Wales
Moel Hebog
784M
2571FT
About Moel Hebog
Dominating the Beddgelert skyline, Moel Hebog is the 'Bare Hill of the Hawk.' It’s a rugged masterpiece of volcanic rock and steep grassy slopes that offers a relentless vertical challenge. Perfect for those who find level ground personally offensive and enjoy bird’s-eye views of Snowdon.
Key Statistics
Rank
47th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
585.2m
Nearest Town
Porthmadog
Geology
Moel Hebog is the remains of an ancient volcano. You are walking on hardened volcanic ash, old lava, and rocky debris from massive eruptions.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH565469
Latitude
53.0001°N
Longitude
4.1398°W
Did You Know?
- •The mountain comprises a complex succession of Cambrian and Ordovician rocks from the Snowdon Volcanic Group. It is essentially a multi-million-year-old geological layer cake that has been tilted on its side for your climbing displeasure.
- •Its secondary summit, Moel yr Ogof, contains a cave where the Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr supposedly hid while evading the English army. It remains a historical reminder that if you think your hike is hard, at least you aren't trying to run a guerrilla war simultaneously.
- •The name translates to 'Hill of the Hawk,' suggesting a place of majestic aerial predators and soaring heights. In reality, you are far more likely to be judged by a stray sheep standing on a vertical cliff face with effortless, mocking ease.
- •Standing at 783 metres, it is officially classified as a Marilyn, a Hewitt, and a Nuttall. These titles are prestigious ways of saying the peak is high enough to offer magnificent views and a corresponding amount of knee pain on the descent.
- •The path from Beddgelert is notorious for its relentless, lung-bursting steepness right from the start. By the time the gradient finally levels off, you will have spent so much time staring at your own boots that you may have forgotten what the horizon looks like.