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3. UK Mountain Challenges – Our Pick of The Best

Here in the UK, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to mountain challenges. From Eryri (Snowdonia) and the Brecons in Wales to the Munros of Scotland, the majestic Mournes in Northern Ireland and the glorious Peak District and Lake District in England, there is so much to explore. But where do you begin? Which is the right challenge for you? If you’re looking to push yourself to the limit while enjoying some of this island’s most striking landscapes, here is our pick of the best UK mountain challenges.

Climb Snowdon

We’ll ease into the list of our favourite UK mountain challenges with a climb that perfectly illustrates how challenge is very much a relative term. Experienced challenge participants may not consider reaching the summit of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) an overly testing proposition. But for thousands of people every year, it’s a tough, testing and trying experience that requires considerable effort. In other words, it’s definitely a challenge!

Standing at 1,085 metres, reaching the top of Yr Wyddfa is no mean feat. Depending on which route you take, it requires anywhere between 720 metres and 1,015 metres of elevation gain and 5.5 km and 7.25 km of hiking. With six main routes up the mountain, you can tailor the hike to your ability and make it as challenging as you need. While some hikers will find the Llanberis Path tricky enough, others will want to tackle the iconic ridgeline scramble across Crib Goch or attempt the entire Snowdon Horseshoe.

If you’re looking to challenge yourself by climbing Yr Wyddfa, we recommend taking the time to understand what you’re committing to. We have an excellent Beginner’s Guide to the mountain over at Climb Snowdon and there’s a bunch of other resources in the blog there too.

Snowdon Six Challenge

Ready to take the Yr Wyddfa challenge to the next level? The Snowdon Six Challenge is a unique offering from the RAW Adventures team. Participants will summit Yr Wyddfa three times, using all six major routes in the process and clocking up more than 2,800 metres of climbing and 40 km of hiking. And you do it all in less than 24 hours. Does that pique your interest? Here are the details.

Setting out on the UK’s historic first public footpath, you’ll begin the day by ascending past the old slate quarries that line the Watkin Path. On reaching the summit, you’ll head back down via the Miner’s path. At the bottom, you’ll restock, refuel and gather your energy for the second climb. This time, you’ll be going up the famous Pyg Track. This is followed by a descent along the Snowdon Ranger path, which boasts stunning views of the Llyn Peninsula and Môn (Anglesey). After refuelling one last time at the bottom, it’s up once more via the quieter Rhyd Ddu path, before a final descent on the Llanberis Path.

A demanding challenge that requires a great deal of grit and determination, you’ll cross the finish line at Llanberis utterly exhausted. However, with the weariness comes that post-challenge buzz and the sense that you have just achieved something truly special. A great one for fundraisers looking to push themselves to the limit for a good cause, the Snowdon Six is shaping up to be one of the most exciting, environmentally-friendly and enticing UK mountain challenges out there.

Three Peaks Challenge

There is a good chance you have heard of this one, as it is possibly the most famous UK mountain challenge on this list. Over the course of 24 hours, participants scale the three highest peaks in each of the UK regions – Yr Wyddfa, Scafell Pike and Ben Nevis. In total, that’s 42 km of hiking and 3,000 metres of climbing. Then there is all the travelling between mountains to factor in, too. Approximately 11 hours of your day will be spent on the road, transferring between the climbs.

Still, the Three Peaks Challenge remains a big draw for outdoor enthusiasts and charity fundraisers alike. It’s attritional, packs in all the biggest names in UK mountaineering and is a battle against the clock – so it ticks all the boxes. There are some questions about how sustainable and environmentally responsible the challenge is, but Climb Snowdon has covered those issues in a comprehensive blog post. If you want more information on that aspect of the challenge and how you can make it more sustainable, it’s worth a read.

Welsh 3000s Challenge

While the Three Peaks Challenge is the popular poster boy for UK mountain challenges, there is a whole host of lesser-known challenges that are actually significantly harder. The Welsh 3000s is one such challenge. It consists of scaling all 15 of Wales’ 3000+ feet peaks within 24 hours. The route encompasses three mountain ranges and more than 4,200 metres of ascent, making a successful sub-24-hour time something to be very proud of.

The Welsh 3000s requires a considerable amount of training and plenty of experience traversing tricky terrain. If you’re in good shape, an 18-20 hour time is perfectly achievable. But it will be one of the hardest days you will ever experience in the mountains and your legs will hurt for days to come.

The best thing about this challenge is the route. Carefully planned and brilliantly executed, it takes you across Yr Wyddfa, Crib Goch, Y Garn, Glyder Fawr, Carnedd Dafydd, Yr Elen, Foel Grach and Carnedd Gwenllian, to name just a few highlights. And it does so without resorting to any other form of transportation but your own feet. If you like the sound of the hike but don’t want to rush the experience, the Welsh 3000s can also be walked over three days, allowing you to take it a bit easier and fully enjoy the majesty of the Welsh mountains.

Lakeland 24 Peaks

Moving away from beautiful Wales for a moment, our next challenge sees us heading to the Lake District. The Lakeland 24 Peaks Challenge pushes participants to scale 24 classic Lake District peaks in 24 hours of walking time. Typically, this means the challenge takes place over two days, with 10-12 peaks included on the first day and 12-14 on the second.
However, these details vary and you can easily adapt the route to hikers’ abilities and needs.

