Wales
Cistfaen
535M
1755FT
About Cistfaen
Situated in the wild heart of the Pumlumon range, this modest summit offers a quiet alternative to its loftier neighbours. The terrain is typical of the Cambrian Mountains—grassy, often saturated, and blissfully remote. From the top, you gain a clear perspective of Pumlumon Fawr and the sprawling Nant-y-moch reservoir to the west.
Key Statistics
Rank
74th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Central Wales
Prominence
?
22.1m
Nearest Town
Powys
Geology
The ground beneath your boots consists of layered sandstone and mudstone. These sturdy sediments form the rugged backbone of the fell you are climbing.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SN867775
Latitude
52.3838°N
Longitude
3.6661°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Welsh cist (chest) and maen (stone), referring to a cistvaen—a type of prehistoric stone-lined burial chamber. This suggests the area around the summit has been a site of human significance since the Bronze Age.
- •It forms part of the high, undulating plateau of the Pumlumon massif, sitting on a ridge that connects the main peaks to the wilder, less-visited moorlands of Carn Hyddgen to the north.
- •From the summit, the view stretches across the 'Green Desert of Wales' toward the silhouettes of Cadair Idris and the Arans, providing a sense of isolation rarely found in more popular Welsh ranges.
- •Navigating the slopes of Cistfaen often requires a philosophical attitude toward bog-hopping, as the ground here remains stubbornly liquid long after the rest of the range has dried out.