The
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains (Welsh: Mynyddoedd Cambria, in a narrower
sense: Elenydd) are a series of mountain ranges in Wales.
Originally the term "
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains" was applied in a general
sense to most of upland Wales. Since the 1950s, its application has
become increasingly localised to the geographically homogeneous Mid
Wales

Wales uplands, known in Welsh as the Elenydd, which extend from
Pumlumon

Pumlumon to Mynydd Mallaen. This barren and sparsely populated
'wilderness' is often referred to as the Desert of Wales. The area
includes the sources of the
River Severn

River Severn and River Wye, and was
unsuccessfully proposed as a national park in the 1960s and 1970s. The
highest point of the range is Plynlimon, at 2,467 feet (752 m).
The wider, more historic, use of the term also includes
Snowdonia

Snowdonia in
North Wales, and the
Brecon Beacons

Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains in South
Wales. They range in height up to 3,558 feet (1,084 m) in
Snowdonia.
Contents
1 Geology and topography
2 Dams and wind farms
3 National park proposal
4 Principal summits
5 Gallery
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
Geology and topography[edit]
Cefn Croes

Cefn Croes wind farm
While
Snowdonia

Snowdonia contains a mix of volcanic rocks and sedimentary rocks
of
Cambrian

Cambrian and
Ordovician

Ordovician age, the mountains of South
Wales

Wales are
mainly
Devonian

Devonian age
Old Red Sandstone

Old Red Sandstone and
Carboniferous Limestone

Carboniferous Limestone and
similarly aged sandstones. The ranges of mid-
Wales

Wales on the other hand
are predominantly formed from
Ordovician

Ordovician and
Silurian

Silurian sandstones and
mudstones which in many areas outcrop only infrequently so resulting
in more rounded grassy hills. The
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains (in the modern
sense of the term) are generally less popular with hillwalkers and
scramblers than the ranges to their north and south. Since all of
Wales' ranges face the predominant westerly air stream coming in from
the Atlantic Ocean, they enjoy high levels of rainfall and are the
source of numerous rivers, among which the rivers
Severn

Severn and Wye,
which rise on the eastern slopes of Pumlumon, are the largest.
Dams and wind farms[edit]
The
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains host the
Elan Valley Reservoirs

Elan Valley Reservoirs and Llyn
Brianne reservoir, which provide water for the English West Midlands
and for South
Wales

Wales respectively. They include the Clywedog Reservoir
and
Nant y Moch

Nant y Moch Reservoir. Cefn Croes, the site of a controversial
wind farm project, is in the
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains, just south of the A44
road between
Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth and Llangurig.[1][2][3]
National park proposal[edit]
The area was proposed as a national park in 1965 by the National Parks
Commission, a precursor body of the Countryside Commission. However,
the proposal was opposed by many farmers and local authorities in the
area. Formal consultations on the proposal began in 1970, and in 1971
the
Countryside Commission

Countryside Commission proposed a revised boundary for the
designation. The proposed area, of 467 square miles (1,210 km2),
covered the area of
Pumlumon

Pumlumon and Elenydd, within an area bounded by
the settlements of Machynlleth, Llangurig, Rhayader, Newbridge-on-Wye,
Llanwrtyd Wells, Llandovery, Pumsaint, Tregaron, and Devil's Bridge.
Despite continuing local opposition, the Countryside Commission
published the order designating the area on 15 August 1972, and
submitted it to the Secretary of State for Wales, Peter Thomas, for
confirmation.[4][5]
Objections to the proposed designation were then made by all five
county councils, 5 of the 7 district councils, 5 parish councils, the
National Farmers Union, the Country Landowners Association, Plaid
Cymru, the Campaign for the Protection of Rural
Wales

Wales and others.
Support for the designation was expressed by the Ramblers Association,
Youth Hostels Association, and Cyclists' Touring Club. In July 1973,
the Secretary of State announced the decision not to proceed with the
designation because of "massive evidence of objections", and also
rejected a call to hold a public inquiry. This was the first time such
a recommendation on national park designation had not been
accepted.[5]
Principal summits[edit]
Pen
Pumlumon

Pumlumon Fawr [Plynlimon] 2,467 ft (752 m)
Pen
Pumlumon

Pumlumon Arwystli 2,431 ft (741 m)
Pen
Pumlumon

Pumlumon Llygad-bychan 2,385 ft (727 m)
Y Garn 2,244 ft (684 m)
Pumlumon

Pumlumon Fach 2,179 ft (664 m)
Great Rhos

Great Rhos 2,165 ft (660 m)
Black Mixen

Black Mixen 2,130 ft (650 m)
Drygarn Fawr

Drygarn Fawr 2,116 ft (645 m)
Gorllwyn

Gorllwyn 2,011 ft (613 m)
Bache Hill

Bache Hill 2,000 ft (610 m)
Pen y Garn

Pen y Garn 2,004 ft (611 m)
Y Gamriw 1,982 ft (604 m)
Whimble 1,965 ft (599 m)
Llan Ddu Fawr 1,948 ft (594 m)
Pegwn Mawr

Pegwn Mawr 1,923 ft (586 m)
Clipyn Du 1,909 ft (582 m)
Y Glog (Draws Drum) 1,883 ft (574 m)
Cefn Croes

Cefn Croes 1,879 ft (573 m)
Gallery[edit]
The Nant Rhuddnant gorge looking north to Cefn Coch from the summit of
Pen y Garn. In the background are Y Garn(left), Pen
Pumlumon

Pumlumon Fawr and
Pen
Pumlumon

Pumlumon Arwystli (right)
The Desert of
Wales

Wales seen from Drygarn Fawr
Panorama of some of the
Snowdon Massif

Snowdon Massif including Snowdon (centre
right) taken from Mynydd Mawr. The
Glyderau

Glyderau are visible in the
distance
The
Llyn Brianne

Llyn Brianne spillway spilling immediately after its first fill at
commissioning
See also[edit]
The
Cambrian

Cambrian Way high level long-distance footpath
Exercise
Cambrian

Cambrian Patrol
References[edit]
^ "
Cefn Croes

Cefn Croes Wind Project". Power Technology. 2011-06-15. Retrieved
2012-03-28.
^ "
Cefn Croes

Cefn Croes is close to Aberystwyth. - Image". Power Technology.
2011-06-15. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
^ "
Cefn Croes

Cefn Croes Wind Farm - Official Campaign website".
Users.globalnet.co.uk. 2003-09-20. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
^ "
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains National Park story". Cambrian-mountains.co.uk.
2011-03-06. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
^ a b
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains Society: National Park Timeline 1872-1973.
Accessed 29 March 2012
External links[edit]
The
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains Society
The
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains Initiative
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains tourism guide
Cambrian

Cambrian Mountains walking guide
Coordinates: 52°25′N 3°30′W / 52.417°N 3.500°W /
52.417; -3.500
Authority control
WorldCat Identities
VIAF: 241254