Ysgafell Wen Far North Top

About Ysgafell Wen Far North Top

Rising as a rugged, rocky outcrop above the Llynnau’r Cŵn lakes, this Nuttall top offers a sense of remote isolation. Situated in the northern Moelwyns, it provides a dramatic vantage point over the Moelwyn Mawr and Cnicht ridge, requiring careful navigation through the undulating, often boggy terrain of the central Snowdonia plateau.

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Did You Know?

• •The name translates from Welsh as 'White Ledge Far North Top', referring to the pale, rhyolitic rock that characterises the Ysgafell Wen ridge. This specific summit is a rocky island within the complex, watery plateau above Cwm Edno.
• •The hill sits directly beside Llynnau’r Cŵn, or the 'Lakes of the Dogs'. These three small pools provide an essential navigational handrail in an area of high plateau that can be exceptionally difficult to navigate in low mist.
• •From the summit, you gain a unique perspective on the sharp 'Matterhorn' profile of Cnicht to the south-west and the massive, sprawling bulk of Moel Siabod across the valley to the north-east.
• •Reaching this top usually involves a traverse from the main summit of Ysgafell Wen, crossing a terrain of peat hags and hidden pools that demands sturdy, waterproof footwear.
• •Given the proximity to the 'Dog Lakes' and the notoriously saturated ground, hikers are far more likely to end the day with 'soggy paws' than encounter any actual ancient canine companions.