If you are brave enough to climb the rocks of Cader Idris, you will be following in the footsteps of OG Jones. He was an adventurer of the late 19th century who pioneered a number of rock climbing routes, including Cader Idris.
In the early days, climbers stuck to gullies and crack lines; OG ventured onto faces and ridges, and so began a new trend of higher risk climbing. Sadly, OG was killed in the Alps at quite a young age.
At 2,927 ft, Cader Idris takes its name from a seventh century warrior killed in a battle against the Saxons. Appropriately, this means that the Snowdonia National Park begins and ends with mountains named after national heroes: the northern counterparts of Cader Idris are Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn, each more than 3,400 feet high.
Unlike 15 other peaks in Wales, Cader Idris doesn't make the 3,000 ft mark. Even so, it comes a close second to Snowdon in popularity.
Long ago, a man used to travel from Dolgellau to the summit of Cader Idris on a pack mule, to sell lemonade and sandwiches to tourists! The route he took is now called the Pony Path.
Cader Idris stands between the valleys of Mawddach and Dysynni and there are several routes up to Pen-y-Gader, the summit, from Dolgellau and Tal-y-Llyn lake.
The two highest glacial lakes - Llyn Cader to the north and Llyn Cau to the south - are favourite destinations. Llyn Cau is a most impressive lake, reputed to have no bottom, and also to hide in its depths a monster like that of Loch Ness.
The ascent is hard work - a mixture of hill walking and scrambling - so you need to know how to move over steep ground safely. But you are rewarded with breathtaking scenery.
your comments
Jerzy Gawor - London
Climbed Cader Idris for the first time on Thursday with my wife and three teenage girls. Got two thirds of the way to the top before the driving rain and heavy winds beat our best efforts. So had to go back down - always err on the side of caution - this mountain has taken many a seasoned climber.
Not bad going though. At 56 I could be a lot fitter and Elizabeth has had both arthritic hip joints resurfaced! We had no climbing/hiking gear at all! But we loved every minute of the climb as well as the descent - well worth it. Thanks to all the efforts by the National Trust to keep the tracks open and as safe as they can be.We'll definitely be back next year and this time we'll be leaner, meaner and fully 'tooled up'! We mean to get to the top - after that, Everest watch out!
Mon Aug 24 11:55:32 2009
Asif from the University of Birmingham
Been up Cader Idris many a time both alone and with friends. Its always hard work at the start as the climb is steep but once you get going its not too difficult. Tomorrow, I will climb it with my son and my 12 year old daughter together with some good friends from Uni. Once you go to Cader, you'll come back again and again as we do.
Mon Aug 17 10:31:33 2009
Phillo, Annette, Carmarthen
Climbed the Minffordd path Saturday. The hardest thing we have ever done, but well worth it. Felt on top of the world and the views were to die for. Might do it again when we forget how painful this time was.
Tue May 5 09:55:23 2009
Sharonn Cragg ,Birmingham
Seven of us made the climb, including my 11 year old daughter and nephew - our first ever mountain climb. Harder than expected but had a great clear day to enjoy the views. Enjoyed the whole experience, certainly felt the climb on my leg muscles the next 2 days!
Tue May 5 09:51:47 2009
John from Wirral
Climbed Cader yesterday with two friends, carried a Bergen which weighed me down but we managed to go up and down in 2hrs 20 minutes. Very enjoyable with amazing views all around, lucky to have nice weather as well.
Mon Apr 27 10:29:15 2009
Frank Matson from Southampton
Been up Cader twice, both up the Minffordd Path. Always thought it a real mountain. It gives the curious illusion of being a much bigger mountain than it really is. Although under 3000 ft, it feels just as big a mountain massif as, say, Scafell or the Glyders or even An Teallach or Liathach! Yes, Cader can hold its own against any higher hills in the country!
Wed Nov 19 09:34:01 2008
Andy, Nicky, Jamie, N Wales
We've just got back from the climb up Cader. Not sure about the others but I can't feel my legs today. The walk up wasn't too bad, evil at points. Gutted we couldn't actually see anything due to the rain/fog/cloud, but hey it made it more difficult to conquer! The way down, was slippy, muddy, but fun. I would recommend this to anyone, but wear some proper gear/boots etc.
Mon Oct 13 15:20:59 2008
Pinhead
We climbed this awesome mountain in 2007. The saying goes if you sleep on the mountain you wake to being a mad man or poet. We actually stayed in the summit shelter which was groovy and very spooky, woke to hearing the rock fall of the mountain. On the way back down peeps looked at us as though we were mad, so guess that solved our mystery of being mad/poet. Lovely mountain with fantastic views over to Ireland which we saw at night. Took a wee bottle of brandy up there.
Tue Oct 7 08:58:41 2008
Alan James, Bagilt.
Climbed Cader on 10 August 08 with my son and 3 friends for charity, it was a hard slog through the wind cloud and rain, it took us 2 hours to go up and one hour fortyfive coming down, and when we got back to our campsite our tent had blown down, still enjoyed the experience of going up Cader though.
Wed Aug 20 10:10:41 2008
justine frampton
My partner and i climbed this mountain in july 2008 at the peak its stands at 3120 feet according to our sat nav , we took the miniiforr pass which is the steepest but def the most spectacular ! you need to be in good health as its a hard climb to the top up past the lake and across the peaks! very beautiful and quiet up there its a must ! does anyone know how long that route is though? it took about 6 hours in all.
Wed Aug 13 09:31:08 2008
Adrian, Bristol
I completed my 7th ascent of Cader Idris on 8 August 2008. My wife dropped me off at the Gwernan Lake Hotel. I then headed south along the Foxes Path reaching the base of scree slope by Llyn y Gadair within the hour. After a brief stop for refreshments I started the final ascent. My preference is to take the western path up the scree slope rather than the one to the east which is on more rocky terrain. I got to the trig point in 40 minutes.
After a half hour lunch stop to admire the fine views on this clear day, rather than descending via the Midffordd Path as done previously I wal! ked firstly to Mynydd Moel then along the eastern saddle. The footpath is well defined and straight forward, however the maps show no path off the ridge to the north of Gau Griag! Thankfully the path here is reasonably visable making the descent easy. Where the path does disappear as it weaves around the crags, I followed the field boundary to the House Platform then picked up the path that lead to the Radio Mast at Bwlch coch.
The walk down the secondary road into Dolgellau was quiet until I met my wife and the kids in the car park! Total time taken 5 hours.
Mon Aug 11 10:33:51 2008
Kev, Kidderminster
We climbed Cader Idris on 29/05/08 and found it hard going (unfit), but well worth the effort for the views and the achievement. My dog also had a good swim in the Llyn Cau. I first climbed Cader 38 years ago, walking from the Arthog outdoor pursuit centre.
Tue Jun 10 10:04:18 2008
John in Naples, Italy
From 1950 to 53 I worked on a farm whose territory covered most of the Tal-y-Llyn side of Cader. We ranged the entire mountain most days all year round and in all sorts of weather. Idris is still here inside me and I've been back several times since, but he seems to have grown higher and steeper.. perhaps it's my old legs, though... Love the place to bits...!
Thu Jun 5 15:43:03 2008
Street Cheshire
I was told that Idris was a mythical giant and that Cadair Idris means the chair of Idris. Is one a corruption of the other?
Thu Apr 3 09:42:41 2008
