Glyderau
L to R: Glyder Fach, Tryfan, Y Garn and Foel Goch
The Glyderau are a mountain group in Snowdonia, Caernarfonshire. The name derives from that of the highest peaks in the range, Glyder Fawr and Glyder Fach.
According to Sir Ifor Williams, the word "Glyder" derives from the Welsh word "Cludair", meaning a heap of stones. Glyderau is the plural in Welsh.
The Glyderau stretch from Mynydd Llandegai to Capel Curig, and include five of Caernarfonshire's fourteen or fifteen summits over 3000 feet. These latter include Tryfan, considered one of the finest mountains in Wales and one of the few mountains on mainland Great Britain requiring scrambling to reach the summit. The eastern half of the range in particular, including Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach and Tryfan, is very popular with walkers and climbers.
Dinorwig Power Station, a hydroelectric pump-storage system, is located in a man-made cavern within Elidir Fawr.
The slopes of the Glyderau also include the lake Llyn Idwal, and a number of fine climbing areas such as the Idwal Slabs.
Mountains in the Glyderau
This is a list of the main summits in the range, in order from west to east.
- Elidir Fawr, 3,032 feet
- Carnedd y Filiast, 2,694 feet
- Mynydd Perfedd, 2,664 feet
- Foel Goch, 2,726 feet
- Y Garn, 3,107 feet
- Glyder Fawr, 3,284 feet
- Glyder Fach, 3,261 feet
- Tryfan, 3,002 feet
- Y Foel Goch, 2,641 feet