Go through the gate or over the stile and follow the now somewhat overgrown track between a pair impressive slate ruins. These were Blaen y Cwm farm, possibly originally part of a medieval monastery complex close to here. Keep following the track as it bears left and climbs up to meet a forestry road below Bwlch Siglen.
5. Directly opposite you is a (rare!) footpath sign for a diagonally leftward rising path. Follow this steeply for 400m and then turn right (signed) at a path junction as the steepness eases. After a further 200m you will come out of the trees to impressive views at Bwlch Siglen,
In front of you are Maesglase summit and the valley of Cwm Maesglase. To your right is Foel Dinas. For the return, or a shorter day from here if the summit no longer appeals, there are two footpaths that can take you back to Dinas Mawddwy – one along the floor of the valley in front of you and then the A470 and another to your right that traverses the East and then the North side of Foel Dinas at half-height. Both are shown on the OS map and described later here. In the valley, directly below Bwlch Siglen are the small ruins of the Red Dragon gold mine, which apparently never made much money.
6a. Turn left at Bwlch Siglen and steeply climb the hillside, keeping the forestry plantation on your left until the ground flattens and the trees end at a fence junction. Turn right and follow the gently rising fence line (heading approximately NW) for 1.5km. At the subsidiary summit of Craig Rhiwerch the fence abruptly turns right. Keep following the fence line, slightly downhill at first and then up again to the true summit 400m further on. The summit is marked with a post and the remains of a stile across the fence on your left.
OR
6b. Alternatively (not shown on my route map) from Bwlch Siglen turn left and climb to the right of the forestry as before. Then, as the angle eases, bear right and follow the edge of Craig Maesglase following where the words “Craig Maesglase” appear on the OS map. You can then follow a narrow path along the edge of the escarpment, keeping the steep cliffs and hillside on your right to reach the summit. This route passes the picturesque Maesglase falls and gives the best views but requires care to stay on the path in anything but perfect visibility.
Descent:
Either retrace your steps or pick one of the options below:
a) Follow the track marked on the OS map (thin black dashes - hard to spot) down the North ridge of Maesglase to the A470 via Ty’n-y-celyn then minor roads and paths to Dinas Mawddwy and then Aberangell. This is the quickest way off the mountain but, for the 1st 500m, there is no path and some steep, tricky ground to avoid.
b) Return to Bwlch Siglen and take the Maesglase valley path to the A470, then follow the A470 to Dinas Mawddwy and then the back road from Dinas Mawddwy/Minllyn to Aberangell.
c) Return to Bwlch Siglen and take the higher-level path around Foel Dinas to Dinas Mawddwy and then the back road from Dinas Mawddwy/Minllyn to Aberangell.
d) Return to the Forestry road below Bwlch Siglen (point no. 5 in the ascent instructions) , turn right onto the forestry road and follow it back to Aberangell. The routefinding is straightforward so I have not included separate instructions for this.
Option A: North Ridge Descent via Dinas Mawddwy
The quickest way off the mountain e.g. in the case of threatening weather but it can be tricky to pick up the indistinct path through the steep ground of the upper North Ridge. It may be possible to escape the summit (avoiding my step 1 below) by following the fenceline running NE from the summit, but the ground here is very steep.
Once past the steep first 500m the rest of the route is on good tracks. The section to the A470 is shown as a black dashed line on the OS map.
1. From the wooden post at the summit (Maen Du, 674 spot height on OS map), climb over the fence (remains of the stile may still be visible). There is no path at all here so cut diagonally left (West) away from the fence and march over the heather for 100m until close to another fence ahead. Now cut diagonally back rightwards (Due North), traversing the steep heathery slope. If you are spot-on with your navigation you may pick up a narrow path.
After 250m you reach the North ridge and you’ll have views to your right (East) again. You should be able to see the old farm track you’re aiming for, descending the hillside of Cwm yr Eglwys 500m away. You are aiming to cross the fenced ridge-line in front of you at the low point, 300m NE, to pick up this track.
The path, if you’re not on it already, should be more visible now, traversing rightwards (East) to meet the fenceline 200m above the low point you’re aiming for. Get to the fence-line and follow it downhill to the broad low-point.
2. Climb over the fence and follow the old farm track, which improves as you descend. Follow it all the way to Ty’n-y-celyn farm, passing through a final gate into the farmhouse garden/parking area.
3. Walk left, around the front of the farmhouse and then take the farm drive down to the A470. You can turn right to follow the A470 back at this point, but the route described here is only a few hundred metres longer and is far more pleasant, so: At the A470 turn left and walk along the roadside. After 200m, at the next junction, turn right onto a lane, which parallels back alongside the A470. Follow the lane for 500m to a hairpin left turn by a bridge and an old caravan.
