Extreme points of Wales facts for kids

Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It's known for its beautiful landscapes, mountains, and long coastline. This article will tell you about the "extreme points" of Wales – these are the very furthest north, south, east, and west places, as well as the highest and lowest points. Knowing these extreme points helps us understand the geography of Wales better!

Wales as a Whole

Middle Mouse (Ynys Badrig) as seen from Anglesey (Ynys Môn)

When we talk about Wales as a whole, we include all its islands. Here are its extreme points:

• Northernmost point – Middle Mouse, a tiny island off the coast of Anglesey. It's the furthest north you can go in Wales! 53°26′N 4°26′W / 53.433°N 4.433°W / 53.433; -4.433
• Northernmost settlement – Llanlleiana, a small village also on Anglesey. 53°25′N 4°25′W / 53.417°N 4.417°W / 53.417; -4.417
• Southernmost point – Flat Holm, an island in the Bristol Channel, near Cardiff. 51°22′N 3°7′W / 51.367°N 3.117°W / 51.367; -3.117
• Southernmost settlement – Rhoose, a village in the Vale of Glamorgan. 51°23′N 3°20′W / 51.383°N 3.333°W / 51.383; -3.333
• Westernmost point – The Smalls, a group of rocks with a lighthouse far out in the sea off Pembrokeshire.
• Westernmost settlement – Treginnis, a small place in Pembrokeshire. 51°52′N 5°18′W / 51.867°N 5.300°W / 51.867; -5.300
• Easternmost point – Lady Park Wood, a nature reserve near Monmouth in Monmouthshire. 51°49′N 2°39′W / 51.817°N 2.650°W / 51.817; -2.650
• Easternmost point of North Wales – A part of the Llangollen Canal.
• Easternmost settlement – Chepstow, a town in Monmouthshire, right on the border with England. 51°37′N 2°39′W / 51.617°N 2.650°W / 51.617; -2.650

Wales (Mainland Only)

Chepstow showing border

Sometimes, we only look at the main part of Wales, without including the islands. Here are the extreme points for the mainland:

• Northernmost point – Point of Ayr, a sandy headland in Flintshire. 53°21′N 3°19′W / 53.350°N 3.317°W / 53.350; -3.317
• Northernmost settlement – Talacre, a village in Flintshire. 53°21′N 3°19′W / 53.350°N 3.317°W / 53.350; -3.317
• Southernmost point – Breaksea Point, a headland in the Vale of Glamorgan. 51°22′N 3°24′W / 51.367°N 3.400°W / 51.367; -3.400
• Southernmost settlement – Rhoose, a village in the Vale of Glamorgan. 51°23′N 3°20′W / 51.383°N 3.333°W / 51.383; -3.333
• Westernmost point – Pen Dal-aderyn, a headland in Pembrokeshire. 51°51′N 5°19′W / 51.850°N 5.317°W / 51.850; -5.317
• Westernmost settlement – Treginnis, a small place in Pembrokeshire. 51°52′N 5°18′W / 51.867°N 5.300°W / 51.867; -5.300
• Easternmost point – Lady Park Wood, a nature reserve near Monmouth in Monmouthshire. 51°49′N 2°39′W / 51.817°N 2.650°W / 51.817; -2.650
• Easternmost settlement – Chepstow, a town in Monmouthshire. 51°37′N 2°39′W / 51.617°N 2.650°W / 51.617; -2.650

Centre Point of Wales

The exact centre point of Wales can be a bit tricky to figure out! It depends on whether you include the islands or just the mainland.

One way to calculate the centre point places it near Cwmystwyth, close to Devil's Bridge in Ceredigion. 52°19′48.791″N 3°45′59.072″W / 52.33021972°N 3.76640889°W / 52.33021972; -3.76640889 (Centre of Wales)

Elevation Extremes

Snowdon seen from Llyn Llydaw

Elevation extremes refer to the highest and lowest points in a country.

• Highest point – The highest mountain in Wales is Snowdon (also known as Yr Wyddfa in Welsh). It's located in Snowdonia (Eryri) National Park and stands at an impressive 1,085 metres (3,560 feet) tall!

While many places in Wales are at or near sea level, there are no natural dry areas that are actually below sea level. This is partly because Wales gets a lot of rain, which keeps rivers and lakes full.

Rivers and Lakes

Wales has many beautiful rivers and lakes.

The largest natural lake in Wales is Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake). The second largest is Llangorse Lake.

Here are some of the longest rivers in Wales. Some of these rivers flow through both Wales and England.