Topography and ascent routes
Carnedd Llewelyn lies in the middle of the main north-east to south-west ridge of the Carneddau, between Carnedd Dafydd to the south-west and Foel Grach to the north. A short subsidiary ridge links it to Yr Elen to the north-west. It can be climbed from Gerlan, above Bethesda, taking the path following Afon Llafar then continuing to the summit of Yr Elen before following the short ridge to Carnedd Llewelyn. Another path starts from Helyg on the A5, taking the track to the reservoir then following the slopes above Craig yr Ysfa to the summit. An alternative is to reach it by following the main ridge, either from Pen yr Ole Wen or from Foel-fras.
The summit is a flat, boulder-strewn plateau, similar to several of the other mountains that lie in the southern Carneddau. The cliffs below the ridges are well-known rock climbs, notably Ysgolion Duon (meaning "black ladders") and Craig yr Ysfa. The flat plateau means that during winter and spring, significant accumulations of snow and blizzards occur on frequent occasions. The mountain has also been noted for its long-lying snow patches in recent years, with old snow patches known to survive on its southern gullies well into July. The highest lake in Wales, Llyn Llyffant lies to the lee of the summit of Carnedd Llywelyn. [2]
Name
Carnedd Llywelyn means "Llywelyn's cairn" in Welsh. It is widely believed that Carnedd Llewelyn and the neighbouring Carnedd Dafydd are named after Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and his brother Dafydd ap Gruffudd, the last independent prince of Wales, respectively. [3] An alternative theory is that the twin peaks are named after Llywelyn the Great, an earlier prince of Gwynedd, and his son and successor, Dafydd ap Llywelyn. [4] [5] Other sources cite a combination of the above, i.e. Llywelyn the Great and Dafydd ap Gruffudd. [6]
The spelling of the name is also controversial. Carnedd Llewelyn is the form used by the Ordnance Survey, the mapping agency for Great Britain, and other sources. [7] In Wales the spelling Carnedd Llywelyn predominates (it is used on the website of the Snowdonia National Park Authority, for example [8] ); this is also the form preferred by most Welsh writers, among others. [9] Many authoritative works, from other study groups, also use the Welsh form. [10] The Welsh personal name Llywelyn , from which the mountain's name is derived, is always spelt thus in the Welsh language, although the forms Llewelyn and Llewellyn are found in older English-language sources.
Snowdonia, or Eryri, is a mountainous region and national park in North Wales. It contains all 15 mountains in Wales over 3000 feet high, including the country's highest, Snowdon, which is 1,085 metres (3,560 ft) tall. These peaks are all part of the Snowdon, Glyderau, and Carneddau ranges in the north of the region. The shorter Moelwynion and Moel Hebog ranges lie immediately to the south.
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Llywelyn II, also known as Llywelyn the Last, was Prince of Gwynedd, and later was recognised as the Prince of Wales from 1258 until his death at Cilmeri in 1282. Llywelyn was the son of Gruffudd ap Llywelyn ap Iorwerth and grandson of Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, and he was one of the last native and independent princes of Wales before its conquest by Edward I of England and English rule in Wales that followed, until Owain Glyndŵr held the title during the Welsh Revolt of 1400–1415.
Glaslyn is a lake in the Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, north-west Wales.
The Carneddau are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. They include the largest contiguous areas of high ground in Wales and England, as well as six or seven of the highest peaks in the country—the Fifteen Peaks. The range also encloses a number of lakes such as Llyn Cowlyd and Llyn Eigiau, and the Aber Falls waterfall. It is delimited by the Irish Sea to the north, the Conwy valley to the east, and by the A5 road from Betws-y-Coed to Bethesda to the south and west. The area covers nearly 200 square kilometres (80 sq mi), about 10% of the area of Snowdonia. The area is bordered by three main roads—the A55, the A5 to the south and the A470 to the east.
Gwenllian of Wales or Gwenllian ferch Llywelyn was the daughter of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last native Prince of Wales. Gwenllian is sometimes confused with Gwenllian ferch Gruffudd, who lived two centuries earlier.
