Carnedd Llewelyn

About Carnedd Llewelyn

Dominating the northern skyline of Eryri, this massive, whale-backed massif is the highest point of the Carneddau range. While less jagged than the neighboring Glyderau, its sprawling rocky plateau offers a sense of remote scale and wildness that is hard to find elsewhere in the Welsh mountains.

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Did You Know?

• •The name translates from Welsh as 'Llywelyn’s Cairn', traditionally believed to be named after Llywelyn ap Iorwerth (Llywelyn the Great), the 13th-century Prince of Gwynedd who held his court at the base of the mountains in Abergwyngregyn.
• •Standing at 1,061.8 metres, it is the highest point in Wales outside of the Snowdon massif and serves as a pivotal peak for those attempting the Welsh 3000s challenge.
• •The summit provides an exceptional view of the 'Black Ladders' (Ysgolion Duon), a series of dark, precipitous crags on the mountain's western flank that are renowned for challenging winter climbing.
• •From the summit, walkers are treated to a spectacular panorama that includes the Menai Strait and the Isle of Anglesey to the northwest, and the distinctive 'shark fin' profile of Tryfan across the Ogwen Valley to the south.
• •The surrounding slopes are the habitat of the wild Carneddau ponies, a unique and ancient breed that has survived the harsh upland environment for centuries and is genetically distinct from other Welsh mountain ponies.
• •The summit plateau is so expansive and flat that in heavy mist, it becomes one of the most challenging navigational spots in Wales, where even experienced walkers can find themselves circling the summit cairn like a lost satellite.