Welsh 15 Peak Challenge
Tackle the highest peaks in Wales - in a single weekend
What's Included?
Small Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
Hike and scramble through the Carneddau, Glyders and Snowdon ranges – home of the highest mountains in Wales
Ascend ridges, cross linked peaks in rapid succession and experience the stellar views and natural beauty of Snowdonia, the largest National Park in Wales
15 mountains. 4000m of gain. 1 incredible weekend
Key Information
Day 1
Arrival at Lodge Dinorwig, Snowdonia
Arrive at the hostel in time for a pre-trip briefing and enjoy getting to know your fellow adventurers over dinner at 7pm. Then heads down for some sleep - it's an early start the next day.
Day 2
The Carneddau
Hiking
Meet your guides and after a quick briefing get out onto the trail. Follow an old Roman road into the heart of the Carneddau Mountains, hike through a pass framed by twin Bronze Age monoliths and climb onto the ridgeline where the day’s goals will be lined up in front of you.
First stop - Foel Fras (942m), northernmost of the Welsh 3000s, followed by 3 more peaks in quick succession. Push to the top of Carnedd Llewelyn, the highest summit in the range (1064m) and then snag Pen Yr Ole Wen on the way down. Hike into the beautiful Ogwen Valley and then its back to the hostel for dinner. Seven peaks down, eight to go.
Day 3
The Glyders
Hiking
Fuel up with a big breakfast and then hit the trail again – one that’s rockier and more rugged than yesterdays. Your first goal is Tryfan (917m), lowest of the Welsh 3000s, but also one of the most challenging thanks to the final scramble to the top. Descend via the picture-perfect Adam and Eve Rocks, then it’s a short, steep climb up Glyder Fach.
Cross a formation known as the 'Castle of the Wind' to attain Glyder Fawr (999m), the highest peak in the range, then descend back to Llanberis via a natural hanging garden of alpine flowers and the last two peaks of the day, before heading to the bar for a cold drink. Twelve down, just three more to go (including the big one).
Day 4
The Snowdon Massif
Hiking
Time to finish this thing off. Follow the snaking, rocky ridge to the summit of Crib Goch and then climb to Crib Ddysgl. One last ascent and you’re on top of Mount Snowdon (1085m), the highest of them all. Take some victory pics, enjoy a mountaintop lunch and then it’s all downhill. Depending on weather and time you’ll either complete the Snowdon Horseshoe or descend via the Pyg Track - either way the scenery is spectacular. Head back to Llanberis, the train station and home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Bangor Train Station, or Caernarfon in Wales
17:00 onwards on Day 1
Ends
Bangor Train Station, or Caernarfon in Wales
18:45 on Day 4
Transfers
If travelling by train: your host will pick you up from Bangor Train Station at 5.30pm for the 20-minute transfer to the hostel in Caernarfon. This transfer must be requested via your passenger information form no later than 7 days before arrival.
If travelling by car: drive directly to the hostel in Caernarfon where free parking is available. You can check in any time from 5.00pm.
At the end - you can be dropped back at the hostel or taken to Bangor train station for onward travel at 6:45pm.
Travel options
There are regular trains to Bangor from across the UK. If arriving by air - we recommend flying to London, Bristol or Cardiff airports, and then getting the train from one of these hubs.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Breakfasts at the Lodge are filling with generous portions of cereal, toast and cooked breakfast (meat, vegetarian or vegan) with tea and coffee. Packed lunches include sandwiches, crisps, cake and chocolate. You'll need to bring your own snacks and drinks for the trail. All dietary requirements including vegetarian and vegan can be catered for: just make this request on your passenger information form.
Evening meals are not included, but can be pre-ordered at Dinorwig Lodge or you can also take a trip into the village of Llanberis. Most people opt to eat as a group in the lodge and they cost around £10-£15 per person. Alcohol is not served at the lodge but you are welcome to bring your own.
What is the accommodation like?
Lodge Dinorwig
The accommodation is Lodge Dinorwig. The lodge is an old school set on the hillside above Llyn Padarn, with spectacular views overlooking Snowdon. The bunkroom consists of 14 solidly built beds, each with its own reading light and a curtain for a little added privacy. All bedding is provided, but please bring your own towel.
