Does The Skirrid mountain in Wales look like a pair of buttocks?

May 20, 2026 Humour britain, earthquakes, the skirrid, wales, walking 2 Comments

A recent TV show on Channel 4 claimed that a well-known peak in South Wales resembled a set of trouser cushions, without producing photographic evidence. Was it true? There was only one way to find out: to climb it and see.

Fawrnicating in North Wales: Arenig Fawr from the north side

April 22, 2026 Trip reports arenig fawr, arenigs, britain, hill walking, moel llyfnant, snowdonia, wales 0 Comment

The Arenigs are a lesser known area of mountains in south-east Snowdonia. Most of the peaks are quite low, but one, Arenig Fawr, rises head and shoulders above the rest. It was only a short drive west of our hike in the Rhinogs, so it felt like a good opportunity to climb it the following day.

The Welsh Fab Four: Rhinog Fawr and the Rhinogs from Graigddu-Isaf

April 8, 2026 Trip reports britain, hill walking, rhinog fach, rhinog fawr, rhinogs, snowdonia, wales 0 Comment

The Rhinogs are not the most lofty peaks in Britain, but what they lack in height, they make up for in toughness. Paths are faint, steep and rough, and the peaks feel wild and remote. They had me staggering in exhaustion on my only previous trip fifteen years ago. It was time for a return visit.

An ascent of Aran Fawddwy, the highest point in Merionethshire

March 11, 2026 Trip reports aran benllyn, aran fawddwy, aran hills, britain, county tops, hill walking, peak bagging, snowdonia, wales 0 Comment

The Aran Hills form a north-south ridge extending 14km from the shores of Bala Lake to the sleepy village of Dinas Mawddwy, nestling between hills at a confluence of the River Dovey in southern Snowdonia. The central part of the ridge remains above 800m for more than 2km and reaches up to 905m on Aran Fawddwy, one of the more interesting County Tops.

Cracking Ben Cruachan: one of the finest peaks in the Southern Highlands

February 11, 2026 Trip reports ben cruachan, britain, glen awe, hill walking, munros, scotland, stob daimh 0 Comment

We saved the best walk for the best day. Edita and I had spied Ben Cruachan’s airy summit and hair-raising summit ridge from the top of Ben O’Cockle two days earlier. I could also see from the map that the walk across its top and that of its companion Munro Stob Daimh featured an enormous ridge.

Ben Lui: the finest peak in the Southern Highlands (my arse)

January 28, 2026 Trip reports ben a chleibh, ben lui, britain, glen lochy, hill walking, munros, scotland 8 Comments

A short distance east of our previous day’s Munros lay Ben Lui, a mountain considered by many to be the finest peak in the Southern Highlands. I once took a photo of it from the north-east, rising majestically like a marble throne above arctic tundra. From that moment I wanted climb it. But would it live up to the promise?

Beinn a’ Chochuill and Beinn Eunaich: fowling our way up the hooded peak

January 21, 2026 Trip reports beinn a chochuill, beinn eunaich, britain, glen awe, hill walking, munros, scotland 0 Comment

It was the fifth year in a row that Edita and I would be spending the Christmas period in Scotland trying to get up some hills, and our expectations weren’t high. Icy blizzards, deep snow, freezing fog and murderous summit winds had been our usual fare for the previous four. Would this year be any different?

Craig y Llyn: zipping up the cliff of the lake

November 19, 2025 Trip reports bannau brycheiniog, brecon beacons, britain, county tops, craig y llyn, hill walking, peak bagging, wales 0 Comment

A short distance south of Pen y Fan, the highest peak in the Brecon Beacons is a range of peaks less well known to the outside world. The Rhigos Hills are home to the highest point in the county of Glamorgan.

Wetherlam to Waterlam: climbing the Old Man of Coniston in a summer heatwave

July 16, 2025 Trip reports britain, county tops, cumbria, hill walking, lake district, met office, old man of coniston, peak bagging, swirl how, weather forecasts, wetherlam 0 Comment

The whole of Europe is in the middle of a scorching heatwave. Here in the Cotswolds the grass is as brown as a hay bale and the thermometer has been touching 30°C. It seemed like a good time to go hill walking in the Lake District, where good weather seemed guaranteed for a change.

Pen y Fan via Fan Frynych: two contrasting peaks in Bannau Brycheiniog

May 7, 2025 Trip reports bannau brycheiniog, brecon beacons, britain, corn du, fan frynych, hill walkng, pen y fan, wales 2 Comments

There was forecast to be one day of glorious weather over the Easter weekend. I nabbed it to take a day trip to the Brecon Beacons in South Wales, now known as Bannau Brycheiniog, and climb its highest peak via an extended route through a quieter part of the range.

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