Walking, trail running and cycling routes in Snowdonia, Wales and Great Britain
Set at the far western edge of the Gower Peninsula – Britain’s first designated Area of Outstanding Beauty, Rhossili Bay is a three mile expanse of golden sand backed by dunes and high downs bejewelled with ancient historic sites and tales of Vikings. This figure-of-eight route first follows the shore of the bay itself to …
Tal y Fan is the northernmost mountain in Wales, and one of the awkward outliers of the North Carneddau. Even so, it’s well worth spending a good half day taking in this compact mountain for the views and the pleasant walking on some of the good tracks on its slopes. The summit is a particularly …
Walk up Tal Y Fan from Bwlch y Ddeufaen and Rowen Read More »
This is a moderately strenuous walk to Slieve Commedagh, which, at 767m, is the second highest peak in the Mournes. The walk returns via Shan Slieve (671m) and Slievenamaddy (450m) which along with Slievenabrock and Slieve Corragh make up the Commedagh massif. The approach via the Glen River can be busy at weekends as it …
Until recently, the peaks of the Western Beacons, also known as the Carmarthenshire Fans, or locally as the Black Mountain/Mynydd Du (not to be confused with the Black Mountains in the East of the Brecon Beacons National Park), were way off the beaten track, known only to the few solace seeking walkers who enjoyed having …
There are a number of walks into the Carneddau from Bethesda, but the route up Braich Ty Du is rarely mentioned. It’s a wild and largely pathless walk up Pen yr Ole Wen’s broad northish ridge that lacks the grandeur of the Cwm Llafar and Caseg approaches, but nevertheless makes an alternative circular route in …
There are several routes into the Carneddau from Aber, and this one up Llwytmor and Foel Fras via Cwm Coch is one of our favourites. It takes in the Aber Falls as well as the wild Cwm Coch before a thankless slog takes you towards the higher ground. Once up there, the going is reasonably …
There are three valleys to the west of the Carneddau. The northernmost isn’t named on the OS maps, we know it as Cwm Ffrydlas, but the other two are much larger. Cwm Llafar cuts deep in between the two highest peaks of Carnedd Llywelyn and Dafydd, ending in the steep back wall known as yr …
Creigiau Gleision is a rarely visited peak to the north of Capel Curig in the Carneddau mountains that’s reputed to be one of the best viewpoints in Snowdonia. You may have spotted it from the A5, as a complex collection of knolls, and it certainly lives up to this impression. The walk covers some rough …
This Snowdonia Ridge Walk is the classic traverse of the expansive Carneddau from Ogwen over to Aber via the main summits of Carnedd Dafydd and Llewelyn.. If you want to get a feel for these spacious hills, then this walk provides all that This route avoids the loose scree ascent from Ogwen and follows a much more satisfying scramble up the south eastern …
Although it forms part of the Mournes AONB, Slieve Croob differs from its Mourne cousins by its relative isolation. It is also a much less popular destination for hikers and will appeal to those who enjoy a walk with only sheep for company. It is the highest point in the Dromara Hills at 534m and …
This is a short walk up to Walla Crag near Keswick in the Lake District. Despite being only 379 metres in height, and technically a viewpoint rather than a hill (as it lacks any prominence – only 24 metres) it is nevertheless one of Wainwright’s Central Fells. It’s well known that Wainwright wasn’t tied down …
Enjoy far-reaching clifftop views over the Bristol Channel and inland across the rich pasture land of the Vale of Glamorgan. Golden limestone cliffs, quiet wooded valleys, and expansive tidal beaches offer plenty of variety in landscape. Look out for Peregrine Falcons swooping past, Kestrels and Skylarks hovering overhead, and Choughs feeding on the grazed grassy …
Walk from Nash Point to Ogmore on the Wales Coast Path Read More »
Towering above a ring of low, rugged hills known collectively as The Ring of Gullion, County Armagh’s highest peak Slieve Gullion (573m) commands a prominent position at the centre of the Ring of Gullion Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This unique landscape was the first ring dyke in the world to be geologically mapped. …
At 355m, Buttermere’s Rannerdale Knotts is one of the lowest fells in the Lake District. However, the craggy summit and spectacular views of nearby lakes gives this little mountain a lot of character. Starting next to the shores of Crummock Water, this straight-forward route runs through the historic Valley of Bluebells before climbing a fairly …
This exhilarating walk affords many superb views of the Mournes with both summits offering wonderful panoramas encompassing most of the higher peaks and extending far into the surrounding countryside. Percy Bysshe and Cove caves are both accessible. Although Cove is the more challenging of the pair, it has an exit route which would appeal to …
This is a superb walk but is fairly taxing on the legs with 1,200m of elevation gain. That said, it is often overlooked by visitors to Buttermere so it tends to be quieter than the other big routes in the area, such as the High Stile ridge. The climb to Rannderdale Knotts is a stiff …
Grasmoor and Rannerdale Knotts Walk from Buttermere Read More »
Nine Standards Rigg is not the most fashionable fell on this list but the line of cairns atop its summit are intriguing enough to add it to the list of the Best Walks in the Yorkshire Dales. Strictly speaking, Nine Standards Rigg is the summit of Hartley Fell and is located all of 700m outside …
This walk is a gentle stroll around Llyn Dinas, one of the most beautiful and accessible small lakes of Eryri. If you want a longer walk, then you can follow the Lon Gwynant from Beddgelert instead, and perhaps extend the walk to visit Llyn Gwynant too. There’s a wonderful cafe in Nant Gwynant – Caffi …
There are few valleys in the Lake District that offer easy walking as scenic as Great Langdale, and its compact sibling; Little Langdale. This circular walk brings in the best lower level walking offered by both Great and Little Langdales. One feature of this walk is the visibility of the Langdale Pikes, which seem to …
The Lawley is a beautiful hill that lies North East of the more trodden and popular Long Mynd range in the Shropshire Hills AONB (Area of Outstaning Natural Beauty). Its sleek and beautiful crested shape can be fully appreciated from its neighbouring hill Caer Caradoc, a smooth spined and long peak that although fairly small, …
The small village of Buttermere, sandwiched between the famed lakes of Crummock Water and Buttermere (lake), has an irresistible quality that has drawn visitors since the beginning of tourism in the Lake District.. The lake and village are surrounded by fine fells, notably the craggy and dramatic High Stile range to the south-west, and Fleetwith …
While tiny in comparison to nearly all of the Lakeland fells, Castle Crag is far too good to overlook. It is the epitome of a ‘Wainwright’ – a fell chosen not by metrics but by the enjoyment it gives to the walker. The ‘mountain’ is so small in fact that it is one of only …
While tiny in comparison to many of the Lakeland fells, Castle Crag is far too good to overlook. It is a prime example of a ‘Wainwright’ – a fell chosen not by metrics but by the enjoyment it gives to the walker. The ‘mountain’ is so small in fact that it is one of only …
Walk to Castle Crag and Millican’s Cave from Grange Read More »
No Yorkshire Dales list would be worth its salt without including one of the most famous and popular walks in the country, the Yorkshire Three Peaks. Traditionally done as a challenge walk (the aim is to complete the 40km distance in under 12 hours), the three peaks route traverses three of the Dales’ best hills …
