Trails guaranteed to give you a natural high

Four free route downloads that take right to the very top of things in Exmoor, Yorkshire Dales, Scotland and Snowdonia.

Cadair Idris, Snowdonia

23km (14 miles)

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Snowdon’s southern brother and a great mountain-top outing, which for the majority of the ascent/descent isn’t too technical. It’s an out and back, but this never seems to detract from the experience. Kick off at Llanfihangel-y-Pennant (Landranger 124/SH672089), and take the lane N — it eventually becomes a track. At Haffoty Gwastadfryn, fork R to climb steeply, then break
R again to traverse E then N to join the Pony Path. Turn R onto this and climb to the summit. To return, just retrace your tyre tracks.

GPS download po.st/Cadir

Dunkery Beacon, Exmoor

38km (24 miles)

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Take the South West Coast Path W from Minehead (Landranger181/SS969471). At Selworthy, drop S around switchbacks to Lynch. Take lanes and BW S to Horner, then N and NW around Crawter Hill. Follow the BW around Ley Hill into Horner Wood and drop to Horner Water. Climb to Stoke Pero, L to the T-junction then R to SS860411. Now climb to the summit. Keep SA (NE) to Brockwell and keep R to Wootton Courtenay. At Ranscombe take forest tracks to the trig. Now follow BW N back into Minehead.

GPS download po.st/Dunkery

Great Pinseat, Yorkshire Dales

29km (19 miles)

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At 583m, this is lowest of our summits featured here. But it’s still a peach — a wild moonscape surrounded by heather moors. From Dales Bike Centre (Landranger 98/SE046988) climb N to Fremington Edge and continue to Hurst. Now head W to enjoy an epic descent to Langthwaite. Take the road S for 1.5km, then BW W and road then more BW NW to the summit. Descend W then SE down Hard Level Gill. Take road N for 1.3km, to briefly join outward route. Then BW SE to Healaugh and road to finish.

GPS download po.st/GreatPinseat

Mount Keen, Scotland

52km (32 miles)

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GPS download po.st/MountKeen

The tallest (939m) of our selection of summits is the toughest to get to. From the car park in Glen Tanar (Landranger 44/NO480965), head E to Birsemore and then take the Fungle Road, climbing S, then dropping past Birse Castle and then up again then down again to Tarfside. Now head W up Glen Mark on a broad track then break NW then N to the summit. Descend NW then N on the Mounth Road into Glen Tanar, then follow this down through the estate.