Castell y Gwynt

About Castell y Gwynt

Rising as a jagged crown of vertical stone spikes on the high plateau between Glyder Fach and Glyder Fawr, this Nuttall is one of Eryri's most iconic silhouettes. Its shattered rock architecture offers a rugged, wind-blasted atmosphere and a brief, entertaining scramble for those traversing the Glyderau’s high spine.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is Welsh for 'Castle of the Wind,' a title earned by the way the wind howls through its vertical rock shards on the exposed plateau.
• •The peak is a classic example of frost-shattering; over millennia, the freeze-thaw cycle has split the volcanic rock into the distinctive upright 'pinnacles' that give the hill its ruined fortress appearance.
• •Though it looks like an independent peak when approached from the east, it is often grouped with Glyder Fach; however, its topographical prominence is sufficient for it to be classified as a Nuttall in its own right.
• •The summit offers a peerless perspective of Tryfan’s south face and the Bristly Ridge, providing a sense of the sheer scale of the glacial carving in the Ogwen Valley below.
• •Despite its name, the 'castle' provides remarkably little actual shelter; the gaps between the vertical stone spikes ensure that no matter which way the wind is blowing, it will find you.