Cefn Croes

About Cefn Croes

Situated in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains, this expansive ridge is defined by the massive wind farm that spans its high plateau. At 573m, it offers a stark, industrial contrast to the surrounding wild moorland, providing wide views north across the undulating peat hags toward the Pumlumon massif.

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Did You Know?

• •The name translates from Welsh as 'Cross Ridge' (Cefn meaning ridge and Croes meaning cross), likely referring to an ancient trackway or boundary marker where paths intersected on the high ground between the Rheidol and Ystwyth valleys.
• •The hill is the site of one of the UK’s most significant inland wind farms, which began operating in 2005. Its development was a landmark case in the debate regarding renewable energy and upland landscape preservation in Mid Wales.
• •Specific views from the summit area extend eastward across the rugged, remote moorland of the Elan Valley toward the high peaks of the Claerwen Forest.
• •Much of the ascent follows service tracks created for the turbines, providing a firm walking surface through a landscape that feels more like a power station than a traditional wilderness.
• •It is perhaps the only Tump in the region where the sounds of nature are frequently accompanied by the rhythmic, low-frequency 'whoosh' of dozens of sixty-metre turbine blades.