Wales
Moel Cae'r-defaid West Top
531M
1742FT
About 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.
Key Statistics
Rank
281st Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
69m
Nearest Town
Rhydymain
Geology
You are treading on layers of ancient mud and sand blended with hardened volcanic ash. This terrain reflects a history of seafloor sediments and volcanic eruptions.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH800246
Latitude
52.8056°N
Longitude
3.7816°W
Did You Know?
- •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.