4. Turn left and follow this lane for 500m, keeping right at a fork, until the tarmac runs out at a house called ‘Y Pentre Bach’ (The Little Village). Keep going for a further 800m, through two gates. Just before a 3rd gate, where the woodland on the left finishes, bear right off the farm track, passing a caravan park on your right. At a fence line 250m ahead take the right hand of two gates and after 100m you will meet a road. Turn right on the road and follow it up the hill for 250m to the crossroads with the Red Lion (Llew Coch) pub on the corner. We would definitely recommend stopping for a pint or a meal at this haunt of the local red bandits (last seen around 1555, but I guess you never know).
5. Turn left at the Red Lion along the High Street (The Hen Siop Cafe halfway along is excellent) and up to the A470. Turn left and walk down the pavement for 1/2km and then, at Camlan Garden Centre, turn right onto the back lane to Aberangell. The garden centre does good tea, coffee, cake and beer , and has a good deli section too. Almost opposite the garden centre is the Buckley Arms which is now (in 2022) a pub and chinese restaurant.
6. Follow the back lane all the way (~2.5miles) to Aberangell.
Descent from Bwlch Siglen via Cwm Maesglase & Dinas Mawddwy
Probably the simplest route down to Dinas Mawddwy, via Bwlch Siglen. Involves about 1km of walking alongside the A470 to get to Dinas.
1. From Maesglase summit retrace your steps back to Bwlch Siglen
2. At the gate at Bwlch Siglen turn left, downhill, picking up a path that descends into the valley of Cwm Maesglase, keeping a stream 100m or so to your left. Near the bottom of the valley are the (not very big) remains of the Red Dragon gold mine.
3. From the mine keep on the same path which soon broadens into a farm track and follow this, below some trees, to the lane. Turn right onto the lane and follow it down to the A470. Turn right onto the A470 and follow it for 1km. Turn left at the turning for Dinas Mawddwy and after 150m you will reach The Red Lion. We would definitely recommend stopping for a pint or a meal at this haunt of the local red bandits (last seen around 1555, but I guess you never know).
5. Turn right at the Red Lion along the High Street (The Hen Siop Cafe halfway along is excellent) and back up to the A470. Turn left and walk down the pavement for 1/2km and then, at Camlan Garden Centre, turn right onto the back lane to Aberangell. The garden centre does good tea, coffee, cake and beer, and has a good deli section too. Almost opposite the garden centre is the Buckley Arms which is currently, in 2022, a pub and chinese bistro.
6. Follow the back lane all the way (~2.5miles) to Aberangell.
Descent from Bwlch Siglen via Foel Dinas & Dinas Mawddwy
The most interesting route down to Dinas Mawddwy,
via Bwlch Siglen, avoiding having to walk along on the A470. Parts of
the path are a bit awkward & steep.
1. From Maesglase summit retrace your steps back to the gate at Bwlch Siglen
2. Once at the gate, don’t go through it, but take a thin path straight ahead, alongside the fenceline, heading for the rounded summit of Foel Dinas. After climbing slightly for 250m the path bears left, traversing the hillside. The first few hundred metres of this section are steep and awkward in places but once past a stile the path improves. Keep traversing on the track as it bears right and then enters the forest of Coed Foeldinas. Note: the OS map shows the path heading for the summit before this point – the correct path, which continues traversing, is easy to follow however.
3. Once in the forest follow the well-made path down a series of man-made steps to a forestry road.
4. Turn right along the road for 100m to a footpath turning on the left. At this point you have two options – to (a) include a short diversion into Dinas Mawddwy (Red Lion & Hen Siop Cafe) or (b) head directly back via Camlan Garden Centre (tea, coffee, bottled beer)
a) Return via Dinas Mawddwy
Turn left down the footpath which quickly takes you to the A470 and then take the road junction almost opposite, into Dinas Mawddwy. Possibly after a well-earned pint at the Red Lion turn right onto the High Street, passing Hen Siop Cafe, and follow it back onto the A470. Turn left and walk down the pavement for 1/2km and then, at Camlan Garden Centre, turn right onto the back lane to Aberangell. The garden centre does good tea, coffee, cake and beer , and has a good deli section too. Almost opposite the garden centre is the Buckley Arms.
b) Return direct via Camlan Garden Centre
Keep straight on the forest road for 1km until the junction just above the garden centre and a row of 2 or 3 houses. Turn left, alongside the garden centre, onto the lane.
5. Follow the back lane all the way (~2.5miles) to Aberangell.
