Arenig Fach, Bala, North Wales (Nuttall)

Arenig Fach 689m near Bala, North Wales.
Parking for the last Nuttall in the Arenigs was in a lay-by adjacent to the toilets on the A4212 on the blunt end of Llyn Celyn. Start by heading SW on the road for a few hundred meters where there is a gate by the forest on the other side of the road. Once through the gate head directly North to the obvious electricity pylon a 100m away. From here keep head right or N to NE keeping a wall to your left. There is no distinct path as such and it is a tad boggy but there is a bit of a quad track/path hereabouts. It does get a bit confusing with all the walls but you will soon come to a worn out horse/stock lorry parked up by some gates and from here keep heading North through the right hand gate. Excuse my gps spike as I headed inadvertently through the left one. Anyway this brings you out on the hill.
Once on the hill there is another quad track to follow as you meander NW gently uphill towards Bryn Du. After about 1.5km the quad track eventually peters out near a fence to the left so just make your way North across country towards Llyn Arenig Fach. There is no trail as such and the going is a wet and tufty affair with thick heather. It won’t take you that long though before you are by the lake where you follow its Eastern edge.
Arenig Fach’s rocky amphitheatre and lake is quite imposing at this point. When you get to the North shore you follow a fence line around to the left/West and start to ascend the steep Northern ridge. There is a feint path here and the going is steep but it only takes you about thirty to forty minutes before you get to the trig pointed summit where there are fine views across Llyn Celyn and distant Arenig Fawr.
Coming off the summit there is still no footpath as such as you head South but the going is not too bad over the heather. Once you start to descend the steeper part of the hill you head SE to a distant but obvious fence and as you get closer you will see a style. Once over the style you soon arrive at the fence line you broke off to head to Llyn Arenig a few hours earlier. From here you then follow the quad track back down Bryn Du and retrace your morning route.

Parking: There is a toilet/car park with room for 5-6 cars at the start but I had my van so parked in a large lay-by adjacent to the toilets on the A4212.
Route Summary: A quad track, some feint paths but mostly sheep trails or rough, boggy heather but this does not make it a huge chore. Great views along the route of Llyn Celyn and the Arenigs.
Route Statistics: 9.4kms with 500m of height gain done in an all in time of 2hrs 50mins.