Carnedd Llewelyn
Encyclopedia
Carnedd Llewelyn, usually spelt Carnedd Llywelyn in Welsh
, is a mountain
massif in the Carneddau
range in Snowdonia
, north-west Wales
. It is the highest point of the Carneddau and the second highest peak by relative height
in Wales, and lies on the border between Gwynedd
and Conwy
.
to the south-west and Foel Grach
to the north. A short subsidiary ridge links it to Yr Elen
to the north-west. Its position means that any route to this summit involves a long walk. 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
.
Though the summit, like that of many of the mountains in the southern Carneddau, is a flat, boulder-strewn plateau, the cliffs below the ridges are well-known rock climbs, notably Ysgolion Duon (meaning "black ladders") and Craig yr Ysfa. As it has a rather flat summit plateau, significant accumulations of snow can take place during the winter period. The mountain is one of the very few summits on Snowdonia that can handle so much snow for a long period of time, patches can persist on the mountain's cliffs well into the end of June, and even July although this is rare.
The highest lake in Wales, Llyn Llyffant
lies to the lee of the summit of Carnedd Llywelyn.
" 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. 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
. Other sources cite a combination of the above, i.e. Llywelyn the Great and Dafydd ap Gruffudd.
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. In Wales the spelling Carnedd Llywelyn predominates (it is used on the website of the Snowdonia National Park
Authority, for example); this is also the form preferred by most Welsh writers, among others. Many authoritative works, from other study groups, also use the Welsh form. 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.
, Carnedd Llywelyn, composed c. 1400.
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, is a mountain
Mountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
massif in the Carneddau
Carneddau
The Carneddau , are a group of mountains in Snowdonia, Wales. It includes 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 Fourteen Peaks...
range in Snowdonia
Snowdonia
Snowdonia is a region in north Wales and a national park of in area. It was the first to be designated of the three National Parks in Wales, in 1951.-Name and extent:...
, north-west Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It is the highest point of the Carneddau and the second highest peak by relative height
Topographic prominence
In topography, prominence, also known as autonomous height, relative height, shoulder drop , or prime factor , categorizes the height of the mountain's or hill's summit by the elevation between it and the lowest contour line encircling it and no higher summit...
in Wales, and lies on the border between Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
and Conwy
Conwy
Conwy is a walled market town and community in Conwy County Borough on the north coast of Wales. The town, which faces Deganwy across the River Conwy, formerly lay in Gwynedd and prior to that in Caernarfonshire. Conwy has a population of 14,208...
.
Topography and ascent routes
Carnedd Llewelyn lies in the middle of the main north-east to south-west ridge of the Carneddau, between Carnedd DafyddCarnedd Dafydd
Carnedd Dafydd is a mountain peak in the Carneddau range in Snowdonia, North 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...
to the south-west and Foel Grach
Foel Grach
Foel Grach is a mountain in the Carneddau range, is the eighth highest summit in Snowdonia as well as Wales, and therefore included the Welsh 3000s....
to the north. A short subsidiary ridge links it to Yr Elen
Yr Elen
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 celsius...
to the north-west. Its position means that any route to this summit involves a long walk. It can be climbed from Gerlan, above Bethesda
Bethesda, Wales
Bethesda is a town lying on the River Ogwen and the A5 road on the edge of Snowdonia, in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, colloquially called Pesda by the locals.- History :...
, taking the path following Afon Llafar
Afon Llafar
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...
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
Pen yr Ole Wen
Pen yr Ole Wen is the seventh highest mountain in Snowdonia and in Wales. It is the most southerly of the Carneddau range.The mountain lies to the north of Idwal Cottage youth hostel on the A5 road, from where it has a pyramidal appearance. It may be climbed from the hostel by a path that leads...
or from Foel-fras
Foel-fras
Foel-fras is a mountain in the Carneddau range, about 10 km east of Bethesda in North Wales. It lies on the border between the counties of Gwynedd and Conwy...
.
Though the summit, like that of many of the mountains in the southern Carneddau, is a flat, boulder-strewn plateau, the cliffs below the ridges are well-known rock climbs, notably Ysgolion Duon (meaning "black ladders") and Craig yr Ysfa. As it has a rather flat summit plateau, significant accumulations of snow can take place during the winter period. The mountain is one of the very few summits on Snowdonia that can handle so much snow for a long period of time, patches can persist on the mountain's cliffs well into the end of June, and even July although this is rare.
The highest lake in Wales, Llyn Llyffant
Llyn Llyffant
Llyn Llyffant is the highest lake in Wales, located at grid reference SH 687 645.Its name translates into English as "frog lake". It lies at an elevation of approximately 815m above sea level....
lies to the lee of the summit of Carnedd Llywelyn.
Name
Carnedd Llywelyn means "Llywelyn's cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
" in Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. 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. An alternative theory is that the twin peaks are named after Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great
Llywelyn the Great , full name Llywelyn ab Iorwerth, was a Prince of Gwynedd in north Wales and eventually de facto ruler over most of Wales...
, an earlier prince of Gwynedd
Kingdom of Gwynedd
Gwynedd was one petty kingdom of several Welsh successor states which emerged in 5th-century post-Roman Britain in the Early Middle Ages, and later evolved into a principality during the High Middle Ages. It was based on the former Brythonic tribal lands of the Ordovices, Gangani, and the...
, and his son and successor, Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn
Dafydd ap Llywelyn was Prince of Gwynedd from 1240 to 1246. He was for a time recognised as Prince of Wales.- Descent :...
. Other sources cite a combination of the above, i.e. Llywelyn the Great and Dafydd ap Gruffudd.
The spelling of the name is also controversial. Carnedd Llewelyn is the form used by the Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
, the mapping agency for Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, and other sources. In Wales the spelling Carnedd Llywelyn predominates (it is used on the website of the Snowdonia National Park
National parks of England and Wales
The national parks of England and Wales are areas of relatively undeveloped and scenic landscape that are designated under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949...
Authority, for example); this is also the form preferred by most Welsh writers, among others. Many authoritative works, from other study groups, also use the Welsh form. The Welsh personal name Llywelyn
Llywelyn
-Personal names: Historical:Historically it may refer to any of several Welshmen:*Llywelyn ap Merfyn early 10th century King of Powys*Llywelyn ap Seisyll , king of Gwynedd and Deheubarth...
, from which the mountain's name is derived, is always spelt thus in the Welsh language
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, although the forms Llewelyn and Llewellyn are found in older English-language sources.
Cultural references
The mountain features in Welsh poetry and literature; the earliest known work is a poem by Rhys Goch EryriRhys Goch Eryri
Rhys Goch Eryri , was a 15th century bard who lived at Hafod Garegog, near Beddgelert in North Wales. He was acquainted with Dafydd Nanmor, who lived in neighbouring Nantmor, and it is possible that Rhys Goch was a teacher to him...
, Carnedd Llywelyn, composed c. 1400.
External links
- Carnedd Llewelyn is at coordinates 53.160587°N 3.969305°W
- Walking Routes, photos and GPS files for Carnedd Llewelyn Walk Eryri
- www.geograph.co.uk : photos of Carnedd Llewelyn