Wales 3 Peaks Walk

Evening All,

In September some work colleagues and I have decided to do a walk for
charity. It is our idea to walk Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen Y Fan - in 24
hours. I know it's not quite the Famous 3 peaks but 2 of my colleagues

Paul Saunders...

Just curious, but why those particular three peaks? I heard mention of it
on the Welsh news not long ago and it seems a strange choice. The three
highest peaks in North, Mid and South Wales are Snowdon, Plynlimon and Pen y
Fan, so why Cadair Idris instead of Plynlimon?

I know that Cadair Idris is probably the second most well-known mountain in
Wales, that and Snowdon were the two that I climbed on my first visit to
Snowdonia, but why is Cadair Idris so well known and seemingly so important?
It's not even the highest peak in southern Snowdonia, nearby Aran Fawddwy is
higher, but how many ordinary folk have ever heard of that?

Alan...

I understand your questioning Paul but as you say Cadair is probably the 2nd
most well known mountain in Wales and it's
the only answer I can really think of?? In those terms I suppose when you

Paul Saunders...

Well if you look at my other post, technically it is in Mid-Wales according
to an exact mathematical split, but personally I think that's a blatant
cheat in order to include a really dramatic mountain in an area that doesn't
really have any.

tell people you are going to walk the aformentioned mountains for charity
they will most likely be aware of the 3 mountains and hopefully it should
trigger a better response from them? (fingers crossed anyway) In honesty

Paul Saunders...

Makes sense, and if it's for charity then who really cares anyway?

though when we came up with the idea - on a drive to work one morning last
week - that did not enter our heads. Two of the people have not walked

Paul Saunders...

Did you come up with it yourselves then? I thought you chose those three
because it was a tradition of some sort (although I hadn't heard of it until
recently on the Welsh news).

As I say, I chose Cadair and Snowdon as my two "must climb" summits when I
first visited Snowdonia. I don't recall giving the matter a great deal of
thought and I obviously didn't notice that nearby Aran Fawddwy was higher.

Cadair and it will give them the chance - most people who do some walking
would like to wouldn't you say? Why is it so famous - I don't know the

Paul Saunders...

Of course, it's a great mountain.

answer to that but I would say over time stories get told and reputations
are enhanced. I walked it a few weeks ago and must say was impressed by it.

Chris Gilbert...

[Cadair Idris]

One of my favourite hills. Isolated position ? Grand geography ? romantic
name ? All three probably.

Paul Saunders...

Indeed, but why would that qualify it for a "Three Peaks" walk? I thought
the logic of that was to choose the highest peak in each of three areas, not
to simply choose the "coolest" hills, which is completely arbitrary.

I mean, if we're going to a "Three Cool Peaks" walk, why not choose Tryfan,
Cadair Idris and Bannau Sir Gaer? Or any three that you like?

Actually, I've just divided Wales exactly into three equal parts, measured
from the bottom of the Vale of Glamorgan to the top of Anglesey and the
split between mid and north turns out to be on the SH 195 northing. By that
calculation Cadair Idris is just inside "mid" Wales and Aran Fawddwy just
outside. So maybe that's why it's been included?

Roger...

I did the same calculation but got the boundary slightly different - SH
186(81) northing. That puts Dolgellau right on the borderline (and
Hay-on-Wye at the other end of mid Wales).

Although if you don't count Anglesey and just split the mainland into three
parts, the mid/north split is at SH 120, which puts Cadair in the north,
where it belongs IMO.

Thing is, I've never thought that South, Mid and North Wales were defined by
an exact three way mathematical split, I think of the divisions as following
natural borders, defined by geology, topography and hydrology. The hills of
South, Mid and North Wales each have a different character and it's easy to
see the change as you travel up or down the country.

Cadair Idris clearly shares the same character as the rest of Snowdonia and
is definitely in the north IMO. Anyone agree or disagree?

Roger...

Yes. It is after all in the Snowdonia National Park.

Chris Gilbert...

Yes and no. Although it shares Snowdonia's geology its always been
a peculiar outlier for me. Apart from but a part of.

Of course, if you want to bag a few peaks, Cadair is a much more enjoyable
choice than Plynlimon, but IMO it does a disservice to Mid Wales to leave
out all the Mid Wales summits and choose two from Snowdonia instead. Like

Chris Gilbert...

Hmmm, Drygarn or Cadair ? Tough choice :-) I think it comes down to
consumability in the end.

it or not, Mid Wales is an area of gentle hills and Plynlimon is the highest
of them.

Roger...

My memory of Plynlimon from some 40 years ago is that it is a dull hill
even if it is the source of both the Severn and the Wye.

Not sure if I was tired from the 4 hours sleep I had the night before, or if
the 115mile drive from Port Talbot after a particularly stressed morning in
the office had taken it's toll but when I got back to the Car Park that
evening I realised I had been stretched !! It could be though the mountain

Paul Saunders...

Definitely.

is a good walk.

I am just hoping for real good weather on the day/night we do
it.....especially looking forward to being on Pen Y Fan for sunrise.

Paul Saunders...

Sounds like fun.

haven't done much walking. I was looking for some advice/web site that could
give us a few pointers? We intend to do it North 2 South, although not
sorted out route's for each yet.

PS: Was going to post this in the digital camera forum (well I am going to

Chris Gilbert...

Good man. You'll fit in well here :-)

Each of the three best routes up has a good car park at the bottom,
which should help. I'd recommend the Pyg Track from Pen Y Pass
for Snowdon, The Minffordd track for Cadair and the Cwm Gwdi
path for Pen Y Fan. Snowdon->Cadair is a doddle, its a very fast
drive A470/A487. Cadair->Pen Y fan's a bit tricker but Macynlleth/
Caersws/Llangurig/Rhayader/Builth/Brecon is probaby your best
bet. Its easy doable in 24 hours so you shouldn't feel you have to
rush the driving, which is best. Sounds fun whatever.

take my camera with me!!) but my 1st post there caused a few ripples of
anxiety when I x-posted a camera question on this forum....won't be going
back there to post in a hurry...saying that I did get a good few responses
eventually.