Guides & Routes
The Welsh Library
Discover Wales through its mountains, legends, wildlife and history, alongside hiking routes with downloadable GPX files to help you explore it for yourself.
The Welsh Legends
Wales is a land of dragons, giants, enchanted lakes and kingdoms said to lie beneath the sea. Explore the myths and legends woven into its mountains, valleys and coastlines, and discover the real places behind some of the country's most enduring stories.
4 guides
Moelfre's Stone Women and the Sabbath Punishment: When Three Women Turned to Rock for Working Sunday
Three women who winnowed corn on Sunday were said to have been turned to stone as divine punishment. An early account says the stones were later uprooted and rolled down the hill; this is Moelfre near Dwygyfylchi, not the separate hill near Barmouth.
Pumlumon Fawr and the Sleeping Giant: The Legend Beneath Wales's Five Peaks
An unnamed giant is said to sleep inside Pumlumon. The mountain's name means “five peaks”, but the surviving folklore does not identify the summits as body parts or say the giant will wake to defend Wales.
Yr Wyddfa and the Giant's Beard Cloak: When Arthur Killed Rhita Gawr for Wearing Kings
The giant Rhita Gawr took the beards of defeated kings for a cloak and demanded Arthur's. Geoffrey of Monmouth places their duel on Mount Aravius; later Welsh tradition links the fight and Rhita's grave to Yr Wyddfa.
Cadair Idris and the Giant's Chair: When Sleeping on the Summit Meant Waking Up Mad or a Poet
Legend says anyone who spends the night on Cadair Idris will wake either mad or blessed with poetic genius. The mountain is linked to the giant Idris, while another explanation connects its name with the 7th-century prince Idris ap Gwyddno.
Hiking Routes in Wales
Our hiking route guides for Wales, with practical route details and a downloadable GPX file for each walk.
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