Wales – Cadair Idris, Gwynedd
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Distance: 19½km/12 miles
Time: 7½-8hrs
Type: Valley and mountain
Where: Circular walk from Llanfihangel-y-pennant to summit of Cadair Idris and along western escarpment.
Start/End: Car park at Llanfihangel-y-pennant (SH672088).
Terrain: Gravel track, grassy bridleway, ascents on stony path, and a straightforward ridge walk over grassy moorland.
Maps: OS Explorer OL23; Landranger 124.
Cadair Idris may rank as only the nineteenth highest mountain in Wales, but it’s one of the most popular and certainly the number one favourite in southern Snowdonia. It’s most commonly ascended by one of two routes: the Minffordd or Pony Path. Yet its highest point, Penygadair, is just one top along a splendid seven-mile escarpment, the western half of which is ignored by most. This route, which starts from the unspoilt and delectable Dysynni Valley, mostly avoids the crowds and combines an ascent of Cadair Idris by a longer but quieter approach with a super walk along this little-trodden ridge. On a clear day, the views are some of the very finest in southern Snowdonia.
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