Priddellau [Esgair Nantybeddau]

About Priddellau [Esgair Nantybeddau]

This is the Desert of Wales at its most unapologetically desolate. A rounded hump on the ridge north of the Elan Valley, it offers a masterclass in silence, solitude, and the unique Welsh art of hiding deep bogs under perfectly innocent-looking tufts of grass.

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Did You Know?

• •It forms part of the sprawling 'Desert of Wales,' a vast area of the Cambrian Mountains so remote that even the sheep occasionally look like they are reconsidering their life choices.
• •The summit sits near the historic boundary between Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, though you will find far more peat hags here than official boundary markers.
• •The name Priddellau translates roughly to 'the turfs' or 'the mounds,' which is a refreshing bit of topographical honesty for a hill that is effectively a very large, damp bump.
• •Navigation in this area is a great way to test your compass skills, as the featureless moorland provides almost no visual clues other than which way the horizontal rain is hitting your face.
• •A successful ascent is measured not by the quality of the view, but by how many of your socks remain dry enough to be recognized as items of clothing by the time you return.