Cadair Idris
| Penygadair from the Pony Path in November | |
| Country | Wales |
|---|---|
| Area | Snowdonia |
| Translation | Top of the chair, or Idris' Chair (Welsh) |
| Elevation | 893 m (2,930 ft) |
| Relative height | 608 m |
| OS grid reference | SH711130 |
| OS Landranger map(s) | 124 |
| Listing | Marilyn, Hewitt |
Cadair Idris is a prominent mountain in Snowdonia, north Wales. It lies at the southern end of Snowdonia National Park and reaches 893 m at its summit, named Penygadair. The mountain is imbued with numerous legends; some nearby lakes are supposed to be bottomless, and anyone who sleeps on its slopes will supposedly awaken either a madman or a poet. The name itself derives from a mythical giant called Idris, and the resemblance of one of the mountain's cwms to an enormous armchair.
A number of named paths lead to the summit, such as the Pony Path, or the Fox's Path, the latter leading directly up the northern face of the mountain — a three-mile-long cliff and scree face. To the north lie the town of Dolgellau and the Mawddach estuary, while to the south is the glaciated Tal-y-Llyn valley and lake, the site of a narrow gauge railway.