Mynydd Tri Arglwydd Loop from Isfryn

Approximately 4 Hrs, including 400m of ascent and descent, taking in the Dyfi forest and moorland above via forest roads and good paths.

This is a fairly strenuous 8 mile (13km) 3-4hr walk up to the highest peak behind Isfryn, which is a wonderful viewpoint on a clear day. It is a great mixture of quiet lanes, farmland, forest tracks and open bilberry-covered moorland. The route is on mainly good tracks but there are a few big puddles and muddy areas so boots are recommended. It involves about 400m of ascent.

Mynydd Tri Arglwydd (Mountain of the Three Lords) was the point where the land of three local lords met. The lords would apparently meet on the mountain every two years.

Please take care to leave all gates open or closed as you find them, keep dogs on a lead and be aware of livestock in the fields. Also note that you might very occasionally meet motorbikes on any part of this route – you will definitely hear them before you see them though!

The Route

1) From Isfryn turn left & walk down the lane to the crossroads and turn left up the ‘Private Road’ – it isn’t private any more but the sign somehow remains. Walk up the road to the top of the hill and, just past a left hand bend, turn left onto an unmade forestry road that leads diagonally leftwards uphill.

2) Follow this road uphill for 2km to a large, 5-way junction at the top. This is Bwlch Main

4) Take this track and follow it up through the forest, ignoring any smaller tracks left or right.

The track is known by local mountain bikers as ‘Stegosaurus’ on account of the rock strata – and yes, local nutters do ride down this track occasionally.

After about 1km of steep climbing you will pop out of the forest into open moorland with stunning views (on a good day at least). The track then passes through a gate in a little dip. Once past the dip, continue in the same direction, keeping to the top of the broad ridge leading towards the peak of Mynydd Tri Arglwydd which is now clearly visible only 1km ahead.

If you’re here between July and October there’s a good chance the blueberries will be ripe – they are absolutely delicious!

5) At the foot of the final rise to Mynydd Tri Arglwydd you will meet a well-worn footpath crossing in front of you. You are turning right here, but you might want to do a final 50m of climbing to the trig point at the top before returning to this point.

Once back, follow the footpath, with Mynydd Tri Arglywydd on your left, downhill through a gate. The path soon becomes a broad forestry track which you follow to its end at a T-Junction with a larger forestry road.

6) For the quickest (around 40 minutes) way back turn left. The metalled road between Corris and Aberangell is just 100m away. Turn right down the metalled road, towards Aberangell and follow it for 2km until you reach a 5-way junction at the bottom of the hill. Jump to step 7 below.

A longer (1.5hr back to Isfryn) option stays in the forest on well-made forestry roads: turn right at the T-junction and follow the forestry road as it winds above Cwm Caws (Cheese Valley) and Hirgwm (Long Valley). Keep left (downhill) at a fork after 2km and left again (downhill) at the next junction and follow that track until you reach a 5-way junction with the metalled road.

7) At the 5-way junction turn right, uphill, on a metalled road and follow it past the impressive gold-painted gates of Cwmllecoediog hall and then downhill again, back to the crossroads in the village. Isfryn is 200m on the right.

Route map. The numbers correspond to those in the text above. The shortest route is shown in Blue with the longer return option in Black.