Moel Hafodowen

Tucked away near Coed y Brenin, Moel Hafodowen is the kind of hill that makes you feel like a pioneer, mainly because the paths are purely theoretical and the heather is ambitious. It's a modest height, but the views across the Mawddach towards the Rhinogydd are surprisingly punchy.

• •It is part of the 'Harlech Dome,' an ancient geological uplift. This area exposes some of the oldest Cambrian rocks found anywhere in the British Isles.
• •The name Moel Hafodowen translates to 'Hill of Owen's Summer Dairy.' This refers to the historic practice of transhumance where livestock were moved to higher pastures during the warmer months.
• •The area surrounding the fell was once a hub for the copper and gold mining industry. Numerous old workings are scattered through the nearby valley, though they are now mostly reclaimed by the forest.
• •It is located right next to the world-class mountain biking trails of Coed y Brenin. Despite this, the hill remains so quiet that the local sheep seem genuinely offended by any human presence.
• •Finding the actual summit is a masterclass in navigation ambiguity. It usually involves a mid-heather existential crisis where you wonder if the slightly taller tuft of grass twenty yards away is the true peak.