Wales
Moel Penamnen
628M
2061FT
About Moel Penamnen
Rising above the slate-scarred horizon of Blaenau Ffestiniog, Moel Penamnen offers a quieter alternative to its jagged Moelwyn neighbors. It’s a fine spot for surveying North Wales, assuming you enjoy navigating a landscape that is roughly fifty percent abandoned quarry and fifty percent liquid earth.
Key Statistics
Rank
142nd Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
138m
Nearest Town
Rhiwbryfdir
Geology
You are trekking over the Nant Ffrancon Subgroup. This fell is composed of siltstone, a fine-grained rock formed from layers of ancient, compressed mud.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH716483
Latitude
53.0166°N
Longitude
3.9155°W
Did You Know?
- •The mountain forms part of the Moelwynion range and overlooks Cwm Penamnen, a valley historically significant for its links to the Welsh princes of Gwynedd.
- •It sits on the northern edge of the Ffestiniog slate landscape, providing a panoramic view of the massive industrial caverns and spoil heaps that define this UNESCO World Heritage site.
- •The peak is frequently reached via the Crimea Pass, a high mountain road named during the Crimean War when the local innkeeper supposedly had a strong opinion on the conflict.
- •The surrounding terrain is riddled with old mine workings and hidden air shafts, making it one of the few places where 'following the path' is a literal survival strategy rather than a suggestion.
- •The pass toward Manod Mawr is so exceptionally boggy that it essentially functions as a giant, mossy sponge designed specifically to steal expensive hiking poles and your sense of self-worth.