Wales
Foel Uchaf
565M
1854FT
About Foel Uchaf
Rising within the wild, undulating moorlands of the Pumlumon range, this 565m Tump offers a quintessential Central Wales experience. Its broad, grassy slopes are typical of the Cambrian Mountains, providing a sense of immense isolation and a fine perspective over the surrounding peat bogs and remote upland plateaus.
Key Statistics
Rank
32nd Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Central Wales
Prominence
?
35m
Nearest Town
Powys
Geology
You are walking over layers of sandstone and mudstone. These rocks formed from underwater landslides, where shifting sand and silt settled into the ground beneath your boots.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SN802911
Latitude
52.5046°N
Longitude
3.7664°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Welsh, where Foel (a soft mutation of moel) signifies a bare or rounded hill, and Uchaf translates to 'upper'. It is a common naming convention in Wales used to distinguish the hill from a nearby Foel Isaf, or lower hill.
- •The summit offers an excellent vantage point for surveying the Pumlumon massif, specifically the sprawling northern slopes of Pumlumon Fawr and the remote catchment area of the Nant-y-moch Reservoir.
- •As a Tump, the hill is defined by having a prominence of at least 30 metres—a modest statistical requirement that often involves more effort than expected when navigating the trackless, tussocky terrain of the Cambrian interior.
- •While the name translates to 'Upper Bare Hill', the 'bare' description refers to the absence of trees; walkers will find the reality involves quite a lot of vegetation, mostly in the form of unforgiving purple moor grass and deep peat.