10 beautiful walking routes in Wales

Wales offers a wide variety of excellent walking environments, as well as some of Britain’s most beautiful landscapes. Here are ten Welsh walking routes you won’t want to miss.

1. Mynydd Ddu, Carmarthenshire

The Brecon Beacons National Park is famed for its stunning natural beauty, and you can truly appreciate it by following the seven-mile circular route around Mynydd Ddu.

The route takes you along beautiful mountain paths and across streams, offering stunning views over Cadair Idris and out to the Bristol Channel.

2. Rhossili, Swansea

Known for its picture-postcard scenery, the Gower peninsula is a delightful spot for walkers. You can sample the stunning coastal landscape by taking a leisurely 4.3-mile stroll along the cliffs from Rhossili Village.

After taking in the beautiful views from the top, head back along the golden beach to complete the experience.

3. Pont-rhyd-y-groes and Ystwyth Gorge

This lovely mid-Wales walk begins in Pont-rhyd-y-groes, Ceredigion, and takes you on a circular route for 4.5 miles, through some truly beautiful scenery. In addition to the woodland tracks, you can also see some of the area’s industrial heritage, such as the fascinating water wheel at the start of the route.

Experience the beautiful surroundings of Afon Ystwyth before crossing the wooden bridge at Ystwyth Gorge and returning to the village.

4. Loggerheads Country Park

Loggerheads Country Park is one of the most beautiful locations in north Wales, taking in woodlands and limestone cliffs in a charming three-mile walk alongside the River Alyn.

The route offers plenty to explore, including a number of caves, a restored water mill, and stunning views from the walkway over the Devil’s Gorge. If you want to extend the walk, you can also climb Moel Famau, the highest peak in the Clwydian range, easily from here.

5. Henrhyd Falls and Nant Llech

Henrhyd Falls, the tallest waterfall in south Wales, is a truly impressive sight, and an ideal place to begin a walk. After accessing the falls via a footpath and a wooden bridge, you can take the 3.5-mile trail alongside the Nant Llech Valley, which is a haven for natural wildlife.

Along the way you will experience some beautiful countryside and pass a disused watermill before sighting the River Tawe, which flows all the way out to the Bristol Channel.

6. Skirrid, Monmouthshire

Skirrid, near Abergavenny, is sometimes known as the Sacred Hill, and it offers some wonderful views from the top. It can be climbed via a four-mile trail which takes you through beautiful Caer Wood before ascending sharply to the summit, where you can visit St Michael’s Church.

The return journey takes you down the other side of the hill, and is ideal for viewing the surrounding countryside.

7. Llyn Coastal Path

The Llyn Coastal Path takes in some of the truly spectacular scenery of north west Wales. It stretches for 81 miles along the Gwynedd coastline between Caernarfon and Porthmadog, offering stunning mountain views at Trefor and passing through the charming coastal town of Pwllheli.

On clear days, it is sometimes possible to spot dolphins and grey seals off the coast.

8. Dinas Oleu, Barmouth

The name Dinas Oleu means “Citadel of Light”, and when you take this beautiful walk, you will understand why the hill deserves its name. The 1.2-mile trail begins on the winding streets of Barmouth Old Town, and leads you upwards until you reach the top of the hill. The stunning carpet of yellow gorse here gives the hill an illuminated, magical appearance.

The vista from the top is breathtaking too, with views stretching over the Mawddach Estuary and Cardigan Bay.

9. Pembrokeshire Coast Path

Few walking routes are as spectacular as the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, which encompasses a wide variety of stunning landscapes including beaches, secluded coves, estuaries and dramatic clifftops.

The route stretches for 186 miles between St Dogmaels and Amroth, leading you through Neolithic tombs at St David’s Head, castles at Manorbier and Pembroke, and the picturesque fishing villages of Solva and Little Haven. There is also plenty of wildlife to look out for along the way.

10. Mount Snowdon

Mount Snowdon, or Yr Wydffa as it is known in Welsh, is the highest mountain in Wales, and the jewel of the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd. It offers a challenge for walkers, and provides truly outstanding views over some of Britain’s most stunning countryside.

Snowdon can be climbed via six different routes, with varying degrees of difficulty. The most popular route is the Llanberis Path, which is nine miles in total to the summit and back, beginning and ending in the beautiful village of Llanberis at the foot of the mountain.