Climbing a mountain is always a fun challenge with the reward of a beautiful view and a sense of accomplishment at the end. While we usually think of this as an activity for experienced adventurers, there are plenty of options for those who don’t regularly find themselves on rock faces. Here are three easier mountains to climb for a more casual but still rewarding experience.
Aran Fawddwy, Wales
This beautiful mountain in Snowdonia National Park isn’t too strenuous (it’s more a hike than a climb), but it is a commitment with the loop trail to the peak and back being about ten miles in total. It’s best to take the route counterclockwise so that you’ll get through the steepest bit on your way up, and then you can enjoy the beautiful valley views with a more mellow incline on your way back down.
Mt. Fuji, Japan
Mt. Fuji is a well-known Japanese landmark and the highest peak on the island, but it isn’t too difficult of a climb. It’s actually a very popular mountain with around 300,000 people hiking up it a year—so it’s fairly layman-friendly. It’s generally a daylong hike, or a night hike with the opportunity to see the sunrise at the top.
Stony Bay Peak, New Zealand
A smaller but more rugged peak that can be reached via the trail to Purple Peak in the privately-owned Hinewai reserve or via a car drive up to the bottom of Stony Bay Peak, this is more of a sprint than a marathon as compared to the other mountains on this list. The trail is more exposed than that leading up to it, but the climb itself is only around and hour and a half for those in decent shape.