Berwyn Mountains

Hidden away to the east of the very popular national park, Snowdonia, is the lesser known area of The Berwyn Mountains, one of North Wales' greatest natural secrets.

While everyone has heard of the mountains of Snowdonia, the Berwyn Mountains remain relatively unknown, and yet this range of mountains stretches all the way from Llangollen in the east, along the Dee Valley to Bala in the west.  The highest peak is that of Cadair Berwyn, at 830 metres, but there are 24 peaks above 600 metres that are all just waiting to be explored!

The Berwyn mountains are a haven for wildlife. Their moorland tops provide habitats for curlews, merlins and red kites, among others, while the streams and rivers of the valleys play host to dippers, the occasional kingfisher, and the more common swallows and dunnocks.

The interleaving of upland and lowland habitats, open and forested land, well-drained and wet environments creates a fascinating local ecology, rich and diverse. Due to this specialised habitat rare plants can be found such as the mountain blackberry - or cloudberry, and the lesser twayblade.

There are now two specific walks from Llangollen which incorporates the Berwyn Montain range, namely the North Berwyn Way and the Dee Valley Way.  The Dee Valley Way runs for 15 miles between Corwen and Llangollen. For a shorter walk, select a section or two to suit your needs or travel back from your walk by steam train or
horse-drawn canal boat to add a bit more character to your walk!