Esgair Perfedd

Rising above the eastern shores of the Caban-coch reservoir, this rounded moorland ridge offers a wild, often boggy experience characteristic of the Elan Valley. It provides a quiet alternative to the popular lakeside paths, rewarding those who tackle its pathless slopes with an expansive sense of isolation and grand scale.

• •The name is Welsh, where 'esgair' means a long ridge or shank, and 'perfedd' translates to middle or central. This identifies its position as the central spine of land between the Elan and Claerwen river systems.
• •From the 503-metre summit, you earn a direct view over the Caban-coch dam, with the expansive moorland of the Cambrian Mountains stretching towards the distant silhouette of Drygarn Fawr to the south-west.
• •The ridge is part of a landscape traditionally used for upland sheep farming, and walkers will still encounter old drystone sheepfolds and boundary markers that pre-date the flooding of the valleys below.
• •While the map suggests an easy stroll, the terrain is classic mid-Wales moorland; a 'straight line' here usually involves a series of tactical detours to avoid disappearing knee-deep into a peat hag.