Welsh 3000s are the 15 Welsh Furths (or Welsh Munros). These are mountains in Wales that are over , and which are on the Scottish Mountaineering Club's (SMC) official list of Furths . Geographically they fall within three ranges, but close enough to make it possible to reach all 15 summits within 24 hours, a challenge known as the ''Welsh 3000s challenge''.

Background

The length of this challenge (from the first peak to the last) is about , but including the walk to and from any start point, it will total some . Most people undertaking the challenge walk it, and many achieve it in much less than 24 hours. The record for the challenge (from first peak to last) stands at 4 hours 10 minutes and 48 seconds, set by

Finlay Wild Finlay Wild (born 8 September 1984) is a Scottish runner and mountaineer who has been a British fell running champion. He has won the Ben Nevis Race eleven times. Early life and professional career Wild was born on 8 September 1984 in Thurso.J ...

in 2019. On 5 August 1989 a ladies' record was set by

Angela Carson Angela Brand-Barker (née Carson) (born 3 August 1961) is a British runner who was a national fell running champion and represented her country at the World Mountain Running Trophy. She has been considered the best female fell runner of her era ...

with a time of 5 hours 28 minutes and 21 seconds. On 17/18 June 1978 John Wagstaff of

West Bromwich Mountaineering Club West Bromwich Mountaineering Club (WBMC) is one of the oldest and most active climbing and hill-walking clubs in the West Midlands. It meets at "The Red Lion" in All Saints Way, West Bromwich on Thursday nights, where from October to April it h ...

completed a triple crossing in 22 hours 49 minutes, a feat which has yet to be repeated.The Record
Snowdonia Society website.Clayton & Turnbull (1997) "The Welsh Three Thousand Foot Challenges: A Guide for Walkers and Hill Runners" Grey Stone Books, Darwen, Lancashire. The walk is also known as "The 14 Peaks":

Carnedd Gwenllian , List of Furths, Furth Carnedd Gwenllian (named Y Garnedd Uchaf before 2009) is a minor summit of the Carneddau range in Snowdonia, Wales, and included in the Welsh 3000s. From the summit, distant views to the north can extend as far as Irel ...

(or "Garnedd Uchaf") is not always included, as it has the least

relative height In topography, prominence (also referred to as autonomous height, relative height, and shoulder drop in US English, and drop or relative height in British English) measures the height of a mountain or hill's summit relative to the lowest contou ...

, being little more than a bump on the ridge rather than a separate summit in its own right. Many people choose to make the small diversion to include it on their traverse. There is also an option to include a sixteenth top,

Castell y Gwynt Castell y Gwynt is a top of Glyder Fach in Snowdonia, north-west Wales. It has the merit of being the only 3000 ft Welsh summit classed as only a Nuttall, hence it is not included in the Welsh 3000s. It has a prominence of 15.7 m (51.5 ...

in the Glyder range, which has been reclassified as a

Nuttall Nuttall may refer to: People * Nuttall (name) * Nuttall baronets Nature * Nuttall's oak, a fast-growing large deciduous oak tree native to North America * Nuttall's woodpecker, a species of woodpecker found in oak woodlands of California * Nutta ...

since a survey in 2007. The

Snowdonia Society The Snowdonia Society ( cy, Cymdeithas Eryri) is a members based environmental charity working to protect and enhance the beauty and special qualities of Snowdonia and to promote their enjoyment in the interests of all who live in, work in or vis ...

maintains a public database of persons visiting the 14 peaks in a single journey.

The Challenge

The Welsh 3000s Challenge involves standing on top of all the 3000 ft peaks within 24 hours, using no transport. While challengers can choose any route and summit the mountains in any order, anyone seeking to beat the record must start on Snowdon. Many walkers and runners prefer the alternative route, starting with Crib Goch, then visiting Garnedd Ugain before summiting Snowdon. Some challengers ascend Snowdon the night before, and sleep on the summit; others use the Mountain Railway to ascend Snowdon. Those who wish to climb all the mountains, rather than just standing at all the summits, often choose the Crib Goch route, starting at Pen-y-pass. The Carneddau from Elidir Fawr 488564

References

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External links

Information for those attempting the Welsh 3000s ChallengeThe Snowdonia Society's 14 peaks websiteThe Welsh 3000s Map with GPS waypoints + GPX Route
Llanllechid Mountains and hills of Wales Athletics in Wales Hewitts of Wales Marilyns of Wales Nuttalls Peak bagging in the United Kingdom Recreational walks in Wales Challenge walks Fell running challenges