Carnedd Gwenllian
| Carnedd Gwenllian | |||
| Caernarfonshire | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Garnedd Uchaf summit plateau | |||
| Range: | Snowdonia | ||
| Summit: | 3,038 feet SH687669 | ||
Carnedd Gwenllian or Carnedd Uchaf is a minor summit of the Carneddau range in Snowdonia, in Caernarfonshire, and included in the traverse of the Welsh 3000s. From the summit, distant views to the north can extend as far away towards Ulster and the Isle of Man, and to the South, views can extend as far South towards the Berwyn ranges.
The summit lies between Foel Fras and Foel Grach, but is not always included in the Welsh 3000s, as its summit rises only slightly above the ridge.
The slopes of Carnedd Gwenllian, like all those in the northern Carneddau, are largely grassy, although they are steep. The slopes can receive significant accumulations of snow-drifts during blizzards in winter. In the past, snow beds have survived on the mountain as far as June. [1]
Name of the peak
The original name of the peak was "Foel Uchaf" (meaning "highest hill") or "Carnedd Uchaf", meaning "Highest Cairn".
The name "Carnad Gwenllian ("Gwenllian's Cairn") is the result of a campaign by The Princess Gwenllian Society. The Society was formed to honour the name of Gwenllian, the only child of Llywelyn the Last, who was carried off to a convent in Sempringham, Lincolnshire as a baby after the death of her father and brother and to bring her back into the collective memory. The Princess Gwenllian Society saw that the nearby tops bear the names "Llewelyn", "Elen" and "Dafydd", which are the names of Gwenllian's father, mother and uncle, and so after much lobbying of the landowner, the National Trust, local and National Park Authorities, consultation with climbers, neighbours, those with grazing rights and so forth, the National Trust and the Ordnance Survey agreed that Carnedd Uchaf could be known as Carnedd Gwenllian.[2] On 26 September 2009 a renaming ceremony was held and the Minister of Culture recognised the new name.[3] Both names, old and new, appear on Ordnance Survey maps, to avoid confusing walkers.
References
- ↑ Nuttall, John & Anne (1999). The Mountains of England & Wales - Volume 1: Wales (2nd edition ed.). Milnthorpe, Cumbria: Cicerone. ISBN 1-85284-304-7.
- ↑ BBC Website, 2005
- ↑ Peak renamed after Welsh princess