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Wales’ Most Iconic Mountains

By Dave Roberts   

on February 28, 2015    5/5 (1)

Posted in Walks in Snowdonia National Park, Walks in WalesWales

Wales’ Most Iconic Mountains

Here’s a list of some of the most Iconic Mountains in Wales as we at Mud and Routes celebrate Gwyl Sant Ddewi – or St David’s Day to the rest of you. If you disagree, and think we’ve missed your favourite mountain out – then add your comments below or joint the debate via social media.

1 Yr Wyddfa (or Snowdon) – with the unimaginative stating only six routes to the summit, there are plenty more for the adventurous. The arête-like Crib Goch is the undoubted king of the ascents, an airy grade 1 scramble. This is a real mountain, with real risks and it can take lives.

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On the opposite side of the spectrum, it also has a café at the summit and a railway for the less able to walk / unwilling to walk to enjoy the view as well. It’s probably the only place in Wales where you’ll see high heels and crampons side by side. Avoid the Llanberis path like the plague, and never-ever call it Mount Snowdon, or we’ll send the lads round.

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2 Tryfan – Obviously our Feature Editor Tryfan’s favourite mountain! While he’d put it at the top, he doesn’t have the admin access to the site that I have and I’ve threatened to delete his account if he swaps these two around. Another mountain with an excellent scramble to the top, and absolutely NO EASY ROUTES!

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3 Glyder Fawr and Fach – right next door to Tryfan, and towering over it, but nowhere near as impressive! Yet Glyder Fach boasts the Cantilever and Castell y Gwynt  – two landmarks that are iconic in themselves.

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4 Cader Idris – Forming the backdrop to Dolgellau, this is a true mountain. It not only has some passing resemblance to Snowdon, it’s formed from the same rocks. It has pleasing corrie lakes on both north and south sides, with a number of routes of varying difficulty to the summit.

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Photo credit: NoSoma / Foter / CC BY

5 Pen y Fan – The roof of the Brecon Beacons and it’s sandstone cliffs are absolutely unmistakeable. These provide excellent walking, without all that nasty, muddy, black ooze that’s found further north. It’s also busy, but avoid the more obvious routes from the Storey Arms and take one of the quieter side valleys.

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6 Cnicht – For no list would be complete without the “Welsh Matterhorn”, though it seems that everywhere has it’s own version of the ‘Matterhorn’ with only the “Zermatt Matterhorn” that actually looks anything like it. Putting that aside, it forms a shapely conical profile from the South West, but reveals itself to be a long ridge from all other angles.

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Photo credit: Jonathan Stonehouse / Foter / CC BY

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Dave Roberts

Dave Roberts founded Walk Eryri in 2004, with the aim of providing routes that are off the beaten track. Walk Eryri is now part of Mud and Routes which continues to provide more off beat routes and walks in Snowdonia and beyond. Dave has been exploring the hills of Eryri for over thirty years, and is a qualified Mountain Leader. Dave also established Walk up Snowdon, Walk up Scafell Pike and Walk up Ben Nevis just to mention a few.

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2 thoughts on “Wales’ Most Iconic Mountains”

  1. Daniel Cheaptents

    Not as iconic as the mountains listed above, but a personal favourite is Elidir Fawr which has a pleasant pyramid shaped summit when viewed from Pen Yr Ole Wen.

  2. daveroberts

    I can see that from my window, it’s just behind my monitor! Of all the ‘big’ hills, it’s the one that’s second to Snowdon in the number of times I’ve ascended it. I’ve definitely left a lot of favourites off that list! Might need to write a follow up….

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