Historical background
The Cadair Idris range has true mountain qualities. It closes
the view up the Dysynni valley. The high summit ridge, with
screes, boulders and high, wet gullies where alpine plants
grow, is very popular with walkers: the highest peak (Mynydd
Moel) is 863m, and there are several routes to the top. The
mountain is the chair of the giant Idris, and is associated
with a number of myths and legends, some of which are found
on in connection with other Gwynedd peaks – anyone sleeping
on the mountain overnight will awake as either a madman or
a poet!
Key historic landscape characteristics
Mountain summit and upland screes
This area contains the summit of Cadair Idris and the steep,
craggy, inhospitable slopes below on the northern side. The
area contains few vestiges of previous human habitation.
The eastern half of this character area lies within the Cadair
Idris SSSI (CCW ref. SSSI ‘Cadair Idris' 31 WMT ) which altogether
extends to some 1102ha in all, much of which includes a National
Nature Reserve. It has been designated for its outstanding
geomorphological importance which includes such features as
the extensive Tal-y-llyn fault as well as several corries and
narrow summit ridges. Geologically it is a highly complex area;
the massif comprises a section of well-exposed Ordovician volcanic
and sedimentary rocks. These support a range of plant communities,
with grassland prevailing but which also contains bilberry
heath and areas of montane moss heath, well-developed acidic
soligenous mires and blanket mire, with remnants of sessile
oak woodland on the lower slopes. There is a moderately rich
flora on the higher, less accessible
slopes and ledges, and in addition some ornithological interest;
it has also long been used for research and teaching purposes.
The Cadair Idris National Nature Reserve extends into the
eastern part of this character area to the extent of 0.4234km2.
Back to Dysynni
Landscape Character Map
