Moel-y-Gest

Rising steeply above the coastal flats of the Glaslyn estuary, this rugged volcanic outcrop offers character far beyond its modest elevation. The ascent is a short, sharp pull through heather and gorse, leading to a rocky summit plateau that serves as a magnificent natural grandstand for the Snowdonia mountains.

• •The name is derived from the Welsh 'moel', meaning a bare hill, and 'cest' (mutated to 'gest'), meaning a basket-shaped hollow or deep valley, describing the depression between the hill’s main summits.
• •The summit plateau is the site of an Iron Age hillfort, which used the steep crags as natural defences to guard the strategic entrance to the Glaslyn estuary.
• •From the 263-metre top, the northern view is dominated by the massive peaks of the Snowdonia massif, specifically the sharp ridge of Moel Hebog and the jagged profile of the Nantlle Ridge.
• •Looking south across the tidal sands of the Traeth Mawr, walkers can clearly see the stone towers of Harlech Castle and the wild, terraced slopes of the Rhinogydd.
• •Despite its low altitude, the hill is classified as a Marilyn because it possesses over 150 metres of prominence, standing as a solitary sentinel between the mountains and the sea.
• •It is the ideal peak for those who want the expansive views of a mountain but only have an hour to spare, though the steep final scramble ensures you still have to work for the vista.