The best family-friendly hikes and walks around Llyn Idwal

Thanks for that MCW73, I actually did the route several years ago and I agree it is a lot of fun - that was the reason for pointing it out. UKC give details and some good pictures here - https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/y_garn_gwynedd-2873/east_ridge_of_y_garn-51008 Cheers!

So, you’re looking to tackle the Southeast Ridge of Y Garn? A person of fine taste, I see! While most of the hiking crowd is busy plodding up the standard "tourist" path from Llyn Idwal like a line of very determined ants, the Southeast Ridge (often called the Northeast Ridge depending on how precisely you hold your compass, but we know the one) is the connoisseur’s choice. It’s got drama, it’s got views, and it’s got just enough "steep" to make you feel like a mountain goat without actually requiring you to grow horns. The Vibe: Steep but Sweet If the main path is a gentle Sunday stroll, this ridge is a shot of espresso. It rises sharply from the shores of Llyn Idwal, offering a much more direct—and frankly, more heroic—way to reach the 947m summit. The Highlights The Scramble: It’s mostly a very steep walk, but there are pockets of easy Grade 1 scrambling if you go looking for them. Nothing that should scare a seasoned scrambler, but enough to keep your hands busy. The Exposure: You’ll feel the air beneath your boots pretty quickly. The views back down over the Ogwen Valley and across to the Glyderau are, quite frankly, ridiculous. The Crowd Factor: Significantly lower than the main track. You’ll mostly be sharing the path with the occasional raven and the ghosts of Victorian climbers.

Y Garn's south east ridge is not often climbed, and the view from below reveals why - far sharper than the usual north east ridge route.

Beautiful lake, but avoid the area at Easter!

A reminder of when the area was heavily worked, part of the old Slate Level. This is not the Devil's Kitchen, which is high up on Cwm Idwal.

The Devil’s Kitchen, known in Welsh as Twll Du ("Black Hole"), is a massive, dark crack in the basaltic cliffs of Clogwyn y Geifr, towering over the southern end of Llyn Idwal. Why the Name? It earned its English nickname because of the plumes of mist or steam that frequently rise from the chasm. To early observers, this looked like smoke rising from a chimney, leading to the legend that the Devil was busy cooking inside. The Experience The Path: A steep, rocky "staircase" of boulders leads you from the lake shore up toward the Kitchen. It is a strenuous climb that requires sure-footedness, as the ancient rock is often wet and slippery. The Scenery: As you ascend, you pass the Devil’s Appendix (the waterfall mentioned earlier) and gain incredible views back over the Cwm Idwal "amphitheatre." Geology: The area is a world-class geological site. You can see the Idwal Syncline here—a dramatic U-shaped fold in the rock layers caused by tectonic pressure millions of years ago. Botanical Rarety: The humid, sheltered environment of the Kitchen is one of the few places in the UK where rare arctic-alpine plants, like the Snowdon Lily, have survived since the last Ice Age. Once you reach the top of the Kitchen, the landscape flattens out into a high plateau containing the small, eerie lake of Llyn y Cŵn.

Canolfan Cwm IdwalClick to open side panel for more information is the primary visitor hub for the Ogwen Valley in Eryri National Park. Located along the A5 near National Trust - Ogwen CottageClick to open side panel for more information, it offers an interactive exhibition on local geology and 24-hour public toilets. Visitors can grab snacks and drinks from the kiosk before embarking on popular trails to Cwm Idwal and the surrounding Glyderau mountains.

Pen yr Ole WenClick to open side panel for more information is the seventh-highest mountain in Wales and the southernmost peak of the Carneddau range. Standing at 978 meters (3,209 feet), its distinctive pyramid shape dominates the northern skyline of the Ogwen Valley, directly facing the jagged peaks of Tryfan and the Glyderau. Challenging Ascents: The mountain is famous for its steep, unrelenting climb from Ogwen Cottage. The most direct route involves a breathless scramble up the south ridge, which quickly gains height and provides dramatic aerial views of Llyn Idwal below. Panoramic Views: From the summit, you are rewarded with one of the finest 360-degree vistas in Eryri, looking deep into the glacial trough of Nant Ffrancon and across to the Snowdon massif. Gateway to the Carneddau: It serves as the primary gateway for hikers embarking on the long, high-altitude traverse toward Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn, the range's higher neighbors. Rugged Terrain: Unlike the more popular Snowdon paths, Pen yr Ole Wen offers a wilder, rockier experience that requires good navigation skills, especially when cloud descends on its broad, stony plateau.