Walking
Climbing Cadair Idris
The great whaleback that guards southern Eryri — 893 metres, a giant's chair, and the best big-day-out from the coast.
From the front at Aberdyfi the skyline to the north is dominated by one great whaleback of rock: Cadair Idris, the mountain that guards the southern edge of Eryri. At 893 metres it is not the highest peak in Wales, but few are more dramatic, and climbing it is the big-day-out reward for anyone who comes to the coast with mountain legs. Here is how it is done from this side, and what you are taking on.
The mountain, and its giant
Cadair Idris means “the chair of Idris”, Idris being a giant of legend who is said to have sat among these crags to study the stars. The mountain keeps a darker legend too: that anyone who spends a night alone on its summit comes down either a poet or a madman. We would not recommend testing it. What we would recommend is a clear day, because the summit, Penygadair, gives one of the great views in Wales — Cardigan Bay laid out to the west, the peaks of Eryri marching north.
The routes up
There are three classic ways up, and the choice matters.
- The Minffordd Path is the most popular and, for our money, the finest. It starts near the head of Tal-y-llyn lake and climbs past the dark glacial cwm that cradles Llyn Cau, one of the most photographed lakes in the country, before swinging up to the summit. It is steep but rewarding, around five to six miles round.
- The Pony Path (Llwybr Pilin Pwn) climbs from Ty Nant on the Dolgellau side. It is the gentlest gradient of the three and a reliable choice in less than perfect weather.
- The Fox’s Path is the short, brutal direct line, with a notorious scree section that is genuinely hazardous on the descent. Experienced walkers only, and most leave it well alone.
Getting to the start from Aberdyfi
This is one for the car. The Minffordd trailhead is roughly a forty-minute drive round through Tywyn and Abergynolwyn, or via Corris, with a pay car park at the start. There is no realistic way onto the mountain by public transport from the village, so if you are travelling car-free, save Cadair for a day you hire wheels, or pick one of the walks that start from our door instead.
This is a real mountain. Cadair Idris is serious ground with serious weather, and people get into difficulty on it every year. Go properly equipped: boots, map and compass (and the ability to use them), waterproofs, layers, food and water, and a charged phone. Check the mountain forecast before you set off, turn back if the cloud comes down, and tell someone your plan. The National Park has current route advice.
If the summit can wait
Not every day needs 893 metres of ascent, and Cadair is glorious from below as well as above — the walk in to Llyn Cau alone is worth the trip. For walks that climb less and start nearer home, our guide to the best walks around Aberdyfi covers the Panorama and the route up to Llyn Barfog, while the Wales Coast Path keeps you at sea level entirely. Either way, the rest of the area is in our things-to-do guide, and a day-trips guide for the wider region.
Cadair Idris: the essentials
- Height — 893m (Penygadair summit); southern Eryri.
- Best route — the Minffordd Path, past Llyn Cau (5–6 miles round).
- Gentlest — the Pony Path from Ty Nant.
- Avoid descending — the Fox’s Path scree, unless experienced.
- From Aberdyfi — about 40 minutes’ drive to the Minffordd start; not reachable by public transport.
Make a weekend of it
Llety Bodfor is a small seafront bed & breakfast right on Bodfor Terrace, a minute from everything in this guide. Sea-view rooms, a proper Welsh breakfast, and the people who wrote this at the door.