Crug Mawr

About Crug Mawr

Rising above the Grwyne Fawr valley, this broad, grassy dome offers a quieter perspective on the Black Mountains. Its name translates from Welsh as 'Great Mound', fitting for a summit marked by a lone trig pillar. From here, the distinctive profile of the Sugar Loaf dominates the southern skyline.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Welsh 'crug', meaning a mound or barrow, and 'mawr', meaning great. This likely refers to the hill's prominent rounded profile or the ancient burial mound located near the summit.
• •The Beacons Way, a 99-mile long-distance path through the National Park, crosses directly over the summit as it links the Grwyne Fawr reservoir with the village of Llanbedr.
• •The summit provides an exceptional vantage point for studying the surrounding topography; to the west, the high peaks of the Central Brecon Beacons, including Pen y Fan and Corn Du, are visible across the Usk Valley.
• •On the north-eastern slopes lies the remote valley of Partrishow, home to the 11th-century Church of St Issui, which is famous among walkers for its rare carved rood screen and medieval 'doom' wall painting.
• •Despite the name promising a 'Great Mound', the top is a remarkably flat expanse of moorland, suggesting the original namer was looking up from the valley rather than standing on the actual summit.