Carnedd Dafydd is a mountain peak in the Carneddau range in Snowdonia, Wales, and is the third highest peak in Wales, or the fourth if Crib y Ddysgl on the Snowdon ridge is counted. Situated south-west of Carnedd Llewelyn and north of Pen yr Ole Wen, Carnedd Dafydd is on the main ridge of the Carneddau, and on the border between Gwynedd and Conwy. The average annual temperature of the mountain is around 3–4 °C (37–39 °F).
Pennal is a village and community on the A493 road in southern Gwynedd, Wales, on the north bank of the River Dyfi, near Machynlleth.
Pen yr Helgi Du is a mountain peak in the eastern part of the Carneddau in Snowdonia, North Wales.
Yr Elen is a mountain in the Carneddau range in Snowdonia, Wales. It is the ninth highest mountain in Snowdonia. The average annual temperature of the peak is around 4 °C (39 °F). It lies on a short ridge running north-northwest off the main northeast-to-southwest ridge of the Carneddau, just over one kilometre from Carnedd Llewelyn.
Foel Grach is a mountain in the Carneddau range. It is the eighth-highest summit in Snowdonia as well as Wales, and is included in the Welsh 3000s.
Carnedd Gwenllian, previously known as Carnedd Uchaf until 2009, is a minor summit of the Carneddau range in Snowdonia, Wales, and included in the Welsh 3000s. From the summit, distant views to the north can extend as far as Ireland and the Isle of Man, and to the South as far as the Berwyn Ranges.
Llyn Ogwen is a ribbon lake in north-west Wales. It lies alongside the A5 road between two mountain ranges of Snowdonia, the Carneddau and the Glyderau. Somewhat unusually, the county boundary at this point is drawn so that the lake itself lies in the county of Gwynedd, but all the surrounding land lies in Conwy County Borough.
Llyn Dulyn is a lake on the edge of the Carneddau range of mountains in Snowdonia, North Wales. The lake is 33 acres (130,000 m2) in extent and 189 feet deep. Less than a kilometre to its south lies the smaller Llyn Melynllyn. Cliffs rise steeply from the lake edge up to the summits of Garnedd Uchaf and Foel Grach, giving it a dark brooding appearance - hence its name.
Llyn Melynllyn is a lake within the Carneddau range of mountains in Snowdonia, North Wales.
Ffynnon Llugwy is a lake in the Carneddau range of mountains in Snowdonia, North Wales.
Pitt's Head is a distinctive rock located at grid reference SH576515, close to the A4085 road in Gwynedd, Wales. Its distinction lies in a resemblance to the profile of politician William Pitt the Younger.
Foel Meirch is a top of Carnedd Dafydd in the Carneddau range in Snowdonia, North Wales. It offers commanding views of Carnedd Llewelyn and Yr Elen, and the Ysgolion Duon Cliffs.
Bera Mawr is a summit in the Carneddau mountains in north Wales, height 794 metres. It and Bera Bach are together known as the Berau, or northern Carneddau. The summit is a large rock tor, characteristic of the western Carneddau. There are views of Llwytmor and Foel-fras to the north-east, Garnedd Uchaf to the south-east, Bera Bach to the south, Drosgl to the west and the Menai to the north-west.
Afon Llafar is a river in the Carneddau, Snowdonia. It rises where many streams flow down the slopes of Yr Elen, Carnedd Llewelyn and Carnedd Dafydd to join together in the valley below the cliffs of Ysgolion Duon. It is one of several similarly named streams in Wales. The river flows north-west along Cwm Pen-llafar, with Caseg River joining it near Gerlan, and discharges into the River Ogwen in the heart of Bethesda. Afon Llafar has the same etymology as the River Laver in North Yorkshire, England, with both being derived from Brittonic laβar, meaning "talkative, boastful".
Myrddin ap Dafydd is a Welsh writer, publisher and chaired bard. In 2018 he was elected Archdruid of Wales.
