Moel Cae'r-defaid West Top

Tucked away in the rugged Arenig range of North Wales, this Tump offers a wild, pathless character often missed by those heading for the higher peaks. At 531 metres, the summit provides a tranquil, peat-hued landscape with far-reaching views across the heather moorland towards the imposing mass of Arenig Fawr.

• •The name is Welsh: Moel means a bare or bald hill, while Cae'r-defaid translates as 'field of the sheep'. This likely refers to the historic use of these high slopes for summer grazing, a practice that continues in the surrounding valleys today.
• •It is a subsidiary top of the higher Moel Cae'r-defaid, forming part of a sprawling moorland ridge that divides the Afon Dyfrdwy and Afon Lliw valleys.
• •From the summit, walkers are rewarded with a direct and impressive perspective of the eastern crags of Arenig Fawr, as well as the dark, volcanic profile of Rhobell Fawr to the south.
• •The ascent is famously 'rough going' even by Welsh standards; the ground between here and the main summit consists of deep heather and hidden peat hags that test the ankles and the patience of even seasoned walkers.