Craig Llyn Du [Rhinog Fawr North Top]

Sitting directly north of the formidable Rhinog Fawr, this rugged shoulder overlooks the dark waters of Llyn Du. It epitomizes the Rhinogs' reputation for difficult terrain, offering a mix of heather, shattered gritstone, and grandstand views of the northern crags of its higher neighbour and the distant Mawddach Estuary.

• •The name is Welsh for 'Crag of the Black Lake', a reference to the deep, peat-stained waters of Llyn Du which sit directly beneath its western cliffs.
• •Though often overshadowed by its higher neighbour, the summit offers an unparalleled perspective of the massive gritstone tiers that form the northern face of Rhinog Fawr.
• •The terrain consists of 'Harlech Grit', a Cambrian sandstone that provides exceptional grip for footwear but is famously abrasive to skin and clothing.
• •Looking north across the mountain pass of Bwlch Tyddiad, the view is dominated by the sharp, heathery peak of Rhinog Fach and the distant, pointed silhouette of Cnicht.
• •Attempting a direct line to the summit through the surrounding heather is an excellent way to discover that, in the Rhinogs, the shortest distance between two points is usually a polite fiction.