The Cambrian Way | A 300-Mile Trek Through Wales's Wilderness

Three years ago I set out to walk from Conwy to Cardiff along a 300-mile route called the Cambrian Way. Known as one of the UK's most challenging long-distance walks, the trail follows along Wales's upland spine, sticking to the mountain tops almost the entire way and taking in the country's iconic peaks, like Snowdon, Cadair Idris and Pen y Fan.
I hadn't initially set out to make a film about this journey, so apologies for the dodgy smartphone footage I've had to use in places.
If you've got any questions about the Cambrian Way and how to walk it, just ask away in the comments and I'll be more than happy to help.

[@campaignerkate2615]

Great video from our inspiring president of Ramblers Cymru.

[@willr6384]

Thanks Kate!

[@Nobby77]

Well done mucker. This has just made the list

[@milesforthemind7767]

Enjoyed the video, gives a taste of what to expect

[@CambrianWay]

Thanks

[@RhysJonesFilm]

Thanks for putting together and sharing.

[@richardjones9836]

Just came across this route for the first time...ordered the cicerone guide. Going to do Conwy to Swansea instead of Cardiff though and just slightly tweak the final part. Can't wait to do this. Amazing video. Well done.

[@morgs4mountains]

Highly enjoyable. Shared with members of the Long Distance Walkers Association!!

[@willr6384]

thanks!

[@daveystayn9284]

Great vid, very inspiring, itching to do it one day. Have walked across the bogs from gorwllyn to drygarn fawr, horrendous conditions up there, but the elenith is prob my favourite part of wales

[@WyeExplorer]

Fantastic Will. I really enjoyed that journey and edit end to end. You weren't kidding on Plynlimon when you said to Andy and I it was an epic trail. Well, done on the achievement and the last day in. That w something after all that distance. Loved the toilet mate. I've been partial to that before. Well, good to meet you on Sunday 27. We did 5 days in and stepped off the trail because of the foul storm. We'll be back on it when it's passed. Our intention was never to do battle although we had a good few days of rain. Hope to meet again. Mark P.S subscribed of course. Peace!

[@patrickevans8940]

Great effort wil Look after those feet young man

[@easydexter]

Great film Will, this one is definitely close to the top of my list!

[@bipbip6626]

Well done! Well made!

[@johnmiddleton4753]

Really good video, just come across this route. May try and do it next year in May time

[@edmaughan]

Enjoyed this mate, great work!

[@willr6384]

Cheers Ed. Hope you're good!

[@markthackstone7488]

Great video, nicely put together, really enjoyed it. Cambrian way has been on my bucket list for 30 years - i really must get off my butt and get it started!

[@willr6384]

Thanks Mark - much appreciated! One I'd definitely recommend doing once we're allowed out!

[@edwardstroud8245]

What time of year did you walk it? I’ve just come off the Cape Wrath Trail (March), and am curious how it will compare. Hopefully less bog!! My feet were soaked for pretty much the whole of the CWT. This hike looks pretty challenging as well. Many thanks. Ed

[@ioonthetube]

Did I hear you say "32 miles today"? 32?!?!?!?!?! wow... Lovely vid! thank you for sharing

[@willr6384]

It could potentially have been more! Wouldn't normally go so big but I'd gone faster than I thought I would that day and didn't fancy camping on the edge of Cardiff. So I pushed on! Was a memorable end to the walk. Glad you liked the vid - thanks for the nice feedback. Will

[@quietfire286]

Looks brilliant, a great achievement! What boots did you wear for this?

[@AlunDaviesWenvoe]

Great video which captures the good and bad as you say. It does look rather challenging. Did you say you walked over 30 miles on the last day? That is a lot-!

[@willr6384]

Thanks Alan! It could have been as much as 33 miles I think! That section that shows me pushing through tussocks was actually a point where I had lost the trail (!), though a large part of that day is pathless and characterised by that kind of country. Also, the shot of Crib Goch (a ridge I'm sure you're already more than familiar with) at the start might put some people off but they should know that it is at least optional.

[@ianwoodzy638]

I have the guidebook! however I wish I had a 1:125000 extended long map of the route, how far did you zoom in to screenshot A4 laminated printouts, I was thinking around every 2 to 3 miles in remote regions on direct South to North and 4 miles West to east directions, so I can take bearings!

[@outdoorsam3911]

Hey! Great video! I am about to embark on doing the Cambrian Way myself starting May 1st. Any top tips or advice? I am going NOBO (cardiff to conwy)

[@willr6384]

Hi Sam. Sorry for the delay. I hope you're going well. Expect you're far enough in to not need any tips from now! Will

[@3WalkingPoles]

Great! 17 days is a good pace. Is it easier to go southbound? I planned to be hiking CW in a month but it won't happen this year. Damn you, COVID! Cheers, Seb

[@willr6384]

I'm not great at taking rest days - once I get going I'm hard to stop! I only went southbound as I wanted to walk back home. The recommended way is s to n and s, which makes sense. Sorry to hear your plans have been scuppered. The trail will always be there though!