Not for the faint hearted! A good solid 3 day challenge with scrambling. If you’re not as confident like I was on Day 4 there are plenty of alternatives. Enjoy it as it’s over before you know it!
Fantastic, but challenging, experience in the beautiful Welsh peaks. Be prepared for all weathers! Knowledgeable guides, logistics smooth and communications with host was good. Great accommodation too! Thanks 😊
Due to the weather conditions the hike was harder than expected but Tom, Jim and Larry made sure we did the right hikes and took great detours along the way. All while keeping an amazing spirit! Sonnie's lodge and amazing cooking after each day was what the entire group was looking forward to.
The guides were excellent, they helped us power through the challenging weather conditions and recommended us to not do certain peaks when the winds were too strong. Be sure to carry proper waterproofs as the rain and wind can be quite strong. The lodge was really nice and the hosts provided us with some excellent food for lunch and dinner!
What a brilliant adventure! Looking down from the scramble up Crib Goch to stunning views on either side was something special. Great to hike with some lovely, like-minded people, and Much Better Adventures looked after the details to make it feel like a stress-free holiday too. On the last day, even as a small group, we had different aspirations - they made it possible for us all to achieve them by bringing in an extra guide - the kind of thing that, alongside the quality of the food and the accommodation, made it feel worth the price.
Fantastic trip, challenging, well planned and managed by hosts, guides, lodge etc
This is a challenging three days of hill walking where you will be rewarded with beautiful rugged landscapes. It teetered between hiking and mountaineering for me with some grade 1 scrambles. I am not at all sure footed at height so I opted out of Crib Goch and based on the conditions I was very glad I did. I would highly recommend this trip for those used to regular hill walking (there is around 3000m of height gain over the three days) It’s been fantastic to explore Snowdonia and the other worldly landscapes of Tryfan and Glyderau
challenging, memorable and invigorating trip!
Fab trip - great hosts, brilliant guides, wonderful Welsh scenery - all round fun!!
Lovely people, a hostel with really nice touches, delicious food, and tasty coffee (NB dinners not included in price), guides very friendly but reluctant to give much local knowledge. Good fun, VERY challenging hikes - overall quite pricey with some room for improvement. Be prepared for all weather!
A very well organised trip , enthusiastic guides . The Lodge Dornwig is excellent . The whole trip was a very enjoyable experience
Great trip! Would definitely recommend but make sure you are a fast hill walker AND that you have been training prior to the trip. Not for the faint hearted :)
The trip was so well organised. The guides were very supportive and understood everyone's abilities very well. It currently was a challenge but everyone was very encouraging. I will remember this trip for a long time!
Fantastic experience. Very challenging to complete all the peaks over 3 days. Would book again. Great team running the adventure and well organised.
Everything - accommodation, guides, food, organisation - was simply the best!
Great weekend which was made even better by the group of people I met also on the trip. Very knowledgeable leaders who were fantastic on the more scrambly sections of Tryfan and Crib Goch. A good level of fitness is necessary for this weekend as they are long days with a significant amount of climbing. The hotel in Caernarfon was bang on and I enjoyed having my own space? Overall it really was an adventure and I would highly recommend.
This weekend was amazing and I would highly recommend it. You definitely need to have a high level of fitness and have good worn in walking boots. The organisation from the local host was spot on. Jim and his team were friendly, knowledgeable and always looking to keep us safe. There were always options for anyone who didn't feel comfortable in any situation. Us having a great time was their priority. I will definitely be doing another trip. I pushed myself all weekend and was definitely out of my comfort zone on more than one occasion. Loved it.
The Welsh 15 Peaks trip was amazing. The three days were each so different but challenging and very enjoyable. We were blessed with blue skies for 2 days with stunning views and the 3rd day the clouds came and went. The trip is extremely well organised and very safe. It is challenging and you do need a good level of fitness but there are alternative routes available if you struggle with heights at certain points. Jim and Ian are excellent Mountain Leaders and really helped and made the whole experience wonderful. I would highly recommend and I would consider doing it all again
Wow, what a weekend!! I can’t recommend this trip and our local hosts highly enough. The trek was certainly a challenge, not only distance and elevation covered each day and time on your feet, but also the terrain to navigate. I loved the exhilaration and achievement of climbing and scrambling up and down the peaks, all offering something different to the experience. The views are pretty stunning too! The hotel accommodation was good, and provided a great base to sleep (and eat) each day. And the guides were fantastic - so friendly, knowledgeable and attuned to the group’s needs, making sure we all had a great experience and finished each day with smiles. I’m already planning my next trip!
