Wales
Manod Mawr
661M
2169FT
About Manod Mawr
Manod Mawr is the mountain that industry forgot to finish eating. A rugged Moelwynion peak famously hollowed out by the Graig Ddu slate quarry, it’s half-wilderness, half-industrial-relic, and perfect for hikers who enjoy their scenery with a side order of massive, terrifying holes.
Key Statistics
Rank
112th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
265m
Nearest Town
Manod
Geology
You are walking on ancient volcanic rock, created when molten magma cooled deep underground. This durable stone forms the rugged foundation beneath your boots.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH724446
Latitude
52.9835°N
Longitude
3.9021°W
Did You Know?
- •During the Second World War, the deep quarry tunnels served as a top-secret hideout for the National Gallery’s priceless art collection. It turns out Da Vinci and slate dust actually got along quite well while London was being bombed.
- •The mountain's summit is technically an 'exclusion zone' sitting outside the Snowdonia National Park boundary despite being surrounded by it. It is essentially the rebellious teenager of the Moelwynion, deemed too scarred by industry to wear the official badge.
- •The Graig Ddu quarry was once one of the highest slate mines in all of Wales, operating at the 600-metre contour. It remains a staggering testament to the Welsh ability to find a rock at the top of a hill and turn it into a roof.
- •There were genuine fears for years that the North Top would be entirely consumed by the expanding quarry works. It survived the ordeal, though it still looks a bit nervous whenever a heavy-duty excavator is spotted in Ffestiniog.
- •Navigating this terrain requires the agility of a mountain goat and the nerves of a bomb disposal expert. If you find yourself wondering why the path has been replaced by a five-hundred-foot drop into an abyss, you’ve likely missed the cairn.