Cefn y Cist

Hill, Mountain in Denbighshire

Wales

Cefn y Cist

Moorland at Gwter Siani South of the Minera to World&#039;s End road. — Moorland at Gwter Siani Credit: John H Darch

Cefn y Cist is a prominent hill located in the county of Denbighshire, Wales. It stands at an elevation of approximately 490 meters (1,608 feet) above sea level and is part of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The hill is situated near the village of Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd and offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. Its commanding position makes it a popular destination for hikers, nature enthusiasts, and photographers. On a clear day, visitors can admire the stunning vistas stretching across the Vale of Clwyd, the River Clwyd, and the nearby hills.

Cefn y Cist is characterized by rolling hillsides covered in grassland and heather, interspersed with patches of woodland. The area is rich in biodiversity, hosting a variety of flora and fauna. It is home to numerous species of birds, including kestrels, buzzards, and peregrine falcons, which can often be seen soaring overhead.

The hill offers several walking trails, ranging from gentle strolls to more challenging hikes. The Cefn y Cist Trail, a circular route of approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles), takes visitors through the hill's diverse landscapes, offering opportunities to spot wildlife and enjoy the tranquility of the countryside.

Cefn y Cist provides a peaceful retreat for those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Its natural beauty, coupled with its accessibility, makes it a popular destination for both locals and tourists alike, offering a chance to immerse oneself in the stunning landscapes and experience the serenity of the Welsh countryside.

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Cefn y Cist Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 53.025758/-3.1300862 or Grid Reference SJ2448. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Moorland at Gwter Siani

South of the Minera to World's End road.

John H Darch

Footpath over the moor

On Ruabon Mountain.

John H Darch

Grouse butts

Adjacent to the tarn on Ruabon Mountain.

John H Darch

Very boggy path and a lone tree

The tree has presumably germinated from a seed that escaped from the plantations downhill and to the north-northwest around World's End; it's about the only thing that breaks the acres of heather moorland up here.

Richard Law

A boggy quad-bike track on the moor

The moorland track appears to be partly, at least, associated with the occasional grouse shoot up here. I flushed several red grouse during the morning, and at least one that looked like a rather less common black grouse.

Richard Law

Apparently unremarkable heather moorland

Appearances are a little deceptive. The close foreground is the crash site of a brand new Bristol Beaufighter MkX, registered no NE302, which came down here in late 1943, whilst en route from the factory in Weston-Super-Mare to a unit in Cumbria - killing the pilot Flight Sergeant John Shepherd. Photographs from some years ago show scattered fragments of the aircraft, which made three distinct depressions at the time of the accident, coinciding with the fuselage and the two engines. As far as I could see, the remnants are now lost under the heather cover. A further description is at Link

and the 2nd link Link

down that page will lead you to the photos mentioned above.

Richard Law

Grouse butt on Eglwyseg Mountain

One in a line of 8 or 10 that I could see on either side of me - the moor is actively managed for the grouse, and there were a few birds about on this fairly bright day.

Richard Law

A little off-piste

Poor navigation on my part - coming from the south, I thought I'd missed the footpath which cuts east-west across this moor, so decided to just head downhill and west towards the forests. Bad idea. The heather was about 3 feet deep in places, and still wet from the previous day's rain; by the time I had negotiated a couple of hundred yards of this, I was soaked from the waist down.

Richard Law

Moorland above the World's End forestry

The immediate foreground is moorland vegetation - long rough 'marsh grass' and the like, with heather and ling. Further down, and clearly visible as a grassy circular feature, is one of several disused mineshafts which were sunk, probably late 18th or early 19th centuries, to work a lead & silver seam which runs east-west through this part of the hill. They are described in a little more detail at Link

Richard Law

Disused mineshaft and spoil

The largest, and most prominent, of several collapsed mineshaft features on the hillside just above the World's End forestry. They mark late 18th or early 19th century efforts to exploit a source of lead and silver which runs through here, and which also resulted in a number of adit mines in what's now the forested area. Described by Coflein at Link

Richard Law

A mining adit in the World's End forestry

One of several in this valley, which also has a series of tips and trackways, all associated with the same lead & silver vein running east/west through the limestone. This adit is described in a little detail at Link

Richard Law

World's End Level no 1

One of a small number of mining features and adits in the forest, dating from the early-to-mid 19th century, which were associated with efforts to exploit a source of lead and silver in the limestone. Some more details are described at Link

Richard Law

Craig y Forwyn, World's End

Craig y Forwyn is part of the extensive Eglwyseg escarpment of limestone cliffs which run along the western edge of Ruabon and Eglwyseg Mountains, all of them packed chock-full of quality rock climbs of various grades. Up here, if so inclined, you'll find trad routes on natural limestone from Severe right up to E4 or E5 - enough to keep anyone happy for a day or two.

Richard Law