Cadair Idris or Cader Idris
It is a mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales. It lies at the southern end of Snowdonia National Park and reaches 893 m at its summit, named Penygadair (Welsh for "top of the chair"). It is one of the most popular mountains in Wales [1]. It is composed largely of Ordovician igneous rocks, with classic glacial erosion features such as cwms, moraines, striated rocks and roches moutonnées.
A number of named paths lead to the summit, such as the Pony Path, or the Fox's Path, the latter leading directly up the northern face of the mountain — a three-mile-long cliff and scree face. In recent years, the Fox's Path has degraded sufficiently to make it a dangerous descent for any other than experienced hikers and scramblers. To the north lie Dolgellau and the Mawddach estuary, while to the south is the glaciated Tal-y-llyn Lake. Two miles further west is the eastern end of the Talyllyn Railway, a narrow gauge preserved railway.
Much of the area around Cadair Idris was designated a National Nature Reserve in 1957, and is home to arctic-alpine plants such as purple saxifrage and dwarf willow.Cadair Idris means "the chair of Idris" in Welsh, a reference to a giant in Welsh mythology and the resemblance of one of the mountain's cwms, Cwm Cau, to an enormous armchair.
The spelling Cader Idris is often found in both Welsh and English, as reflected in the name of the local secondary school, Ysgol y Gader (never Ysgol y Gadair). This spelling is presumably due to the common pronunciation in everday speech of the Welsh word cadair as [kader] (rather than [kadair]). However, Cadair Idris is the form used on modern maps and many people regard Cader as incorrect.
Cregennen Lakes
Wales is a land of lakes and mountains. These beautiful lakes are located on the flanks of Cader Idris, the highest mountain in Mid Wales.Whichever way you chose to see Cregennen it is sure to inspire you on your visit to Wales. The allure of these lakes consists of one larger lake of 27 acres with an island and one smaller lake of 13 acres. In total Cregennen covers 705 acres of natural beauty, untouched, and now protected by the National Trust for your enjoyment.
Charles Darwin was a frequent visitor to the Cregennen and Snowdonia. Furthermore, a fascinating prehistory marked by standing stones still charms the area. Ancient Celtic inhabitants used to visit here in order to throw their treasures into the lake to ensure good fortune. Spend the night in a log cabin, caravan or camp nearby. Why not follow this up with a days fishing for wild brown trout and rainbow trout at the lakes? Some choose to row across either of Cregennen's large or small lakes to create a special day they never forget.
Coed y Brenin Forest
The visitor centre is where the fun begins; the set-up for Coed y Brenin is perfect. This starting point is the ideal location to whet your whistle while you contemplate the options for all your treks, whether by foot or by mountain bike.Here you will find a cafe, generous parking space, a riverside picnic area, children's adventure play area, toilets, bike hire and bike wash and a shop. All trails begin and lead back to the visitor centre. From the novice to the experienced, the fullest possible range of walks and biking trails are open to all from here.
Mountain Biking
Worshipped by those 'who know', Coed-y-Brenin forest is the mountain biker's seventh heaven. Networks of all weather, hand-built, single and dual slalom course tracks and technical boneshakers will wake the child in you. All this topped with the drama of Southern Snowdonia's mountain views for you to gaze in wonder while you loosen up and chill-out between rides. Mountain bikers are positively encouraged here as more regions of the forest are opened up.
Stay at the beach resort of nearby Barmouth in order to sample the full range of tracks that are as bracing as the mountain air; the 12km Fun route, the famous 'Red Bull' and 'MBR' trails through to the challenging 38km technical single track of the Karrimor loop. Days of incredible riding are available here for everyone, from families to the World-class racers who regularly train here. Its hard to believe that things can get better, but plans have been made to make Coed-y-Brenin a centre of world class mountain biking excellence.
Archaeology
The Coed-y-Brenin geology is as rich as the landscape is beautiful. Snowdonia National Park have successfully located and excavated the remains of several bloomery mounds and iron-working hearths around Coed y Brenin. Discoveries revealed that Bog iron began to be worked here during the medieval period. Indeed, it is around this period that other mineral deposits seem to have been first exploited. In more recent times, during the 19th Century the area was mined for more exotic metals such as copper, lead, zinc and even gold. Pant Llwyfog gold mine still holds the evidence today in its outcrops of quartz from which the gold was extracted.
Snowdonia region
Snowdonia is packed full of activities and attractions too numerous mention. The only way to discover them for yourself is to visit some of the beautiful villages and mountains throughout the region. Shops situated throughout Snowdonia offer mementos of your unforgettable visit in the form of local crafts and foods such as welsh lamb and cheese.
Pen y fan
Pen y Fan rises 2,907ft above sea level to grace the heart of the Brecon Beacons. Its close companion Corn Ddu, stands at 2,863 ft, and is scarcely half a mile away. These giant shoulders are certain to stir the imagination as you reach the summit. Liberating views over wide-open spaces of the beautiful Beacons, found along the way, are guaranteed to enliven you. The Beacons are bursting with a variety of possible activity from walking, biking, pony trekking, canoeing, sailing, and fishing to climbing, caving, windsurfing, hang-gliding and para-gliding.
Pen y Fan is the central work of art carved out by ancient glaciers in the Beacons. Indeed, the 520 square miles of the National Park bears full witness to the Ice Ages dramatic hard work. Ice-engraved crags, rounded valleys, glacial lakes, and old lakebeds are amongst the most captivating features on your visit.
Tryfan
Tryfan (Three Stones) is an extraordinary black sheep in Snowdonia's family of mountains with its own fascinating rock-strewn character. Tryfan offers more for the sprightly visitor, yet is a marvel to view from any of the surrounding locations. The wild goat population will vouch for the wide variety of climbing and scrambling the terrain offers. As one of the rockiest mountains in Wales it's no surprise that there is no easy way to the top.
Indeed, Tryfan is famed for being the only mountain in Wales that cannot be climbed without the use of hands. The mountain features are likened to the upper body of a shark with three awesome fins running along its top. Path maintenance continues throughout the year to preserve accessibility to the foot of the mountain ascent.See if you can find the 'cannon' - a bizarre 45 degree slanted pinnacle of rock visible from the road below. People customarily have their photo taken lying on its leaning upper edge, with an open view in the background.
Rock Climbing
For the eager rock climber there is the Tryfan East face and Milestone Buttress to get to grips with. Also, there is an excellent beginners' slab called Tryfan Fach. Take the challenges of Crack 4 (190 feet), or Little Tryfan Arête and Crack 1 (240 feet). At least some scrambling is required to reach the summit of Tryfan, even on the 'Tourists' route'. You can expect to be greeted at the top by two up-standing boulders named Adam and Eve. Though not for the faint-hearted, the North Ridge of Tryfan is a delight to scramble.
If you follow this way you can bear on up Bristly Ridge to the Glyders, then on to Y Garn and finally descending via Llyn Idwal. The North Ridge is an exciting expedition that stimulates curiosity with every step. As with all of Snowdonia, remember to pack a good map and compass.The Plas y Brenin Centre is located about 2 miles away. This centre offers instruction in all outdoor activities including canoeing and climbing in Snowdonia.
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