NORTH WALES
Nothing quickens the pulse quite like a razor-backed ridgeline, and if you’re looking for something to stretch your day in the mountains beyond a simple hillwalk then north Wales is the place to go.
The peaks in this weather-beaten corner of the world have some serious edge, with rock so sharp in places you’ll feel like you could clip your toenails on it. And the best bit is, with the exception of Cadair Idris in the south of Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park, the names on this list are clustered close together, meaning you could link a few of them for one memorable mountain weekend of ridge raiding.
We’ve tried to find something here for every level too. There are daring hillwalks, heart-thumping scrambles, and even a mini-mountaineering classic to pick from. Spoiled for choice as always, you lucky lot.
1 Crib Goch, Yr Wyddfa
The ultimate test – not because it’s the hardest, more because it straddles the zone between walking and climbing so bluntly – Crib Goch is loved and feared in equal measure. Tall and narrow, with sheer drops either side (though particularly to the north), this devilishly structured ridge demands respect and is considered the most demanding way for walkers and scramblers to the top of Wales’ highest peak.
Scrambling grade: 1
Thrill factor: 4/5
Terrain: Entertaining but serious, Crib Goch offers challenge and fright in equal measure. The crest is narrow and the drops are big, so you need a rock-solid head for heights on the more exposed sections.
2 Cyfrwy Arête, Cadair Idris
One of the hardest mountaineering challenges south of Scotland, the Cyfrwy (pronounced coof-ree) Arête is a high-level scramble/low-level climb that ascends the northern face of Cadair Idris. Impressively bristled and vertical-looking, it most definitely isn’t for beginners, requiring a rope and the skills to use it, not to mention a very firm constitution when it comes to matters of exposure. The view from the ‘table’ is stupendously positioned.
Scrambling grade: 4
Thrill factor: 5/5
Terrain: Loose in places, with big holds and pinnacles to combat the great steepness. The ridge is more of a climb than a scramble, so ensure you have the appropriate skills if you decide to take it on.
3 Nantlle Ridge
There are many moments on this long, linear rollercoaster of summits that are genuinely thrilling, but two stand out as being particularly so. The first is the north ridge of Mynydd-Drws-y-coed above Clogwyn Marchnad (bizarrely, ‘the cliffs of the market’), where the route lurches upwards and tilts scarily over some of the bi
