Wales
Moel y Feidiog
578M
1895FT
About Moel y Feidiog
Tucked away near Trawsfynydd, Moel y Feidiog is the Arenig range’s best-kept secret, mainly because everyone else is busy climbing Arenig Fawr. It offers stunning views of a decommissioned nuclear power station, proving that even industrial architecture looks majestic when you’re standing on a soggy Ordovician lump.
Key Statistics
Rank
209th Highest in Wales
Parent Range
Snowdonia
Prominence
?
51m
Nearest Town
Gwynedd
Geology
Moel y Feidiog is built from ancient seafloor mud and sand, reinforced by molten rock that cooled and hardened deep underground.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
SH781324
Latitude
52.8752°N
Longitude
3.8127°W
Did You Know?
- •It belongs to the Arenig range, formed during the Ordovician period by intense volcanic activity. The surrounding landscape is a rugged tapestry of heather and igneous rock that remains largely undisturbed by the tourist crowds.
- •From the top, you can see the vast Llyn Trawsfynydd, which was the first inland nuclear power station site in the UK. The lake’s waters were used for cooling, creating a unique microclimate that once supported tropical fish species in the discharge areas.
- •Standing at 577 meters, it is classified as a Dewey, a category for peaks over 500 meters with at least a 30-meter drop. It’s the kind of hill that feels much taller when you’re trying to navigate its trackless slopes in a typical Welsh mist.
- •The area is notoriously remote and lacks the manicured paths found in the northern Snowdonia ranges. Hikers should be prepared for a wilderness experience where the only witnesses to your navigational errors are the local livestock.
- •Navigation here is less about map-reading and more about 'interpretive bog-leaping.' You will inevitably find yourself following a promising sheep track, only to realize the sheep was clearly playing a prank and leading you directly into a waist-deep mire.
