Wales
Moel y Slates
557M
1827FT
About Moel y Slates
Rising from the wild, boggy reaches of the Migneint, this heathery summit offers a quiet vantage point within the Arenig range. It stands as a natural boundary between remote moorland and the industrial slate landscapes of Blaenau Ffestiniog, rewarding walkers with a clear, uninterrupted profile of the Moelwynion and Moel Siabod.
Key Statistics
Rank
231st Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
23m
Nearest Town
Gwynedd
Geology
You are walking over ancient layers of hardened mud and sand, pierced by tough rock that once cooled from a molten state underground.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH784364
Latitude
52.9112°N
Longitude
3.8097°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is a hybrid of the Welsh 'Moel' (meaning a bare or rounded hill) and the English 'Slates', referencing the massive slate quarries that define this part of the Ffestiniog landscape.
- •It sits on the edge of the Migneint, one of the largest expanses of blanket bog in Wales; the terrain is notoriously wet and provides a vital habitat for hen harriers and short-eared owls.
- •The summit offers a stark, interesting perspective of the Graig Ddu quarry workings to the west, set against the jagged skyline of the Moelwynion peaks.
- •While many hills in the region bear ancient, strictly Welsh names, this peak opts for a more literal description—though you will find far more heather than roof tiles on its actual slopes.