Wales
Craig-y-garn
363M
1191FT
About Craig-y-garn
Rising above the village of Golan, this modest but rugged Hump offers a punchy ascent through rocky outcrops and gorse. Its summit is crowned by a massive, impressive cairn, providing a grandstand view over the coastal flats of Tremadog and the looming, craggy southern faces of Moel Hebog.
Key Statistics
Rank
740th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
133m
Nearest Town
Dolbenmaen
Geology
The ground beneath you is the Pitts Head Tuff, a formation of hardened volcanic ash. These rocks were created by debris settling after massive, explosive eruptions.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH510444
Latitude
52.9762°N
Longitude
4.2205°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Craig-y-garn translates from Welsh as 'Rock of the Cairn', a literal description of the hill’s most prominent feature: an exceptionally large and well-constructed summit monument.
- •Local tradition suggests the massive summit cairn was rebuilt or enlarged to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1897, serving as a prominent landmark visible from the surrounding lowlands.
- •From the top, walkers are rewarded with a clear perspective of the Glaslyn estuary and the Traeth Mawr polder, with the rugged silhouettes of the Rhinogydd mountains visible across the water to the south.
- •The hill serves as a fine introductory climb to the Moel Hebog range, offering a 'big mountain' feel with its craggy character despite sitting well below the 400-metre mark.
- •While its classification as a Hump might suggest a gentle rise, the western approach is notoriously steep and requires a steady foot through the thick heather.