Wales
Craig Cwm Amarch
792M
2598FT
About Craig Cwm Amarch
Sitting on the southern rim of the Cadair Idris massif, this dramatic peak offers some of the finest mountain architecture in Wales. It forms the western wall of the spectacular Cwm Cau, where steep, craggy slopes plunge toward the glacial lake below, providing a rugged, high-altitude vantage point along the popular Minffordd Path.
Key Statistics
Rank
45th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
79.2m
Nearest Town
Dolgellau
Geology
You are standing on a rugged foundation of ancient volcanic ash and hardened mudstone. These layers were created by explosive eruptions and sediments settling over time.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH710121
Latitude
52.6912°N
Longitude
3.9101°W
Did You Know?
- •The name translates from Welsh as the 'Crag of the Valley of Disgrace' (Amarch). While the specific folklore behind the name has faded, it most likely originally applied to the valley floor before being adopted by the towering cliffs above.
- •The summit provides a definitive perspective of the range's glacial history, looking directly across the dark waters of Llyn Cau toward the high peak of Penygadair and the shattered basalt columns of the Cyfrwy ridge.
- •Most walkers reach this summit via the Minffordd Path, a steep and punishing series of stone-pitched steps that serves as the spectacular southern gateway to the high ridge.
- •Standing at 791 metres, it is significantly more than just a shoulder of its higher neighbour; its classification as a Hewitt and Nuttall marks it as a primary objective for those bagging the major peaks of Eryri.
- •The descent from the summit toward the col of Bwlch Cau is brief but steep enough to remind your knees that, despite the scenery, the mountain has not finished with you yet.