The challenge is also regularly attempted without a timed element, enabling you to go a bit slower, savour the landscape and enjoy a more steady three or four-day hike. Overall, you are looking at around 50 km of walking and roughly 4,000 metres of climbing. We have seen several iterations of this route, including a circular route, so it is worth talking to a hiking expert to ensure your trip is exactly as you want it.

Edale Skyline

Set amongst spectacular surroundings in the picture-perfect Peak District, the Edale Skyline Challenge is a glorious 32 km route that sees you take in seven distinct peaks. Located a short distance west of Sheffield, it is easy to access and a great option if you are just starting out with UK mountain challenges. That’s not to say it’s easy, though!

With approximately 1,400 metres of climbing, you can expect the route to take around 10 hours at a decent pace. It also includes several iconic paths and locations, including parts of the incredible Pennine Way and Kinder Scout – the site of an influential mass trespass (the Kinder Trespass) that raised awareness of walkers’ right to roam and paved the way for the passing of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act in 1949. This legislation led to the creation of the UK’s first 10 National Parks, including our own here in Eryri.

And, if the challenge of a hilly 32 km route wasn’t enticing enough already, the opportunity to visit the site of one of the most influential land-reform protests of modern times should make the journey worth it!

Snowdonia Slate Challenge

Not all UK mountain challenges centre on bagging peaks. Some focus on endurance and recognise that summits are just one part of the wider (and equally wonderful) mountain environment. Enter the Snowdonia Slate Challenge. A 134 km circular route that showcases Eryri’s fascinating human history and breathtakingly beautiful natural heritage, the trail is perfectly suited to those who want total control over the specifics of their challenge.

Fancy a three-day guided trail running adventure? That’s certainly possible. Prefer to keep things at walking pace and cover the distance over seven or eight days? Sounds great. Unlike many of the other challenges on this list, this route features no massive ascents and no racing between peaks – it’s all about you, your body and the natural splendour you experience day-in, day-out for the duration of the challenge.

At RAW Adventures, we absolutely love the Snowdonia Slate Challenge. While you can push yourself as far as you want to go, it also offers plenty of opportunities to relax, unwind and socialise in the evenings and to engage with local communities along the way. If you want your challenge to be an opportunity to really experience and absorb a unique natural environment and to better understand what makes it tick, this is the route for you.

Ring of Steall

When you think of Scottish mountains, the first name that springs to mind is probably Ben Nevis. You may never even have heard of the Mamores. Surprisingly few people have. The Mamores sit just to the south of the country’s tallest mountain and are home to one of the UK’s most thrilling ridgeline walks, the Ring of Steall.

Featuring four Munros (the name given to Scottish peaks over 3,000 feet), the route is 16 km long and includes roughly 1,775 metres of climbing. It also forms the centrepiece of the gruelling Ring of Steall Skyrace, which extends the adventure out to 29 km and 2,500 metres of climbing. With precipitous scrambles and sensational views of Ben Nevis and the Scottish Highlands, it is an eye-opening route that is an excellent alternative to other, busier UK ridgeline excursions.

Lakeland 3000

If you’ve got this far through the guide without working out that UK hikers have a fascination with peaks that exceed 3000 feet, we’re not sure what you’ve been reading. The final UK mountain challenge on our list is the fantastic Lakeland 3000 and – you’ve guessed it – the route takes in all of the Lake District’s 3000+ feet summits. That’s Skiddaw, Helvellyn, Scafell and Scafell Pike.

With a total ascent of 3,350 metres and covering 72 km, the challenge is to complete the route within 24 hours. In our opinion, this is one of the toughest UK mountain challenges out there. But if you wanted to make it a little (OK, a lot) harder, you could attempt the Bob Graham Challenge, which honours the famous fell runner and extends the route to 106 km and 8,200 metres of climbing. Alternatively (and perhaps, more realistically), you can tackle the route over two days.

If you attempt the timed challenge, you need experience of hiking in the dark and all participants must be comfortable traversing varied terrain. The route turns from rocky to boggy and back again quicker than you can anticipate, requiring a surefootedness and confidence in your abilities.

What next?

That’s our complete list of the best UK mountain challenges. What do you think? Have we missed any obvious routes out? Are there any fresh-faced pretenders to the toughest mountain challenge crown that we should know about? Which do you fancy having a go at?

Here at RAW Adventures, we love a challenge. But we also recognise that one person’s challenge is another’s walk in the park. And that’s OK – it doesn’t devalue the achievement and it certainly doesn’t mean you shouldn’t derive satisfaction or a sense of personal reward from what you’ve done. Scaling your first peak can be just as much a challenge as finishing a 24-hour, multi-peak event!

We’re here to help you plan, organise and execute challenges that reflect your ability and help you feel out your limits. Whatever level you want to reach, however hard you want to push yourself, we can create tailored mountain experiences that leave a lasting impression.

So get in touch with the RAW Adventures team and let’s make that challenge happen! Ross, Kate and the rest of the team are authentic Yr Wyddfa experts and benefit from excellent local knowledge and deep understanding and appreciation for the mountain environment and Eryri. If you want help planning your challenge or would like the assistance of professional guides during your ascent, they’re the perfect choice.