A Tribute to Welsh Mountains

A mountain is described as an independent point 2,000 feet or 610 metres or over with a minimum rise of 10 metres above the immediate surrounding area.  Each summit can be identified on (OS maps) as having two ring contour lines (with an interval of 10 metres) between the summit itself and nearest col.  (Extract from The Mountain Summits of England and Wales by Chris Buxton and Gwyn Lewis published by themselves in 1986.  This is just a list of mountain summits in England and Wales made long before Mr And Mrs Nuttall decided to write their lists with descriptions.)  It is the book that I have compiled my information from with known additions since 1986.

If you were writing anything about Welsh mountains how many mountains do you think there are in Wales.  128?  154?  Or 138 as stated in the History of Wales Blog?  I think not because the Snowdonia National Park has 136!  (I hope and think!)  So here goes…

The Snowdonia National Park consists of the Snowdon group, the Carneddau, Glyders, Hebog and Siabod groups, the Arenigs, the Arans the Rhinogau including Cader Idris and the Tarren groups, the Moelwyns and three peaks from the Berwyn range, totalling 136.  The Cambrian Mountains in mid-Wales (yet to be designated a National Park although they should be) consists of 12 peaks over 2,000 feet or 610 metres.  Finally South Wales, consisting mainly of the Brecon Beacons National Park (but not entirely) has 32 peaks with the correct height.  Then there are the Berwyn mountains consisting of a further 28 outside the Snowdonia National Park.

Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) is well known, attracting thousands of mountaineers, train passengers and others just wanting to walk the highest mountain in Wales.  I think the second highest is Garnedd Ugain more commonly called Cirb-y-ddysgl, part of the Snowdon Horseshoe, at 1065 metres just 20 metres below the summit of Yr Wyddfa.

Not all the mountains in the Snowdonia National Park are in one place, the Arenig and Aran ranges and the Rhinogydd are separated by large areas of empty moorland.  From Blaenau Ffestiniog go across, by foot if you wish, a vast expanse of blanket bog, now declared the Migneint-Arenig-Dduallt Special Area of Conversation. Twentieth century farmers installed many drains and other methods to drain the bog land and making it more profitable.  But peat is vital to our environment, therefore, it is intended that the bogs be restored.

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