Wales
Pen y Gadair Fawr
800M
2625FT
About Pen y Gadair Fawr
Standing as the second-highest point in the Black Mountains, this broad, peat-clad ridge offers a more secluded experience than neighbouring Waun Fach. Reaching the 800-metre summit reveals a massive sense of scale, where the undulating heather moorland drops away towards the Vale of Ewyas and the Grwyne Fechan valley.
Key Statistics
Rank
7th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Brecon Beacons
Prominence
?
47m
Nearest Town
Powys
Geology
You’re walking across the Brownstones Formation, which is composed of layered sandstone mixed with mudstone and fine-grained clay rocks.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SO229287
Latitude
51.9514°N
Longitude
3.1233°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Welsh for 'Top of the Great Chair', likely referring to the sprawling, seat-like profile of the high ridge as it overlooks the deep glacial cwms of the range.
- •At exactly 800 metres, the summit is a significant milestone for those completing the Hewitts and Nuttalls, representing one of the few points in the Black Mountains to reach this height.
- •From the summit cairn, walkers are rewarded with a clear view across the Grwyne Fawr reservoir to the east, with the distinctive conical profile of Sugar Loaf visible on the south-eastern horizon.
- •The hill is a central pivot on the high ridge walk between the Vale of Ewyas and the Rhiangoll valley, often linked with Mynydd Llysiau to the south-west as part of a long circular route.
- •Despite its 800-metre status, the summit is so broad and level that the highest point is often a matter of quiet debate between the official cairn and the nearest competing tuft of grass.