Dolgellau as a base
Dolgellau is well placed for walking, cycling and sightseeing. This list reworks the archived top ten for the town, with sites that lie within about ten miles.
The ten
- Cader Idris. The mountain towers over the town, and walkers reach the top by a couple of paths from this side. The favoured one is the Pony Path, which starts at the Ty Nant car park.
- Barmouth. A pretty seaside town with a huge sandy beach and views back towards Cader Idris.
- Cymer Abbey riverside walk. A path along the Mawddach to the historic abbey.
- Torrent Walk. About a mile and a half there and back beside the Afon Clywedog, rising from 150 to 500 feet. It was created in the late 1800s by the Richards family of the Caerynwch estate.
- Arans viewpoint. A high viewpoint with a wide panorama, taking in the Arran range inland and the town of Barmouth and the sea to the west.
- Precipice Walk. A circuit with panoramic views over the Mawddach river towards the mountains.
- Mawddach Trail. Nine miles of old railway line between Dolgellau and Barmouth.
- Cregennen Lakes. Two lakes, of 27 and 13 acres, roughly 785 feet up, beneath Cader Idris.
- Coed y Brenin. A well-known mountain-biking forest with all-weather tracks.
- Penmaenpool. A hamlet some three miles to the west of the town, notable for its old toll bridge over the Mawddach and a former railway stop.
Tips
Use the Dolgellau page to see the town’s history, and the things to do guide for a broader choice. Weather in the mountains can change quickly, so go prepared and check forecasts.