The long ridge of Pared y Cefn Hir — "the long back fence" — runs south from Dolgellau over high moorland to the Aran massif. This is southern Eryri at its most remote and least visited: a landscape of high grass and bog, enormous views, and an almost complete absence of other walkers. The Aran mountains are the forgotten giants of Eryri. This is Experience #92 of the Snowdonia 100.
The Aran Mountains
Aran Fawddwy at 905m is the highest mountain in Wales south of Snowdon, yet it receives a fraction of the visitors of the northern peaks. The reasons are partly locational — the mountain is further from the tourist centres of Llanberis and Betws-y-Coed — and partly characterological: the Aran mountains are grassy rather than rocky, their summits broad rather than dramatic, their approaches long and boggy. These same qualities make them exceptional for those who seek genuine remoteness.
| Start | Cwm Cywarch or Llanuwchllyn |
| Aran Fawddwy height | 905m — highest in Wales south of Snowdon |
| Distance | 12–16km circular depending on route |
| Difficulty | Strenuous — remote, navigationally demanding, boggy terrain |
The View
From the summit of Aran Fawddwy on a clear day, the panorama extends across the whole of south and central Wales — Cadair Idris immediately north, the Brecon Beacons to the south, the sea visible in multiple directions. The view of Cadair Idris from this direction — its north face seen from the southeast — is one of the finest perspectives on that mountain available from any other summit.
Experience #92 of 100 — Hidden Eryri category.
Independently written — Snowdon.com