The UK is home to spectacular mountains. Hikers and climbers from all over the world come to test their skills on it's mighty peaks.
There are different ways to classify mountains based on elevation, prominence & isolation. This has resulted in different lists and therefore rankings of the highest mountains. Regardless of the classification used Ben Nevis is the tallest mountain in the UK.
What is a mountain in the UK?
Mountains in the UK are defined as an elevated portion of the Earth's crust 600m or more above sea level.
The International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) define an "independent peak", as having a prominence of over 30 metres.
Some classifications include isolation.
How many mountains are there in the UK?
Mountains in the UK with a height of 600m or more and a prominence of 30m or more are called 'Simms'. There are 2754 'Simms' on the British Isles.
As of October 2022 only five people had climbed all the 2532 'Simms' of Great Britain.
Highest mountain in each UK nation
Many people falsely believe the National Three Peaks are the three highest peaks in the UK. They are in fact, the highest point in Scotland, England and Wales.
A popular 'challenge' is to complete all three peaks in under 24 hours.
The highest mountain in...
England is Scafell Pike - 978m
Wales is Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) - 1085m
Scotland is Ben Nevis - 1345m
Northern Ireland is - Slieve Donard - 850m
The tallest mountains in the UK
The following is a list of the highest 'Simms' of the British Isles (mountains with at least 600m of height and 30m of prominence) ...
1 | Ben Nevis | Scotland | 1345m |
2 | Ben Macdui | Scotland | 1309m |
3 | Braeriach | Scotland | 1296m |
4 | Cairn Toul | Scotland | 1291m |
5 | Carn na Criche | Scotland | 1265m |
6 | Sgor an Lochain Uaine | Scotland | 1258m |
7 | Cairn Gorm | Scotland | 1245 m |
8 | Aonach Beag | Scotland | 1234m |
9 | Aonach Mor | Scotland | 1221m |
10 | Carn Dearg (NW) | Scotland | 1221m |
76 | Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) | Wales | 1085m |
257 | Scafell Pike | England | 978m |
767 | Slieve Donard | Northern Ireland | 850m |
Highest 'Majors' in the UK
The mountains and hills of the British Isles are categorised into various lists based on different combinations of: elevation, prominence, and other criteria such as isolation.
This has lead to several different lists of mountains and therefore rankings of the highest mountains in the UK.
Mountains with both a height and prominence of 600m or more are called 'Majors'. There are 94 'Majors' in the UK with 82 in Scotland, four in England, seven in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. The following is a list of the highest Majors in the UK:
1 | Ben Nevis | Scotland | 1345m |
2 | Ben Macdui | Scotland | 1309m |
3 | Ben Lawers | Scotland | 1214m |
4 | Càrn Eige | Scotland | 1183m |
5 | Ben More | Scotland | 1174m |
6 | Lochnagar | Scotland | 1156m |
7 | Sgùrr na Lapaich | Scotland | 1151m |
8 | Bidean nam Bian | Scotland | 1149m |
9 | Ben Alder | Scotland | 1148m |
10 | Ben Lui | Scotland | 1130m |
19 | Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) | Wales | 1085m |
45 | Scafell Pike | England | 978m |
76 | Slieve Donard | Northern Ireland | 850m |
Other classifications of mountains
Additional classifications of mountains include: Corbetts, Grahams, Donalds, Hewitts, Nuttalls, Wainwrights, Marilyn's and Munro's.
The Munro's
The oldest list of mountains in the UK is the Munro's which was created in 1891.
The Munro's are defined as a mountain in Scotland with a height over 3,000 feet (914.4 m), and which is on the Scottish Mountaineering Club official list of Munros. There is no explicit prominence requirement. There are 282 Munro's.
Highest mountains in England
The highest mountains in England all exist in the Lake District National Park. They are:
Scafell Pike - 978m
Helvellyn - 950m
Skiddaw - 931m
Great Gable - 899m
Cross Fell - 893m
Pillar - 892m
Fairfield - 873m
Blencathra - 868m
Grasmoor - 852m
St Sunday Crag - 841m
Highest mountains in Wales
All of the highest mountains in Wales are found in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park.
There are 15 mountains above 3000ft in Wales and they are linked together by the Welsh 3000's mountain track.
The biggest mountains in Wales are:
Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) - 1085m
Garnedd Ugain - 1065m
Carnedd Llewelyn - 1064m
Carnedd Dafydd - 1044m
Glyder Fawr - 1001m
Glyder Fach - 994m
Pen yr Ole Wen - 978m
Foel Grach - 976m
Yr Elen - 962m
Y Garn - 947m
Other Notable Mountain Ranges
The Scottish Highlands, home to Ben Nevis and the Grampian Mountains is home to all of the biggest mountains in the UK.
Many of the tallest mountains exist in the Cairngorms National Park.
The Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland, The Peak District, England, the Lake District and the mountains of Snowdonia, including Snowdon, are all notable mountain ranges in the UK.
Hardest mountains to climb in UK
Climbing mountains used to be all about size! In 1953 all of that changed when Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay summited Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world. From this moment on mountaineering shifted focus from the tallest to the hardest.
Climbers started focusing on difficulty, style and speed. Instead of merely getting to the top by any means possible climbing developed into getting to the top in the most difficult, purest or fastest way.
There is no definitive list of the hardest mountains in the UK. Climbing Snowdon via the Indian Face would certainly make it one of the hardest mountains in the world. Alternatively, taking the Llanberis Path up the same mountain makes it easy.
Conclusion
There are different classifications of mountains resulting in different lists and therefore different rankings of the highest. The most widely accepted classification is the Simms. Ben Nevis is the tallest mountain in the UK.
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Summary of the Highest Mountains
The UK is home to many impressive mountain ranges and peaks. From Ben Nevis to Scafell Pike, each nation has its own highest mountain.
Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or just starting out, the UK’s mountains have something to offer.
Consider taking on the National Three Peaks challenge, which involves hiking the highest mountains in Scotland, England, and Wales, the Wainwrights or the Welsh 3000's to explore some of the best and biggest mountains.
FAQ's
Is Snowdon the 2nd highest mountain in the UK?
No, Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) is the highest mountain in Wales. Snowdon is generally regarded as the 76th highest mountain in the UK.
What is the most beautiful mountain in the UK?
Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) is often regarded as the most beautiful mountain in the UK due to it's spectacular views, beautiful lakes and rugged and rocky appearance.
What is the smallest mountain in the UK?
Reaching just above 600m, Black Combe in England is the smallest mountain in the UK.
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