Wales
Penygadair
507M
1663FT
About Penygadair
Rising above the Conwy Valley on the eastern edge of the Carneddau, this grassy summit offers a quieter perspective than the high peaks to the west. It overlooks the historic Roman road at Bwlch y Ddefaen, providing an excellent vantage point for viewing Tal y Fan and the sweep of the northern coast.
Key Statistics
Rank
325th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
20m
Nearest Town
Llanbedr-y-cennin
Geology
You are walking over ancient layers of hardened volcanic ash and solidified lava, interspersed with stone once formed from buried mud and silt.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH733693
Latitude
53.2056°N
Longitude
3.8985°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Penygadair translates from Welsh as 'top of the seat' or 'head of the chair', a common topographical descriptor referring to the hill's shape or a nearby natural hollow.
- •The hill sits immediately south of the Bwlch y Ddefaen, a significant mountain pass traversed by a well-preserved Roman road that once linked the forts of Segontium and Canovium.
- •The summit offers a distinct perspective of the Conwy Valley and the Carneddau's northernmost outliers, with particularly clear views across to the limestone plateau of the Great Orme on the north coast.
- •While its more famous namesake in the south of the national park attracts crowds, this 507-metre Penygadair is often bypassed by walkers heading for the higher ground of Drum and Foel Fras.
- •Navigational errors are rare on this ridge, unless you have told your companions you are climbing Penygadair and they have mistakenly driven sixty miles south to the other one on Cadair Idris.