Amazing walking. Definitely tough with some decent scrambles, our group only managed 12 of the 15 peaks but still had a good time. Came by myself and met a lovely group of walkers I’ll stay in touch with.
This trip was enjoyable and physically and mentally challenging. A really nice introduction to Snowdonia. I would say it does require a certain level of fitness though to ensure you enjoy it rather than suffer through it!
Unfortunately due to extreme weather we only managed about 2 peaks. Luckily we had a great group and fantastic guides (Kat and Abi) who worked extremely hard to tweak the hikes every day so we were still able to maximize our time. Despite the issues we had, we all made the most of it and still had such a laugh.
A great trip - well organised, fantastic weather and the group all got on really well. Would definitely recommend!
Really great trip!
A brilliantly challenging and rewarding trip! A mix of hiking, climbing and scaling your way across the 15 peaks of Wales. What an experience!
When booking the trip, although it said “challenging” it contradicted itself by stating that no previous experience was needed. I felt that a few people on the trip were not prepared for the pace, lack of breaks and range of abilities within the group. Although no experience was needed, we did receive a 6 week training plan but only 2 weeks before the trip. We were told poles were optional but then on the 2nd day that they would definitely be needed. We also experienced the first heatwave of the year - again, nothing on the kit list prepared us for this type of weather. My friend struggled with the pace of the group, which wasn’t accommodated and she was made to feel bad that she couldn’t keep up. This obviously impacted on myself as I tried to bridge the gap and effectively help the guide do his job. I think the trip has the potential to be excellent but the wording on the website pre booking, the kit list and the training plan all needs to be reviewed to avoid people booking in error.
Fantastic weekend, stunning views and Sam an amazing guide ! Excellent organisation and friendly team. The perfect way to discover Snowdonia! Would definitely recommand ! 🤩
Can not go wrong with the Welsh mountains. Local host and guide were excellent
Great trip, wonderful guides, can't wait for another adventure
What an amazing adventure. Went on some great climbs: our guides were excellent, and it was with a great group. The highlight was Day 2 - would highly recommend this trip and many thanks to all involved.
Guides
Professional, experienced mountain guides
Accommodation
3 nights in a local lodge
Meals
All breakfasts and lunches
Our trips are hassle-free by design. We include all the activities and equipment, as well as many of the meals, so you can simply rock up with your rucksack and share the adventure with your new pals.
Personal Expenses
You know your own spending habits best, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals and drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry.
What do I need to bring?
Bag
Rucksack (20 - 35L)
Clothes
- Fleece jacket
- Waterproof top and bottoms
- Warm hat and thin gloves
- Hiking socks (2 pairs)
- Thermal top and bottoms (wool or synthetic, not cotton)
- Lightweight, breathable hiking trousers (synthetic, not denim or cotton)
- Sturdy, broken-in hiking boots with ankle support are essential. Walking shoes or trainers are not permitted.
Other
- Water bottles or bladder (2L capacity)
- Whistle
- Phone or camera in waterproof bag
- Snacks/energy food
- Head torch
- Walking poles (optional but recommended)
- Personal toiletries and sanitary supplies
- Sun protection (hat, sunglasses and sunblock)
- Towel
No optional extras are available for this trip.
We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 42kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000 miles/1609km would be approximately 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person, if there were two of you in it).
- A return economy class flight between London and New York would be approximately 1619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approximately 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
This challenge is run with experienced and friendly mountain leaders. While en-route you can learn about map reading and how to navigate with a compass, as well as local history, flora and fauna. They'll also keep you safe with their first aid training and VHF radio backup.
It is not possible to book pre or post-trip accommodation at Lodge Dinorwig as they will only be accepting private group bookings of 8+. If you would like an extra night in the area your host will be happy to help you - just message them via your booking.
Yes any extra bags can be left in the hostel or in the vehicle during the day.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Need help finding flights?
From logistics and how to get there, to fitness, group dynamic and trip difficulty, Rory and his team of friendly experts are on hand to help.
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DEPARTURE DATES
