Wales
Gwaun Lydan
632M
2073FT
About Gwaun Lydan
Sitting at the southern end of the Aran ridge, this peaty Nuttall plateau offers a wilder, quieter perspective of the range. Often crossed on the approach from Cwm Cowarch, it provides a stern vantage point over the rugged crags of Craig Cywarch and the distant, rounded silhouette of Glasgwm.
Key Statistics
Rank
135th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
18m
Nearest Town
Llanymawddwy
Geology
The ground beneath you belongs to the Ceiswyn Formation, made of compressed mud and fine silt that now form these rugged hillsides.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH880211
Latitude
52.7758°N
Longitude
3.6618°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Welsh 'gwaun' (moorland or damp meadow) and 'llydan' (wide), an apt description for the broad, often saturated plateau that characterizes this high ground.
- •While frequently bypassed by those rushing toward the higher summit of Aran Fawddwy, this peak is a key waypoint on the dramatic ascent from Cwm Cowarch, situated just above the steep headwall of the valley.
- •From its 632m vantage point, the summit offers a clear sightline across the deep trench of the Dyfi valley toward the rolling grassy slopes of Glasgwm and the southern reaches of the Cadair Idris range.
- •The 'wide moorland' of the name is a polite Welsh way of warning walkers that the terrain is essentially a high-altitude sponge, where the path often dissolves into a sequence of optimistic hops between peat haggs.