Walking The Three Peaks of Wales

Q. Hi

Please could you tell me if there is a Three Peaks of Wales walk - someone mentioned it to me the other day in passing and I don't seem to be able to find any info on it. Have you heard of one?

Any info would be most welcome

Thanks

Karen Edgar

A. 20th August 2013 Welsh 3 peaks, self drive, solo using Pony Track on Cadir Idris 11hrs 23 mins.Love this challenge so much I've done it twice this year.

Den Flint, Datchet

A. 27 deg, 5 litres water,5 months after knee op,age 60, Welsh 3P including Minffordd circuit, dreadful traffic jams, sat nav sent wrong way, 13hr 27mins.

Dennis, Datchet

A. Completed this challenge solo 23/08/12 by driving from home at 01.00 am having an hours' sleep in the car park at Snowdon and setting off after breakfast at 07.15. Challenge took me 12hrs 1Min. Then drove home. Total time home to home 21hrs 8mins distance 523miles. I'll be 60 in four weeks time. Brilliant but very difficult challenge.

Dennis Flint, Datchet

A. A small team of us completed the Welsh 3 Peaks yesterday in 15 hours and 58 minutes. There were a few parts where we could have been faster or more efficient but you would need both fantastic weather and road condition to beat 15 hours in my opinion.

Paul Coker

A. Hi, these mountains are the chosen three not for their height but for their location, being the highest in north, mid and south Wales.

Dean Thomas, Merthyr Tydfil

A. Indeed there is - though like all the 'Three Peaks' walks it remains unofficial.

The Three Peaks of Wales are:
(Follow each link to see details about each mountain including walks, photographs and walk reports from fellow go4awalkers)

There is no real logic to these choices. Snowdon is the highest point in Wales and while Pen y Fan is the highest point in the Brecon Beacons it is only the 20th highest point in Wales.

Cadair Idris is included probably because it lies conveniently mid-way between the other two despite only being the 19th highest point in Wales.

Of the three, Cadair Idris is the best - great views and fewer crowds.

Hope this helps

Mike (Editor)

A. Hello, I have recently completed the British 3 peaks challenge in 24 hours, but thought I'd do the Welsh one now, as I didn't realise it existed before.

I was wondering if you would recommend any particular timings to do the 3 Welsh peaks within the target of 15 hours?

Thanks

Natalie Slater, Southampton

A. Lampeter Round Table completed the 3 peaks during Sept. 2000 to raise money for my late sister's cancer charity.

We did it in a weekend due to the varying fitness levels of the individuals concerned.

Pen y Fan was climbed early on saturday morning approx 8.00 am [this is the easiest & shortest climb] starting from the A470 Storey Arms (Walk po158 Pen y Fan from The Storey Arms Outdoor Centre .

We then drove by mini bus to the Minffordd car park and climbed Cadair Idris starting early afternoon (walk gw142 Cadair Idris (Penygadair) via The Minffordd Path

This was the toughest of the three.

We then drove up to Bangor and stayed at the university halls of residence (out of term time meant that plenty of rooms were available at cheap rates). On Sunday morning we climbed Snowdon via the PYG track (walk gw100 Mount Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) from Pen-y-Pass descending by the Llanberis path (walk gw186 Garnedd Ugain, Snowdon (Yr Wyddfa) & Moel Cynghorion from Llanberis

This was a 'modest' but worthy effort by a bunch of blokes of varying experience.

To attempt this in 15 hours is I am sure possible for the fit and experienced. However, do bear in mind the poor road system between Pen y Fan in South Wales and Snowdon in the North (via Cadair Idris) e.g. a non stop drive from Pen y Fan to Snowdon could easily take up to 3 hours.

Hope this is of some use.

Regards,

Huw Williams, Lampeter

Add your answer to THIS question | Ask a NEW walking and hiking question

Return to the main list of Walking and Hiking Questions

Search for an existing Walking and Hiking Question or Answer