Mountain walking route ideas from Outdoor North Wales

Did you know that on a clear day from the summit of Snowdon, you can see the Mountains of Mourne rising above the horizon of the Irish Sea? Focus closer by though and you will discover the real wealth of vistas to view and mountains to scale.

Approaching North Wales from the east there are wonderful hills in close proximity to Chester and Wrexham - Moel Famau and the Clwydian range of hills offer up beautiful days out often escape the wild weather of the main hills and peaks of Snowdonia.

The mountains of central Snowdonia lie in three main ranges - in the North is the Carneddau with peaks such as Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn forming the backbone of a high and mighty ridge.

In the centre are the Glyderau - Tryfan, Glyder Fawr, Y Garn. Between the latter two mountains the cliff is cleaved by the impressive Twll Du (Black Hole) or Devils Kitchen. Further along the ridge line lies Elidir Fawr, its majesty casting a watchful eye over Anglesey to Northwest.

To the south lies the Snowdon group of Crib Goch, Crib y Ddysgyl and Lliwedd, not forgetting Yr Wyddfa summit itself.

Though the high ridges and Cwms provide key routes for mountain walkers, each of the triad has remote nooks and crannies rarely frequented except by Choughs, Buzzards and the occasional human visitor seeking solitude and relaxation far away from the hubbub of the daily grind.

Surrounding these magnificent peaks are the Moelwyns, including the Matterhorn of Snowdonia Cnicht, the Arennigs and the Berwyns. Though less lofty outlying neighbours, all are worthy of far more than cursory inspection by mountain walkers keen to seek out and explore the lesser known corners of North Wales.

The backbone of the Rhinogs, a craggy and heather clad range, dominate the skyline of the coastline from Porthmadog to Barmouth on the Mawddach estuary and in the far southern part of the National Park rests Cadair Idris, home of the legendary giant Idris. It is said that if you spend the night atop this lovely peak you will awake a madman or a poet...

Outdoor North Wales - The Ultimate Guide to The Best Outdoor Spaces & Places of North Wales, we help you find the hidden, and not so hidden, gems and hottest adventure hotspots across North Wales. Twitter @ONWales

First image - © Garry Smith