Wales
Banc Hir
551M
1808FT
About Banc Hir
Rising above the western shores of the Elan Valley reservoirs, this elongated moorland ridge offers a remote, pathless experience in the heart of Mid Wales. The summit provides a stark perspective of the Claerwen Dam to the west and the sprawling, watery fingers of Caban-coch Reservoir far below to the east.
Key Statistics
Rank
46th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Central Wales
Prominence
?
23m
Nearest Town
Ceredigion
Geology
Beneath your boots lies the Llyn Teifi Member, composed of hardened layers of ancient sand and mud.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SN805729
Latitude
52.3411°N
Longitude
3.7555°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Welsh 'Banc' (meaning a bank, slope, or hill) and 'Hir' (long), providing a literal description of this expansive, linear ridge that stretches across the Cambrian Mountains.
- •The hill overlooks the Elan Valley Reservoirs, a massive engineering project completed between 1893 and 1904 to supply water to Birmingham; the scale of the dams is best appreciated from this elevated vantage point.
- •This is quintessential Cambrian Mountain terrain, characterized by a lack of established paths and extensive blankets of purple moor grass that demand careful footwork and navigation.
- •Despite its height and prominence in the local landscape, the summit is remarkably broad and flat, meaning you might spend more time checking your compass to find the highest point than you did walking up the slope.