The 10 best hikes in Mid Wales
Whilst the Cambrian mountains doesn’t have the same level of dramatic land scape and awe inspiring beauty that Snowdonia and Bannau Brycheiniog National Parks can offer, the region still has a whole host of varied and majestical walks for people of all ages and abilities.
The Cambrian mountains are known as the last wilderness of wales and are perfect for finding crowd free peaks. Alongside the rolling welsh hills, there’s a plethora of forests, lakes, and even 60 miles of gorgeous coastline to explore.
In this blog post I outline 10 of the best must do hikes in Mid-Wales.
At a glance
Pumlumon Fawr
Elan Valley Trail
Llangrannog to New quay
Hafod Estate
Pen y Garn
Devils Bridge Falls
Cadair Idris
Bryn-y-Fan
Yr Allt Circular
Nant Gwernal station and the Secret Waterfall
Pumlumon Fawr
Route type: Circular
Length: 6-8km
Elevation gain: 450m
Difficulty: Moderate
Situated deep within the last wilderness of Wales, Pumlumon Fawr (Also known as Plynlimon) is the highest point of the Cambrian Mountains and the county of Ceredigion.
This short but moderately challenging hike is perfect for those wanting to reconnect with nature, find some solitude, and have magical 360 degree panoramic views over Mid Wales .
For all the information on the route, check out my detailed hike guide below.
Llangranog to New Quay
Route type: One way
Length: 13.5km
Elevation gain: 745m
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard
Arguably the most spectacular part of the Ceredigion coastal path, this section is a heritage coast and includes the iconic Ynys Lochtyn alongside numerous quaint little bays, including CwmTydu
The hike starts at the Iconic Llangrannog beach which is hometo Carreg Bica, a rock which according to legend used to be a giants tooth.
You have the option to stop at Cwmtydu, which is 7.5km into the walk or carry on all the way to Newquay. If you didn’t have two cars, you can catch the 552 service bus (Thurs-Sat only) back to Llangrannog.
Elan Valley Trail
Route type: Out and Back
Length: 6.7km
Elevation gain: 175m
Difficulty: Easy
Nestled in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains of Mid Wales, the Elan valley is a series of Victorian dams and reservoirs located within some of the most picturesque landscape Wales has to offer.
While its easy enough to drive through the area and quickly stop at each dam, my sugestion is to explore the region by foot.
The Elan Valley has a trail which runs from its visiotr centre all the way up to the the Craig Goch dam, which is thes the highest upstream dam in the Elan Valley.
My recommendation would be to explore the section of trail between the Pen y Garreg dam and the Craig Goch dam. The gentle, wide bridleway is on the opposite side of the reservoir to the road and is very tranquil.
Once you reach the Craig Goch dam, I would recommend crossing over it and taking a hike up to the viewpoint which looks over the dams and valleys below.
To get the most out of your visit to the Elan Valley check out my blog post below.
Hafod Estate
Route type: Circular
Length: 1-4 miles
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Parking & start point: Hafod Estate car park
Designed in the late eighteenth century by Thomas jones, The Hafod estate was consists of 200 hectares of picturesque grounds to explore.
There are five historic woodland walks which weave around the grounds showing off its wide range of forests, ancient bridges, and wonderful waterfalls. The walks are all relatively easy and are between one and four miles.
Two which I would recommend are the Lady’s walk and the Ystwyth Gorge Walk.
Open all year round, and free to access, Hafod is off the B4574 between Pontrhydygroes and Cwmystwyth. For more information check out the National Trust website
Devils Bridge Falls
Route type: Loop
Length: 1.2km
Elevation gain: 120 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Fee: £4
Parking & Start point: voltages.sedated.skin
The beautiful woodland walk costs £4, involves 675 uneven steps and is very steep, so a good level of fitness and physical ability is required.
There is usually an attendant at the entrance to the waterfall walk from 9.45am to 5.30pm. When there is no attendant on duty you can pay by debit card or coins and enter through the turnstiles.
Parking for the walk is free. Alongside a tearoom & gift shop at the entrance to the walks, food is available from the Hafod Hotel opposite the exit to the waterfall walk.
Cadair Idris
Type: Loop
Distance: 6.1 miles / 10km
Elevation Gain: 977m
Hike Difficulty: Hard
Although located in Snowdonia National Park, the mountains southerly location means it’s quickly and easily accessible from Mid Wales.
One of the three Welsh Peaks, Cadair Idris is a mighty mountain steeped in history and legend. In my option it is also one of the best hikes in Wales due to it’s prominent location and varied terrain.
The best route to the summit is via the Minffordd path from the south, but you can also take the easier Pony Path From the north.
For all the details on the hike, check out my blog post below.
Bryn-Y-Fan
Route type: Out & Back
Length: 3.2 km
Elevation gain: 208 m
Difficulty: Moderate
Bryn-Y-Fan sits above the beautiful Llyn Clywedog, on a clear day your will be granted great views over the reservoir and the surrounding hills. Although a short hike the route is very punch, Gaining 200m of elevation gain in a mile.
Yr Allt Circular
Route type: Circular
Distance: 4.2 km
Elevation gain: 142 m
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
This is a lovely trail offering beautiful views as you make your way along the edge of Llyn Clywedog, through the trees, and up and over Yr Allt. Please note, there are sheep in this area so please keep dogs on a lead at all times. At times the trail can be closed in places for nesting birds, please adhere to any signage along the route.
Nant Gwernal station and the Secret Waterfall
Again this walk is located in the far south of Snowdonia national park and is quickly and easily accessible from Mid Wales.
The waterfalls impressive stature and its Batman-esq surrounding is what makes this location so sought after.
Set deep within a secluded forest, the single drop fall cascades down into the cavernous remains of a once mined quarry.
I’m not going to give away the exact location of the waterfall as some places should be found, however you can read about my adventure (and pick up some clues) within my blog below.
So there we have it, the 10 of the best hikes in Mid-Wales.
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For more Mid-Wales travel inspiration check out my other guides below.
For some Welsh travel inspiration check out my in-depth guides to each of my favourite Welsh regions below.
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