Wales
Gilwern Hill
441M
1446FT
About Gilwern Hill
Rising above the Wye Valley in the quiet stretches of Central Wales, this grassy Hump offers a peaceful alternative to the busier southern peaks. Its rounded, moorland profile provides an accessible ascent, rewarding walkers with wide-reaching views across the rolling Radnorshire landscape and the distant silhouettes of the Brecon Beacons.
Key Statistics
Rank
381st Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Central Wales
Prominence
?
146.8m
Nearest Town
Bettws Disserth
Geology
You are walking over a landscape built from layers of ancient volcanic ash and hardened mud.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SO098582
Latitude
52.2146°N
Longitude
3.3216°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Welsh 'cil', meaning a nook or corner, and 'gwern', referring to alders or marshy ground, suggesting the hill was named for the sheltered, damp hollows at its base.
- •To the west, the hill overlooks the site of Castell Collen, a Roman auxiliary fort near Llandrindod Wells that once commanded the strategic river crossings of the valley below.
- •The summit offers an excellent perspective of the upper Wye Valley, with the high, military-managed plateau of Mynydd Epynt visible to the southwest and the expansive Radnor Forest to the east.
- •Classified as both a Hump and a Tump, the hill possesses over 100 metres of prominence, making it a significant landmark in the local topography despite its modest absolute height.
- •While it is a recorded peak for list-baggers, you are far more likely to share the trig point with a disinterested sheep than another walker, as the hill remains largely overlooked by those heading for the honeypots.