Bryn Llychese [Banc Nant-rhys]

About Bryn Llychese [Banc Nant-rhys]

Situated within the wild heart of the Pumlumon range, this rounded moorland summit offers a sense of profound isolation. The terrain is characteristic of Mid Wales—broad, grassy, and often boggy. From the top, the sprawling plateaus of the Cambrian Mountains extend toward the higher, craggier peaks of Pumlumon Fawr and Pen y Pumlumon Arwystli.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name Bryn Llychese combines the Welsh 'bryn' (hill) with 'llyches', meaning a hiding place or shelter, perhaps hinting at the hill's historical use for concealing livestock in the remote, folding valleys of the Cambrian Mountains.
• •Its alternative name, Banc Nant-rhys, refers to the 'bank of Rhys’s brook,' one of the many watercourses that begin their journey in the high, peat-rich soil of the Pumlumon massif.
• •To the west, the skyline is dominated by the three main tops of the Pumlumon massif, while the view south looks across the uninhabited moorlands toward the distant Elan Valley reservoirs.
• •This hill sits in a region often called the 'Green Desert of Wales,' a vast expanse of uplands noted for its lack of roads and permanent settlements.
• •Navigating these slopes in mist is an excellent way to test your compass skills, as every peat hag and grassy hummock looks remarkably identical to the last one you passed ten minutes ago.