Wales
Bryn Coch
518M
1699FT
About Bryn Coch
Rising quietly above the eastern end of the Aran range, this heather-clad Tump offers a tranquil alternative to the more popular Welsh peaks. The terrain is often pathless and demanding underfoot, leading to a modest summit that provides an expansive, uncrowded perspective over the Vyrnwy valley and the rolling Berwyn hills.
Key Statistics
Rank
107th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Cambrian Mountains
Prominence
?
36
Nearest Town
Dolfor
Geology
Bryn Coch is built on layers of mudstone and sandstone. These hardened deposits of mud, silt, and sand form the sturdy foundation beneath your feet.
Nearby Fells
Find It
Latitude
52.4547°N
Longitude
3.2891°W
Did You Know?
- •The name translates from Welsh as 'Red Hill' (bryn meaning hill and coch meaning red). This likely refers to the seasonal colour shift of the bracken and grasses that blanket its slopes, turning a deep russet in the autumn.
- •It is most frequently approached from the high mountain road west of Lake Vyrnwy. Walkers often bag it alongside the neighbouring 600-metre peak of Foel y Geifr, though the high col between them is notoriously boggy.
- •The summit offers an excellent vantage point for viewing the sprawling Lake Vyrnwy reservoir to the east, while the sharp, dark profile of Aran Fawddwy dominates the western horizon.
- •Like many hills in the Berwyn and Aran fringes, the 'red' of its name is frequently replaced by various shades of grey mist and the deep black of the peat hags that define the local terrain.