Route
The Puddle Buckley is not a route, just a series of checkpoints (summits and lakeshore locations) which we suggest you hike, run and swim between. Think of it as the drunken inspiration of a stranger in the pub. It may be the ingredients of an amazing adventure, but it’s down to you to make sound judgments about how to safely undertake the adventure.
This GPX file was created on mapping software and is merely an overview of the route. It therefore should not be followed step for step, as it may not relate to the best or safest route on the ground
The route is easily split into 4 sections, each finishing at a road, directly after 1 of the 4 swims.
Leg 1
19.8km across land, 0.7km across water, 20.5km total
| Checkpoint | Location | Details | OS Grid reference | Height (m) | Distance (km) | Accumulative Distance (km) |
| Leg 1 Start | Llanberis parking shore of Llyn Padarn | Near large sword | SH 5781 6043 | 94 | 0 | 0 |
| 1st Summit | Moel Eilio | Summit Cairn | SH 5562 5772 | 726 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| 2nd Summit | Foel Goch | 90m NNNE of path/fence junction | SH 5709 5635 | 605 | 2.1 | 6.4 |
| 3rd Summit | Moel Cynghorion | On fence line | SH 5865 5639 | 674 | 2.3 | 8.7 |
| 4th Summit | Yr Wyddfa | Trig point | SH 6099 5437 | 1085 | 3.7 | 12.4 |
| 5th Summit | Cribau Tregalan | Cairn | SH 6053 5370 | 931 | 0.9 | 13.3 |
| Swim 1 Start | SW edge of Elephant Rock | Where the shore meets the rock face | SH 6435 5210 | 67 | 6.5 | 19.8 |
| Swim 1 Finish | Llyn Gwynant Beach | Beach at north end of lake, west of reeds | SH 6486 5236 | 67 | 0.7 | 20.5 |
Leg 2
10.5km across land, 0.5km across water, 11km total
For your round to be official you must NOT travel along the A498, A4086 or A5. You can cross them but not travel along them. (This is to increase safety and enjoyment).
| Checkpoint | Location | Details | OS Grid reference | Height (m) | Distance (km) | Accumulative Distance (km) |
| Leg 2 Start | Llyn Gwynant Beach | Beach at north end of lake, west of reeds | SH 6486 5236 | 67 | 0 | 20.5 |
| 1st Summit | Carnedd Cribau | East of fence | SH 6761 5370 | 591 | 4 | 24.5 |
| 2nd Summit | Carnedd Moel Siabod | Trig point | SH 7052 5463 | 872 | 3.4 | 27.9 |
| Swim 1 Start | Flat grassy bank east of the narrows, west of the woods | Watch out for bank holiday campers! | SH 7100 5745 | 182 | 3.1 | 31 |
| Swim 1 Finish | Where an overgrown wall meets the north edge of Llyn Mymbyr | Boulders on east of wall, may need brambles clearing for access. | SH 7145 5780 | 182 | 0.5 | 31.5 |
Leg 3
16.9km across land, 0.4 across water, 17.3 total
For your round to be official you must NOT travel along the A498, A4086 or A5. You can cross them but not travel along them. (This is to increase safety and enjoyment).
| Checkpoint | Location | Details | OS Grid reference | Height (m) | Distance (km) | Accumulative Distance (km) |
| Leg 3 Start | Where an overgrown wall meets the north edge of Llyn Mymbyr | Boulders on east of wall, may need brambles clearing for access | SH 7144 5779 | 182 | 0 | 31.5 |
| 1st Summit | Pen yr Helgi Du | Western cairn | SH 6980 6303 | 833 | 8.3 | 39.8 |
| 2nd Summit | Carnedd Llyewelyn | Summit cairn | SH 6836 6439 | 1064 | 2.1 | 41.9 |
| 3rd Summit | Carnedd Dafydd | East cairn | SH 6629 6304 | 1044 | 3 | 44.9 |
| 4th Summit | Pen yr Ole Wen | Summit cairn east of path | SH 6559 6193 | 978 | 1.4 | 46.3 |
| Swim 3 Start | Where a wall with style meets north shore of Llyn Ogwen | Please give fisher-people a wide birth even if this means changing your entry and exit points for the swim. They pay to fish the Llyn so we need to maintain good relations! | SH 6559 6046 | 301 | 2.1 | 48.4 |
| Swim 3 Finish | Headland on centre of Llyn Ogwen’s south bank | Most prominent point on headland | SH 6591 6029 | 301 | 0.4 | 48.8 |
Leg 4
14.1km across land, 0.6km across water, 14.7km total
We strongly recommend that you recce the route over Tryfan and onto Glyder Fach. There is a lot of steep, loose ground and cliffs. Poor route choice could be fatal.
| Checkpoint | Location | Details | OS Grid reference | Height (m) | Distance (km) | Accumulative Distance (km) |
| Leg 4 Start | Headland on centre of Llyn Ogwen’s south bank | Most prominent point on headland | SH 6591 6029 | 301 | 0 | 48.8 |
| 1st Summit | Tryfan | Adam and Eve boulders | SH 6640 5939 | 917 | 1.4 | 50.2 |
| 2nd Summit | Glyder Fach | Highest rock on main summit boulders | SH 6563 5829 | 994 | 1.4 | 51.6 |
| 3rd Summit | Glyder Fawr | Summit cairn | SH 6423 5795 | 1001 | 1.6 | 53.2 |
| 4th Summit | Y Garn | Summit point by wind shelter | SH 6308 5958 | 947 | 2.3 | 55.5 |
| 5th Summit | Elidir Fawr | Summit shelter | SH 6119 6130 | 924 | 3.6 | 59.1 |
| Swim 4 Start | Pontoon at east end of Llyn Padarn | Through Gorsaf Ddu car park to pontoon | SH 5831 6045 | 94 | 3.8 | 62.9 |
| Swim 4 Finish | Llanberis parking, shore of Llyn Padarn | Near large sword | SH 5781 6043 | 94 | 0.6 | 63.5 |
*Distances are estimates and dependant on route choice. Heights are height above sea level and do not indicate total height gain between points.
A successful completion requires you to visit all the checkpoints under your own power with no mechanical or physical aid. Swimming is compulsory between adjacent checkpoints on the water’s edge. A roads may be crossed but not travelled along. Always put your own safety and that of everyone else above that of completing the round.
There are so many possible adaptations with this route, so if you feel it is too hard or easy we’d love to hear about your alternatives. Here’s a couple we considered:
- Missing out Llyn Ogwen, Tryfan, and the Glyders and instead swimming the length of Llyn Idwal and going up the Devils Kitchen straight onto Y Garn.
- Adding in an extra swim the length of Fynnon Llugwy.