[@WyeExplorer]

Hey Seb, the oddest thing. Met Will up on Plynlimon In the Cambrian Mountains Sunday hiking the Wye Valley walk. It was a pretty far out meeting up at the source of the Wye. Hope you can tune in when I finish and upload the video. Peace dude. Mark

[@3WalkingPoles]

Hi Mark. Will watch with pleasure. Thanks for heads up! Hope you're doing well in these crazy times we live in. Keep safe. Seb

[@WyeExplorer]

@@3WalkingPoles Hey that's cool. I'm doing OK thanks. 5 days in and we came off the way to let storm Alex pass. It was sheet rain and high wind. Back Monday.

[@steffangrove1475]

Hi I am planning on walking this path next year which I’ll be 18 I’m very excited for it I have been trying to prepare by looking at maps but is there really much help on where to go

[@willr6384]

Hi Steffan. Your best bet is to get the new Cambrian Way guidebook by Cicerone. That has the route mapped out in it plus descriptions. It's very good. Will

[@thewaywardwelshman3404]

Great Video! Did you wild camp every night?

[@willr6384]

Thanks! I had one night in a public convenience, one night on a pub sofa (Y Star, Dylife), one night in a campsite and one night in an inn and wild camped the rest.

[@thewaywardwelshman3404]

@@willr6384 Ah fair play, been thinking about doing this a while now, and the video may just be the inspiration to get out and do it!

[@willr6384]

@@thewaywardwelshman3404 Great! I really recommend the trail. It's a proper adventure.

[@MinackerMovies]

Hi Will, re my much earlier comment, I will be setting off next Monday, 3 Aug 2020 to walk from Mumbles, joining the CW at Llandeusant to continue to Conwy. (I did Beacons Way last year) I'm hoping all will be ok now after lifting of Covid restrictions. Any special advice?

[@willr6384]

Great! How are you going to nav? I had printed at sections of the route and then laminated. This meant I could keep the relevant sheet close to hand each day in my pocket and could dispose of the done sections one by one. I think when I needed to double check my location I got the Viewranger app out. Then again, if you've got the new Cicerone guidebook you wont need to worry about printing maps. Though you might want a watertight case to keep it in.

[@MinackerMovies]

Thanks. I'm a bit belt n braces for nav, printed 1:25k A4 maps numbered in Ortlieb case, gpx file on Garmin etrex30x, plus I have Viewranger and OS on my phone. Still expecting to get lost a few times ;-). Wild camping, extra food, not sure how many pubs, shops, sites etc will be open.

[@MinackerMovies]

Oh, and the guide, pages before Llandovery removed.

[@willr6384]

@@MinackerMovies You won't have any trouble then. You've got the added bonus of having the waymarkers now as well, they weren't there for me! Will be interesting to see how you find them. Olie at Ramblers Cymru has been working hard to get them all laid. You shouldn't have trouble finding spots for wild camping, just keep an eye on the weather forecast as I got caught out that one time camping too high. Pubs might be a bit of an issue for you. I was just at my home village over the weekend and some of the surrounding pubs - normally quite busy ones - are still closed, so I can't imagine what things are like in deeper Wales! Shops should all be up and running as normal though.

[@MinackerMovies]

I saw you all on the interview on youtube. Well done all!

[@MinackerMovies]

Nice video, thanks. I planned to walk this 2020 but maybe not, unless the virus unlocking starts soon. I have planned my own variation leaving from Mumbles Gower to join up South of Llanddeusant. I did the Beacons last year, great walk, sunny all the way, so nice for making the video! Where did you find were the most difficult shop /food areas and how many days food did you carry? What time of year did you go? Was it the Cicerone route? Cheers.

[@willr6384]

Hi, Thanks for the nice feedback. Hope you get to walk the trail this year (still some hope I guess), it's a brilliant trek. Discounting the Beacons, the trickiest places to shop would probably be the long stretch between Llandovery and Devil's Falls. It's pretty much a two day walk, and as far as I can remember the only place to restock is Rhandirmwyn where there's a couple of pubs and maybe a small village shop. That said, once you get near Strata Florida you can deviate a few miles off the trail (as I did) to Pontrhydfendigaid where there's a newsagents and pubs. Devil's Falls to Dinas Mawddwy is also pretty barren, but there's a pub (Dylife) and a petrol station (Ponterwyd). Snowdonia isn't too bad. The trickiest bit for supplies there is probably the stretch from Barmouth to Trawsfynydd. Long story short, there aren't really any days where you need to carry more than two days-worth of food. I walked it end of May, I think. And, yes I followed the Tony Drake route.

[@MinackerMovies]

@@willr6384 Many thanks that's very useful.

[@henrydavison5487]

Whats the breed of your doggo?

[@willr6384]

His mum, believe it or not, is Chihuahua. Dad's a Jack Russell. Has to be some Collie in there somewhere down the line as well I think!