Around Moel Siabod, then the Ogwen valley under Tryfan to the quarry.
Section 5: Dolwyddelan to Bethesda map
Example stay Victoria Bunkhouse (opens in a new tab)
Cross-check: Snowdonia Way route description . Opened 3 November 2026. The route page gives each stage's published miles in the FAQ. The distance at the top of this page is measured along the trail between these towns. A walk off the path to a bed is extra.
The walk
Forest and easy tracks take you around the flank of Moel Siabod, and the Glyderau open up as the path drops toward Capel Curig. The Ogwen valley is the long middle of the day, under Tryfan, on a line the author calls the most stunning of the route. Past the falls at the end of Llyn Ogwen you enter Nant Francon. The spoil tips of Penrhyn quarry are the last hour into Bethesda.
-
Start of section
Dolwyddelan
-
The flank of Moel Siabod
Forest and open hillside on easy tracks. The Glyderau and the Carneddau open up as the path drops toward Capel Curig.
-
The view
The Ogwen valley
A long, low walk under Tryfan and Carnedd Llewelyn. The author calls this the most stunning stretch of the route, and the ground stays on the valley floor.
-
Penrhyn quarry
The last hour leaves the grass of the valley for pale, loose spoil. Bethesda sits under that broken ground, so you finish on quarry waste rather than on a path.
-
End of section
Bethesda
Section 5: Dolwyddelan to Bethesda overview
The ground
- Forest track
- Valley
- Quarry
Easy tracks, then a long valley floor under the mountains. The valley floor under Tryfan is gentle, so the miles are what you feel, not a climb. The flank of Moel Siabod is the pull, and it is over before Capel Curig.
Stops
Refreshments
- Dolwyddelan
- Capel Curig
- Bethesda
Toilets
- None named for this stretch
Before you go
Opposite direction
Bethesda to Dolwyddelan
Southbound, Tryfan stands in front of you and grows for the length of a wide, wet valley. That trough is the morning, and it is not a climb. After Capel Curig the flank of Moel Siabod is forest track, and that is the pull.
End of section
Dolwyddelan
Dolwyddelan to Bethesda FAQ
How long is Dolwyddelan to Bethesda?
The walking is gentle under Tryfan, and the morning on Moel Siabod is where the hours go. The stage is published at 15.5 miles (25.1 km).
Can I stop in Capel Curig?
Yes. The 9-day sleeps there, so the Ogwen valley is a day of its own. The 6-day, 7-day and 8-day walk through, and Bethesda is the night.
How hard is the Ogwen valley?
The author calls the day's route relatively flat, and the valley the most stunning of the route. Wet paths and wind in Nant Francon are the catch, not a summit climb.
Walk this as a day
Used as Day 5 on the 7-day. Open the planner on that preset, then export a full-trip or per-day GPX.
Open in planner Read the 7-day itinerary
Full-trip and per-day GPX files. Free, no account.
Explore
