Porthmadog Cob viewpoint

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Porthmadog Cob viewpoint

Porthmadog Cob provides a panoramic view of part of northern Snowdonia. Use the image below to identify the peaks visible on a clear day.

Yr Wyddfa is the Welsh name for Snowdon, Wales’ highest mountain. It means “prominent place”, from gŵydd and –ma, and the word was often associated with cairns and burial mounds in high places. The mountain is said to be the burial place of a giant called Rhita Gawr, who made his clothes from the facial hair of his slain enemies.
To hear how to pronounce Yr Wyddfa, press play: Or, download mp3 (34KB)

Crib Goch means red ridge.
To hear how to pronounce Crib Goch, press play: Or, download mp3 (31KB)

Y Lliwedd is the southernmost peak of the Snowdon massif. The origin of this ancient name is not known. One theory is that it comes from an old word to describe a group of men or soldiers. This might link to stories that King Arthur sleeps nearby, awaiting the call to defend his country again.
To hear how to pronounce Y Lliwedd, press play: Or, download mp3 (29KB)

The area around the summit of Glyder Fach and its neighbour Glyder Fawr is strewn with large piles of rocks. Glyder comes from cluder or cludair, meaning a “heap”.
To hear how to pronounce Glyder Fach, press play: Or, download mp3 (30KB)

Yr Arddu means a black, or dark, rise. As well as being the name of the mountain visible here, Yr Arddu also features in the names of geographical features a little to the north of Snowdon summit, on the mountain’s shaded side.
To hear how to pronounce Yr Arddu, press play: Or, download mp3 (25KB)

Cnicht = knight. The Welsh name came from the English word. Perhaps the triangular shape of the mountain when seen from this direction resembled a knight’s helmet, or perhaps the mountain was named after the Knight family, once major landowners here.
Listen to this sound file for Cnicht and you’ll hear how medieval English people pronounced “knight”: Or, download mp3 (20KB)

Moelwyn Mawr is seldom white today, but perhaps in the distant past it was snow-capped for much of the year. Moel = hill or mountain. Gwyn = white. Mawr = large.
To hear how to pronounce Moelwyn Mawr, press play: Or, download mp3 (30KB)

Moel Ddu is Moelwyn Mawr’s opposite. The name means black hill.
To hear how to pronounce Moel Ddu, press play: Or, download mp3 (24KB)

Craig Bwlch y Moch is a popular area for climbers. Craig = rock. Bwlch = pass. Moch = pigs.
To hear Craig Bwlch y Moch, press play: Or, download mp3 (36KB)

Where is this HiPoint?

photograph of view from Porthmadog Cob

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