Parking
This is a linear Cardiff-to-Conwy route with no single trailhead car park. Plan transport for the Cardiff start and Conwy finish, then use stage-specific access and parking for any section.
Overview
About Cambrian Way
Why go
- A true coast-to-coast traverse through Wales' highest and wildest country
- A varied sequence of ridges, remote upland, valleys and mountain stages
- Official stages, GPX files and checkpoints support careful planning
Heads up
- Very long and committing linear route requiring multi-day logistics
- Unwaymarked mountain sections demand strong navigation
- The Rhinogydd includes rough scrambling and difficult terrain
- Exposed high ground and fast-changing mountain weather raise the stakes
Map & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Eryri Tour Guide
Your drive to Cambrian Way, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Eryri National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
- 298 audio storiesacross Eryri’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Heron, Tawny Owl, Common Raven, and 9 more
- Works offlinemaps, 120 trails, 82 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Cambrian Way
The routeA linear coast-to-coast walk from Cardiff Castle to Conwy Castle: 298 miles (479 km) for the…
A linear coast-to-coast walk from Cardiff Castle to Conwy Castle: 298 miles (479 km) for the main route. The connected mapped corridor measures 479.5 km, a small mapping difference rather than a different trail. Plan it as a multi-day expedition, not a day loop.
What it is likeThis is a high-level walk through the Brecon Beacons, Cambrian Mountains and Eryri, finishing…
This is a high-level walk through the Brecon Beacons, Cambrian Mountains and Eryri, finishing among the mountains north of Conwy. It links open ridges, remote upland, valleys, villages and long mountain days. The official route is split into 21 stages, but the stage breaks are planning aids rather than a promise that every section is equally straightforward.
Effort and navigationThe distance is only part of the challenge.
The distance is only part of the challenge. Much of the route is unwaymarked, and the official guidance stresses map-reading, contour interpretation, a compass and reliable GPS backup. Expect exposed high ground, sustained ascent and descent, rough paths and slow terrain. The Rhinogydd section is the route's notorious crux, with scrambling and difficult navigation; weather can change the character of the higher sections quickly.
Access and logisticsThis is a linear Cardiff-to-Conwy journey, not a loop with one useful car park.
This is a linear Cardiff-to-Conwy journey, not a loop with one useful car park. Start at Cardiff Castle and arrange transport, accommodation and food over multiple stages; each stage needs its own access plan, and some remote stretches have limited services. A map and the current route information are essential before setting out.
DogsDogs can use the public rights of way and open-access sections when kept under close control.
Dogs can use the public rights of way and open-access sections when kept under close control. On open-access land in Eryri, use a lead no longer than 2 m from 1 March to 31 July, and use a short lead whenever livestock or wildlife is nearby. Rules can differ on individual land parcels and beaches, so check the local access position for each stage.
The trade-offThe reward is the scale and variety: this feels like a genuine Welsh mountain expedition rather…
The reward is the scale and variety: this feels like a genuine Welsh mountain expedition rather than a single viewpoint walk. The cost is commitment. You need strong navigation, mountain judgment and multi-day logistics, and a wrong turn or bad-weather decision can have consequences far beyond a missed photo stop.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Eryri
77 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
17 sightingsTawny OwlMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
32 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
21 sightingsGreat Spotted WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
18 sightingsEuropean RabbitMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
161 sightingsViviparous LizardMost seen around 10 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Eryri. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
