Trawsallt

About Trawsallt

Hidden in the remote heart of the Cambrian Mountains, this rounded moorland peak offers a sense of total isolation. Rising above the headwaters of the Afon Ystwyth, the terrain is pathless and often boggy, rewarding those who brave the trek with vast, empty views across the rugged Elan Valley wilderness.

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Did You Know?

• •The name derives from the Welsh 'traws', meaning across or transverse, and 'allt', which refers to a steep hillside or wooded slope. It likely describes the hill's position as a cross-ridge between the Ystwyth and Elan catchments.
• •Located in the so-called 'Green Desert of Wales', the hill sits near the historic Cwmystwyth lead mines. It is often climbed alongside its neighbour, Pen y Gurnos, as part of a long, trackless traverse of the high peat moorlands.
• •From the summit on a clear day, you can look north across the wilderness to the sprawling mass of Pumlumon Fawr, while to the south-east, the waters of the Claerwen Reservoir are often visible glinting between the folds of the hills.
• •Navigation here is a fine art of interpreting varying shades of brown; in mist, the featureless plateau ensures that your compass will be working significantly harder than your legs.