My favourite Beddgelert walk

There are loads of good walks from Beddgelert or from nearby car parks, but this is my favourite as it includes woodland, open hilltops, and a river valley. There's a bit of a climb, but nothing too strenuous. It's between4 and 5 miles and took us a leisurely 4 hours. Waterproof trainers or boots are recommended as the going gets soggy towards the end of the walk.

In Beddgelert start on the southern side of the road bridge and keep the river on your left until you cross it over the footbridge. Over this bridge the route goes right, so the next mile or so is spent with the river on your right. The first section is open but after you cross the restored railway line the valley closes in and the path becomes rocky and more interesting with the river tumbling down the Pass of Aberglaslyn. There are often grey wagtails to be seen.

You then reach a road. Turn right over the river and then left to follow the road around a right-hand bend till you see the path off to the right, just before a house on the left. The path climbs slowly steadily to a footbridge over a stream. Ignore the turn to the right and continue over the stream and climbing through oak and beech woodland. Watch for where the path does a sharp switch left - if you find yourself following the stream you've missed it.

The path continues to climb through the trees, with dry stone walling on both sides. Eventually it reaches a gate at the edge of the wood.

The path continues uphill, bearing right, in an easterly direction and you will eventually mount a hill and see the roof of a farm building in the distance ahead. From here the path is indistinct. The direct route towards the building is very boggy, so go right to pass to the left of a circular dry-stone sheep-pen with trees now growing in it. Passing another, larger, sheep pen you approach the farmhouse proper (which is actually to the right of the building we saw earlier).

This building is Oerddwr-Uchafwas, the birthplace of William Frances Hughes ("William Oerddwr", 1879-1966), a local shepherd/poet. It is preserved but not open to the public and can be a good place for a lunch break.

The walk now goes north along a track which leads away to the right behind the farmhouse. But very soon the path leaves this track into a grassy area. The path is indistinct again but you need to descend, cross a stream, and head for a gap in the dry stone wall ahead (see photo).

The gap takes you between two more dry-stone sheep pens. The one on the right cleverly uses rocky outcrops so has walls on just 2 sides. The path now passes a stream,  bubbling down over rocks on the right.

As you ascend the hill there is a fine view to the estuary at Portmadoc. The path continues but when you come to a hillock go to the right of it rather than the left and then look for a small cairn which shows the way down along side a wall on your right. This path eventually joins a tractor track for a while. There's a gate through another wall. Afon Glaslyn and part of Beddgelert become visible down the hill ahead.

Eventually you reach a point where there is woodland below both ahead and to the right. Again the path is indistinct, but aim for a point where the two woods meet, bearing right (north east) directly down the hill over spongy waterlogged ground. From the corner the path is marked. It bears left through mature beech wood down to Beddgelert cemetery on the right and crosses the railway . At the road turn left to return to the village.

The Glaslyn ice cream at the Glandwr cafe can be recommended.