Hiking Highlight
Standing strong over one of Snowdonia’s most beautiful valleys, Glyder Fach is a hugely popular mountain to hike in North Wales for good reason. Part of the Glyderau mountain group in Snowdonia National Park, Glyder Fach’s summit is a hefty 3,261 feet (994 m) high, only fractionally below its sister peak, Glyder Fawr.
Hiking trails to Glyder Fach’s majestic peak are numerous and provide routes for a variety of experience levels including the famous grade one scramble of Bristly Ridge. Frankly, the mountain is breathtaking whether you’re on it, looking at it or simply recollecting it.
Lakes, peaks and vast valleys
You can choose to hike only to Glyder Fach’s summit or include its neighbouring peaks if you’re up for a challenging day. The peak provides the kind of views that make you not want to begin your descent, with Llyn Bochlwyd and Llyn Ogwen glistening below plus Nant Ffrancon valley sweeping north. Snowdon’s magisterial summit rises to the south west while the rest of the national park unfurls around you.
It would be a struggle to summit this tremendous peak without stepping onto the iconic Cantilever Stone. Closely resembling a diving board, this flat rock is a firm favourite for photographic moments. To the west, you’ll find Castell y Gwynt, Glyder Fach’s immediately neighbouring summit and an extraordinary rock formation of jagged shards fanned upwards.
The weather is highly changeable in Snowdonia and it’s not unusual to have warm sunshine at the base and dense, drizzly cloud at the summit. Always dress appropriately and be prepared for sudden inclement weather. Winter brings snow and the mountain is best avoided by all but experienced winter mountaineers.
Some hikers do summit Glyder Fach accompanied by their faithful hound but scrambling, altitude and distance can all tire a dog. Only agile, strong and capable dogs will be happy here.
At 3,261 feet (994 m), Glyder Fach is the sixth highest mountain in Wales. It is a challenging push to the summit but you are rewarded with astonishing views once there, especially on a clear day. The scenery to the west is breathtaking! Being so close to the edge of a mountain provides excellent views over Snowdonia - and straight down!
November 7, 2018
Glyder Fach and the Cantilever Stone is worth doing as part of the Glyder Horseshoe. There are super views from here, especially of Tryfan. This moonscape area is a world class hiking venue. If you do it like we did on a sky blue day you will love it!
October 26, 2020
Number seven of the Welsh 3000s, the Glyder Fach is only a little lower than its nearest neighbour, the Glyder Fawr. The rocky summit is famous for the 'Cantilever Stone', a shallow balanced rock looking similar to a springboard.
January 12, 2018
Home to the impossibly-balanced, much-photographed Cantilever Stone, Glyder Fach is the highlight of the Glyders: a world of jumbled boulders and craggy outcrops, soaring sumptuously above Llyn Ogwen. For an epic Grade 1 outing, scramble up the rocky turrets of Bristly Ridge before descending the similarly awesome Y Gribin arête.
December 13, 2019
The queue on a good day for a photo on the stone is like being at John O Groats or Lands End mid summer. May have to politely shift a few ML sat having their lunch to get a good shot :)
May 20, 2021
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