Craig Stwlan

Overlooking the dramatic circular bowl of Llyn Stwlan, this rugged height offers a sharp vantage point within the Moelwyns. Though dwarfed by neighbouring Moelwyn Mawr, its position provides a unique perspective on the Ffestiniog pumped-storage scheme and the jagged silhouettes of the Snowdonia massif stretching towards the north.

• •The name translates from Welsh as 'Stwlan’s Rock'. While the origin of 'Stwlan' is obscure, it is intrinsically linked to the deep corrie lake sitting directly beneath the crags, which was significantly enlarged for industrial use.
• •The hill serves as the backdrop to the Stwlan Dam, the upper reservoir for the Ffestiniog Power Station. Completed in 1963, this was the first major pumped-storage hydroelectric system in the UK, and its massive concrete buttresses create a striking industrial-alpine aesthetic.
• •While many walkers bypass the summit to reach the higher Moelwyn Mawr, it is a worthy detour for the dizzying view straight down into the dam's outflow and the steep service road zig-zagging up from the valley floor at Tanygrisiau.
• •The summit offers an excellent line of sight across the Dwyryd estuary toward the Traeth Mawr, with the distinctive pointed profile of Cnicht—often called the 'Matterhorn of Wales'—clearly visible to the northwest.
• •The walk up the access road to the dam is remarkably civilised until you realise the gradient was designed for high-torque engineering vehicles rather than human lungs.