Berwyn range facts for kids

Location in the United Kingdom

Cadair Berwyn, with Llyn Lluncaws in the foreground

Summit of Moel Sych

Summit of Cadair Bronwen, looking towards Cadair Berwyn

The Berwyn range is a group of hills in northeast Wales. In Welsh, it's called Y Berwyn or Mynydd y Berwyn. It's a quiet area with lots of open moorland. The Berwyns are located between towns like Llangollen, Corwen, Bala, and Oswestry.

Exploring the Berwyn Mountains

The Berwyn area is a wild place. It's mostly covered in thick heather plants, along with some grassy areas and bracken ferns. Even though its peaks are not as tall as those in nearby Snowdonia, they are still rugged and special. Nearby towns like Llangollen and Corwen are popular places for visitors.

Highest Peaks in Berwyn

The main peaks in the Berwyn range are:

• Cadair Berwyn at 832 metres (2,730 ft) above sea level.
• Moel Sych at 827 metres (2,713 ft) above sea level.
• Cadair Bronwen at 783 metres (2,569 ft) above sea level.

A mountain road called the B4391 Milltir Cerrig pass crosses the range to the southwest. It reaches a height of 486 metres (1,594 ft).

Cadair Berwyn: The Tallest Point

Cadair Berwyn is the highest point in the Berwyn range. It's also the tallest important mountain in Wales outside of the National Parks. The mountains of Cadair Bronwen and Foel Cedig are also part of the Berwyn range.

Cadair Berwyn is on the main ridge of the Berwyn range, which runs from north to south. The eastern side of this ridge has steep drops and rocky cliffs. One of these cliffs, Craig y Llyn, forms the back wall of a valley. The Welsh word cadair means 'chair', which probably describes this valley shape. Further north along the ridge is Cadair Bronwen. To the south, the ridge continues to Moel Sych.

It's often thought that Moel Sych, which is about 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) away on the ridge, is the same height. However, the true summit of Cadair Berwyn is about 200 metres (219 yd) south of its trig point (a marker for surveying). This true summit is three metres taller than Moel Sych. This higher point is sometimes called Cadair Berwyn New Top.

Other peaks in the area include Foel Wen, which means 'white hill' in Welsh, and Mynydd Tarw, meaning 'bull mountain'. The summit of Cadair Berwyn is on the border between Powys and Denbighshire. It is the highest point in Denbighshire. The northern part of Craig Berwyn is the highest point in the Wrexham county borough.

Berwyn's Past: History and Legends

There is an old standing stone in the Berwyn area. It is located near the summit between Cadair Berwyn and Tomle. This stone was put back upright in June 2008. You can find it at grid reference SJ080337.

The Berwyn range also played a role in history. In 1165, King Henry II of England tried to invade Gwynedd (a Welsh kingdom). Instead of using the usual coastal route, his army tried to cross the Berwyns from Oswestry. The English army faced an alliance of Welsh princes led by King Owain Gwynedd. But there wasn't much fighting. Days of heavy rain forced the English army to turn back.

The Berwyn Mountain Incident of 1974

On January 23, 1974, at 8:38 PM, an earthquake with a strength of 3.5 was felt across a large part of north Wales and even as far as Liverpool. Earthquakes are not common in the UK, so people didn't immediately realize what it was. On the same evening, some unusual lights were seen in the sky. This led some people to think that an aircraft had crashed or a meteorite had hit the ground. More confusion was caused by lights seen on the Berwyn Mountains, which later turned out to be from poachers. This event is sometimes called the "Berwyn Mountain UFO incident."

Nature and Wildlife in Berwyn

The Berwyn area is home to many upland birds. These include birds of prey like the hen harrier, merlin, and peregrine falcon. About 14 to 18 pairs of each of these species breed here. This is a big part of their total population in Britain. Because of these important birds, the area is a Special Protection Area. This classification follows the European Union's rules for protecting birds.

Much of the area is also a national nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is part of the Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountains Special Area of Conservation. Other animals you might find here include the short-eared owl, raven, buzzard, polecat, and golden plover.

What Does "Berwyn" Mean?

The name "Berwyn" has an interesting history. One idea from a scholar named T. Gwynn Jones is that it might come from "Bryn(iau) Gwyn (ap Nudd)". In this idea, the old Welsh word "bre" (meaning 'hill') changed to Ber. Gwyn ap Nudd is a mythical king of the Tylwyth Teg, who are like fairies.

A more likely meaning for "Berwyn" is from the Welsh words "bar" (meaning 'summit' or 'crest') and "gwyn" (meaning 'white'). The letters changed over time to form "Berwyn".

Peaks of the Berwyn Range

Bala, Gwynedd to Welshpool

This table lists many of the peaks found in the Berwyn range, showing their names and locations.

See also

In Spanish: Cordillera Berwyn para niños