Wales
Darren
524M
1719FT
About Darren
Overlooking the wild, expansive moorlands of the Elan Valley, this Central Wales summit provides a quiet vantage point across the Cambrian Mountains. Reaching 524 metres, its grassy slopes are typical of the region's high plateau, offering a sense of deep isolation away from the more popular reservoir trails.
Key Statistics
Rank
95th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Central Wales
Prominence
?
21m
Nearest Town
Powys
Geology
You are walking on layers of sandstone, smooth mudstone, and pebbly rock. These sediments settled on an ancient seafloor, forming the rugged foundation of the fell.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SN908568
Latitude
52.1986°N
Longitude
3.5992°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Welsh 'y daren', meaning 'the edge' or 'the escarpment', which typically refers to a hill with a prominent rocky face or a steep drop on one side of its ridge.
- •Located within the Elan Valley catchment area, the hill overlooks land managed for over a century to protect the purity of the water supply for the city of Birmingham.
- •From the higher ground, walkers can look west toward the massive Claerwen Dam, the last and largest of the Elan Valley dams, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.
- •This area of Central Wales is often called the 'Green Desert' due to its lack of roads and permanent settlements, making navigation across its rolling plateaus a genuine challenge in mist.
- •The summit lacks a formal marker, meaning you may spend more time checking your GPS than the view to ensure you are actually standing on the highest tuft of grass.