5 Routes to start your Welsh peak bagging adventure

As we know, there’s so much more to Wales than Snowdon. In fact, as the peak bagging phenomenon continues to grow, author Will Renwick has developed 49 routes to bag the 188 Welsh Nuttalls. Bagging lists like this push you to explore further, take new routes, and seek out unexpected adventures. Available to pre-order now, Peak Bagging Wales is set to become the ultimate Welsh tick list. 

On the return from Garreg Las.

1 Western Black Mountain

Being the westernmost peak in South Wales over 2,000 feet, Garreg Lwyd was the first mountain I climbed in my traverse across all of Wales’s Nuttalls. I remember standing on it, looking out to the rest of Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons) and deep into Mid Wales and being slightly overwhelmed by the task that lay ahead of me. Fortunately, this is a relatively easy route in itself, with the car park’s altitude saving you much of the climbing. Expect to see plenty of history along the way, with ancient cairns galore and the striking remnants of the two centuries of lime quarrying that once existed here.

Near the summit of Aran Fawddwy.

2 Aran Fawddwy

For me, the Aran range offers some of the best views in Eryri. These are found from the long top of Aran Fawddwy – the highest mountain in Wales south of Yr Wyddfa. From the beautiful, steep-sided valley of Cwm Cywarch, the dramatic approach takes you sharply uphill between craggy slopes and alongside waterfalls, before opening up on to the mountain’s ridge which gets increasingly rocky as you go on. 

In the past, I’ve stood on the volcanic rocks that form the summit here and have been able to see all the way south to Pen y Fan and north to Yr Wyddfa.

Y Garn viewed from Diffwys.

3 Y Garn 

This peak in western Eryri was one of the mountains that really stood out to me during my link-up of all the Welsh Nuttalls. Why? Because it hadn’t been on my radar, so it felt like I’d stumbled across a hidden gem. And that, in itself, was the very reason I set out on that adventure. With its intriguing (and somewhat spooky) relics of Victorian gold mining, a spectacular crag, a Celtic rainforest, mountain and coastal summit views, and a good pub to finish at, this peak has it all.

Inside Ogof Owain Glyndŵr – just off the route.

4 Moel Hebog, Moel yr Ogof & Moel Lefn 

This is another of my favourites – in fact, it was the first route I took my partner, Hannah, on when I was introducing her to the wonders of Eryri (beyond Yr Wyddfa) for the first time. The route begins with an ascent which, at times, can be a touch hands-on – in a fun way. Once at the top, if it’s a clear enough day, you’ll be presented with the full sweep of Cardigan Bay. Moel Hebog itself has a fascinating geological story: the mountain is built from tough volcanic rocks laid down during eruptions around 450 million years ago. And if you’re interested in visiting Owain Glyndŵr’s Cave, the purported hiding place for the last Welsh Prince of Wales, this is just off the route, though the ledge to it is dangerous to traverse.

Y Gwyliwr, a cantilever stone on Glyder Fach.

5 Eastern Glyderau 

This route offers some of the finest walking in the British Isles, taking in the surreal upland plateau of the Glyderau with its giant slabs and boulders, along with the iconic, witch’s hat peak of Tryfan. The geology here is part of the magic: the Glyderau are built from ancient volcanic rocks that have been shattered and sculpted by frost, leaving behind those famous tors, fractured crags and sweeping scree fans. Tryfan itself is a vast tilted block of rhyolitic rock, its fin-like profile shaped by glacial quarrying and relentless freeze–thaw action.

This is a demanding outing with plenty of ascent. It could feasibly be split into two separate walks, but doing it in one means you only have to make the long climb up to the top once. 

Peak Bagging Wales is available to pre-order now. 

- Will Renwick