Cambrian Way

Distance: 88 miles/142 km (northern section) or 298 miles/479km (entire route)
Ascent: 27,711ft/8,446m (northern section) or 74,000ft/22,555m (entire route)
Time: 6-8 days (northern section) or 18-21 days (entire route)
Start: Dinas Mawddwy (northern section) or Cardiff (entire route)
Finish: Conwy

We’ll start with arguably the longest and toughest long-distance walk in the whole of Wales – the Cambrian Way. Dubbed the ‘mountain connoisseur’s route’, this 298-mile monster snakes its way from Cardiff to Conwy, meandering through all of Wales’ major mountain ranges. Only the northern section lies in Snowdonia, but many would argue that this is the most spectacular stretch of the whole trail.

It also takes in many famous peaks including Cader Idris, the Rhinogydd, Snowdon, the Glyderau and the Carneddau, so you will bag plenty of summits while enjoying fabulous mountain vistas. Thanks to the efforts of campaigners, all of the trail is now waymarked, though given the rugged and challenging terrain, this is a trail best suited to experienced backpackers. Still if you’re looking for an epic walk in every sense, it doesn’t get much better than this.

Snowdonia Slate Trail

Distance: 83 miles/134 km
Ascent: 13,796ft/4,205m
Time: 7 days
Start: Bangor
Finish: Bethesda

The search for slate has shaped the landscapes of North Wales in myriad ways, and at the height of this vast enterprise in the late Victorian period, it was said that Welsh slate ‘roofed the world’. But as the industry declined, the mines, quarries and tramways were gradually abandoned. Today, remains of these workings are still dotted across the mountains.

“Walking the Snowdonia Slate Trail is the best way to trace the fascinating industrial history of the area”

Visiting them is an atmospheric and unforgettable experience, and walking the Snowdonia Slate Trail is the best way to trace the fascinating industrial history of the area.

Created in 2017, it’s an absorbing 83-mile lollipop route that starts from the sea at Porth Penrhyn, Bangor, before heading south to Bethesda and embarking on a wide loop around Snowdon, Ffestiniog and the Glyderau.

Wales Coast Path

Distance: 70 miles/113km
Ascent: 10,157ft/3,096m
Time: 5-6 days
Start: Porthmadog
Finish: Machynlleth

In 2012, Wales became the first nation in the world to have a dedicated coast path along the entire length of its coastline. In total, it is 870 miles (1,400km) long, stretching from Chepstow in Monmouthshire to Queensferry in Flintshire. There are several fabulous stretches, not least the Gower Peninsula, the Pembrokeshire Coast, the Llŷn Peninsula and the Anglesey Coast Path.

“Any – and all – of these trails are well worth walking”

Any – and all – of these trails are well worth walking. However, the main section that lies within the boundaries of the Snowdonia National Park is the stretch of coast along the historic county of Meirionnydd, roughly reaching from Machynlleth in the Dyfi Valley to Porthmadog in the Glaslyn Estuary. This coastline includes the unique Italianate village of Portmeirion, the broad golden sands of Harlech Beach, the bustling seaside town of Barmouth – with its famous foot and rail bridge across the Mawddach Estuary – and the extensive dunes near Tywyn. In places, the path is surprisingly quiet, making for relaxed and tranquil walking, accompanied only by wheeling seabirds overhead, the crashing of waves and the salt tang of sea air.

North Wales Pilgrim’s Way

Distance 136 miles/219km
Ascent: 16,832ft/5,130m
Time 10-15 days
Start Basingwerk Abbey, Holywell
Finish Aberdaron

Long-distance walking is as much a mental challenge as a physical one, testing reserves of personal strength and fortitude whilst also offering plenty of headspace for reflection, contemplation and meditation. Perhaps that’s why so many classic pilgrim routes have been taken up by backpackers, from the Camino de Santiago that crosses northern Spain to the epic Via Francigena, which runs from Canterbury Cathedral to the Vatican in Rome.

“Long-distance walking is as much a mental challenge as a physical one”

The recently created North Wales Pilgrim’s Way, or the so-called ‘Camino Cymru’, is the latest addition to these historically and spiritually significant routes. It is a 136-mile waymarked trail between Basingwerk Abbey near Holywell and Bardsey Island, off the coast of the Llŷn Peninsula. The route links 6^th-century churches and other religious sites, including thousand-year-old crosses and ancient stone circles. Along the way it also skirts the fringes of northern Snowdonia, offering magnificent views into the park.

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For more from our Wales Issue 

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