Y Rhinogydd · Western Snowdonia
The Rhinogydd are widely regarded as the toughest walking terrain in Wales — not because of height, but because of the sheer, unrelenting roughness underfoot. Tightly packed gritstone outcrops, deep heather and a near-total absence of paths make this range a serious proposition even for experienced hillwalkers, rewarding them with a sense of true wilderness rare anywhere else in Britain.
Difficulty
Hard
Terrain
Bare gritstone outcrops, deep heather, pathless terrain
Best for
True wilderness · Navigation practice · Avoiding crowds entirely
The most famous summit in the range, a rocky tower above Cwm Bychan.
Hard, rough pathless terrain
Rhinog Fawr’s smaller twin, separated by a dramatic, steep-sided col.
Hard
The highest point of the range, with a surprisingly smooth grassy summit ridge.
Moderate once gained, hard approach
The southern anchor of the main ridge, overlooking the Mawddach estuary.
Moderate
A rocky knoll on the ridge north of Diffwys.
Moderate
An outlying hill to the east, lower but equally rough underfoot.
Moderate
A minor northern summit guarding the approach from Cwm Bychan.
Moderate, pathless approach
A rocky outcrop on the northern fringes, often combined with Foel Penolau.
Moderate
A tough there-and-back over Rhinog Fawr and Rhinog Fach from Cwm Bychan.
The smoother southern ridge, with the best reward-to-effort ratio in the range.
A serious full-length traverse of the range from north to south — for experienced parties only.
Built from real elevation data — drag, orbit and walk the actual terrain.