IF YOU’VE climbed a mountain in Mid Wales but not taken a picture at the summit and posted it to Instagram – have you actually even climbed it at all?

There is some stunning scenery to see from atop the many peaks of Powys, so it is perhaps unsurprising that two of them have been named in the top 10 ‘Most Instagrammable’ peaks in the UK.

According to data collected by Welsh accommodation provider Sugar & Loaf during January 2021, imperious Snowdon, in north Wales, took top spot, with an astonishing 386,041 hashtags posted to Instagram in that time from UK users of the social media app.

But in second place and pushing the UK’s tallest mountain into third place is the little-known Beacon Hill, near Knighton, standing at 547 metres (1,795 ft) high. Data discovered 266,989 hashtags relating to the highest point of a region of heather-clad moorland, known also by its Welsh name, Mynydd Disglair.

Scotland’s beautiful Ben Nevis (1,345m or 4,413ft above sea level) was third with 190,383 hashtags, closely followed by Beacon Hill’s more famous Powys relative, Pen y Fan.

The stunning 886 metre (2,907ft) peak in the heart of the Brecon Beacons – and the tallest mountain in south Wales – is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Powys, with 120,000 people scrambling to the summit each year.

There were 133,971 hashtags posted to the Gram concerning the jewel in the crown of the Beacons.

With 2021 set to be the year for Brits to discover more of what the UK has to offer following multiple lockdowns and restrictions remaining on travelling abroad, Sugar & Loaf compiled the most Instagrammable, most family-friendly, most loved and best overall mountains, munroes and hills to add to your bucket list for getting out and about again.

Having reviewed 120 mountains across the UK to collate the data, the top 10 most Instagrammable peaks are:

1 Snowdon, North Wales (386,041 hashtags)

2 Beacon Hill, Powys (266,989)

3 Ben Nevis, Scottish Highlands (190,383)

4 Pen y Fan, Powys (133,971)

5 Ben Lomond, Scottish Highlands (93,833)

6 Scafell Pike, Lake District (70,583)

7 Helvellyn, Lake District (67,063)

8 Kinder Scout, Peak District (54,672)

9 Pendle Hill, Lancashire (45,026)

10 Catbells, Lake District (44,253)

The Skirrid (Ysgyryd Fawr) was second on the ‘most loved’ mountain in the UK list, based on reviews mentioning 'love' or 'favourite'. The 486m high mountain, near Abergavenny, is an easterly outlier of the Black Mountains. Snowdonia peaks Y Garn and Cadair Idris also made the top 10.

Shannon Keary, PR manager at Sugar & Loaf, said: “2020 really opened up our eyes to the amazing places to visit we have right here in the UK.

“While we’re all raring to pack our bags and get out for an adventure as soon as we are able, we thought this research could help those in search of the best climbs in Britain to plan for the future.

“The data has been really fascinating to pull together and it’s great to see that so many of our much-loved Welsh mountains, including Snowdon and Hope Mountain, have made the top 10s alongside so many other marvellous options.

“We hope that this will inspire more people than ever to experience the breathtaking sights on offer across the UK, particularly from the top of our peaks.”