Must See Mountains in Wales

Wales is one of the prime destinations for a weekend of casual mountaineering, with a concentration of natural destinations and popular tourist attractions in the North of Wales. North Wales’ holiday cottages are the perfect launching point for a long weekend spent scrambling around the 10,000-year-old Welsh scenery.

Snowdonia is clearly top of the list. It’s a common belief that Snowdonia, in Welsh, translates as 'place of the eagles’. Snowdonia's National Park has become one of the most popular holiday destinations, highly acclaimed for its natural beauty. There are nine mountain ranges in Snowdonia's park but the star of the show is Mt Snowdon, itself. There are eight ways up the mountain, so you can tailor your ascent for your fitness levels.

Well worth a stop in Snowdonia, is Cadair Idris, known for its peak which overlooks a stunning lake in what looks deceptively like a volcano (but isn't!). Easily reached from nearby Dolgellau, you'd be a fool to miss this out whilst visiting North Wales.

Cambrian Mountains

The Cambrian Mountains, and specifically Foel Fadian, are a big swathe of ranges in the middle of Wales, extending into the North and South. Machynlleth, an hour from the heart of North Wales, sits at the foot of the Cambrian Mountains in the North and offers you a variety of natural attractions. From there, it's just a short drive into the mountains to explore even more.

My dad walking one of the mountains.

Swallow Falls

Right in the middle of the most popular areas of North Wales, Swallow Falls is a delightful system of waterfalls outside Betws-y-Coed. While the falls themselves aren't technically a mountain, it would be a shame to miss out on them, and as they're seated in the Conwy Valley, you won't have to go without a hiking fix if you want one.

Moel Famau and the Clwydian Range

Higher into the North of Wales, not far from Chester, is Moel Famau. Straddling the Clwydian Range, Moel Famau offers you a few routes, ranging from extremely leisurely and bicycle friendly, to a bit more challenging for little legs. You get a wonderful view over the range and all the way out past Liverpool on clear days. It's not a huge climb, you can squeeze it easily into one afternoon, but just down the road is the Loggerheads Country Park to keep children entertained and rest any sore feet after the walk.

There’re also some outstanding mountains in South Wales. The Black Mountains, despite the ominous name, are a stark and beautiful area hosting a series of rolling sandstone peaks known for being easy to access for ramblers. Also, the Brecon Beacons National Park is another popular area in the South of Wales, with the usual selection of outdoor activities, visitor-friendly villages and extremely fair summer weather.

Wales is absolutely festooned with beauty, and you can hardly go wrong with driving in any direction and landing in a wonderful place for an afternoon.

Where’s your favourite place to explore in North Wales? Let me know in the comments!

Jada x