Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan [Plynlimon East Top]

About Pen Pumlumon Llygad-bychan [Plynlimon East Top]

This eastern satellite of Pumlumon Fawr is often overlooked by peak-baggers, which is a shame because it guards the source of the River Wye. It's a place of vast, desolate beauty where the wind has more opinions than the local sheep and the ground is consistently sponge-like.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name translates to the 'Head of Plynlimon of the Little Eye,' a poetic reference to the source of the River Wye found on these slopes. It serves as a significant watershed point in the notoriously wild and empty heart of the Cambrian Mountains.
• •Just to the north lies the site of the Battle of Hyddgen, where Owain Glyndŵr achieved a legendary victory against a larger Flemish force in 1401. It is widely believed the Welsh rebels used the treacherous local terrain to their tactical advantage against the heavy cavalry.
• •The summit area is characterized by Silurian gritstones, which contribute to the rugged and unyielding nature of this high plateau. These rocks are incredibly old, yet they still haven't figured out a way to stop the summit from being permanently damp.
• •On a rare clear day, the views stretch from the Cadair Idris range in the north all the way to the Brecon Beacons. Unfortunately, the local microclimate usually ensures you’ll be looking at a very intimate, high-definition view of the inside of a cloud instead.
• •The terrain is so featureless and boggy that hikers often find themselves playing a high-stakes game of 'grass or swamp.' If you see a sheep looking particularly smug, it’s probably because it’s watching you sink slowly into a peat hag.