{"id":575,"date":"2018-08-03T11:50:28","date_gmt":"2018-08-03T10:50:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cwmidwal.cymru\/?page_id=575"},"modified":"2026-04-15T12:38:08","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T11:38:08","slug":"names-in-the-area","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.cwmidwal.cymru\/en\/the-people-of-cwm-idwal-the-hidden-history\/names-in-the-area\/","title":{"rendered":"Names in the Area"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t<\/span>\n\tCwm Idwal National Nature Reserve<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Place names are an important part of the landscape, they add depth and character and show a close connection between people and the land. Place names can also reveal more of our history to us, bring myths and legends to life, be a record of a log forgotten past, and can help us inform for the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of these examples is the influence of the Princes Llywelyn Fawr, and his son Dafydd on the local people. It is believed that Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llywelyn mountains were first named in tribute poetry by one of the medieval poets of the nobility, Rhys Goch Eryri. These princes must have been held in very high esteem to have kept their names on two of the highest mountains in the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below there is a list of names in the area together with an explanation of their meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTable Of Contents\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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  1. Aber Brwyn<\/a>
  2. Afon Ogwen<\/a>
  3. Beddau Milwyr Ynys Prydain<\/a>
  4. Bwlch y Cywion<\/a>
  5. Castell y Gwynt<\/a>
  6. Clogwyn Crach<\/a>
  7. Craig y Foty<\/a>
  8. Cwm Clud<\/a>
  9. Cwm Cneifion (or Cwm Cneifiau)<\/a>
  10. Drws Cwm Clud<\/a>
  11. Glanrhyd Idwal<\/a>
  12. Glyder Fawr & Glyder Fach<\/a>
  13. Llyn Bochlwyd<\/a>
  14. Llwybr y Carw<\/a>
  15. Nant Ffrancon<\/a>
  16. Nant Ifan<\/a>
  17. Pen Bryn Melyn<\/a>
  18. Perth yr Ewig<\/a>
  19. Rhiwiau Caws<\/a>
  20. Trigyfylchau<\/a>
  21. Tryfan<\/a>
  22. Y Foel Goch<\/a>
  23. Y Garn<\/a>
  24. Y R\u00f4<\/a><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n

    Aber Brwyn<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    This is the name given to the place where Afon Bochlwyd flows into Llyn Ogwen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Afon Ogwen<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The river Ogwen rises on Carnedd Dafydd and flows to Llyn Ogwen, through the Ogwen valley and into the Menai Strait at Aberogwen. It belongs to a classification of rivers named after creatures. It is likely that the first element \u2018og\u2019 means \u2018rapid, acute\u2019 (in contrast with its antonym \u2018diog\u2019 meaning lazy). Another suggestion is the Irish \u00f3g meaning \u2018young\u2019. The second element is \u2018banw\u2019, meaning a \u2018piglet, small pig\u2019, describing a river furrowing through the ground as a piglet would. It can be compared to Afon Hwch, meaning \u2018sow\u2019, in Llanberis, Afon Beinw (plural form of \u2018banw\u2019) in Dolwyddelan, and Afon Twrch (and old Welsh word for \u2018boar\u2019) on the Berwyn mountains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Beddau Milwyr Ynys Prydain<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The mounds seen on the western shores of Llyn Idwal are called Beddau Milwyr Ynys Prydain (The Graves of the Soldiers of the Island of Britain). It is not clear where the name comes from, however the mound are in fact moraines, glacial deposits formed during the last Ice Age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Bwlch y Cywion<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    This is the gap to the south of the summit of Foel Goch and to the west of y Llymllwyd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Castell y Gwynt<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Castell y Gwynt (\u2018the windy castle\u2019) on the western side of Glyder Fach, is in the teeth of the wind. Castle is an appropriate name for the rugged rocks on a mountain crest, like high defence towers. Castell y Geifr (\u2018castle of the goats\u2019) by the edge of Y Garn is another example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Clogwyn Crach<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    This is the name given to a cliff to the east of Afon Bochlwyd. Clogwyn means cliff, “crach” means “scabby” referring to the rough appearance of the crag. It has also been called “Bochlwyd Buttres”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Craig y Foty<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Craig y Foty is the name refered to in English as ‘Milestone Buttress’.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cwm Clud<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    A hanging valley below Y Garn. It is possible that the word \u2018clud\u2019 comes from the word \u2018cludo\u2019 meaning \u2018to carry\u2019 and that it refers to carried material that could be the loose stones on the slopes of Ro Wen above Llyn Clud. Another possibility is that the word here is \u2018clyd\u2019, meaning \u2018sheltered, cosy\u2019, describing the nature of the cwm. Nant Clud (the Cwm Clud river) flows from Llyn Clud to Llyn Idwal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cwm Cneifion (or Cwm Cneifiau)<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    A hanging valley below Bwlch y Ddwy Glyder. \u2018Cneifiau\/cneifion\u2019 (the plural of the noun \u2018cnaif\u2019) means \u2018tufts of sheared wool\u2019. It is possible that the name refers to the conspicuous white stones on the slopes, reminscent of new tufts of sheared wool (as farmers would be shearing outside on the mountain in the old days).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Drws Cwm Clud<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Drws means “door” in English. Drws Cwm Clud is found in the upper section of Cwm Clud that can lead over to Cwm Cneifio above Nant Peris.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Glanrhyd Idwal<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    This is the name for the area where one of the buildings of the youth hostel (YHA). Idwal of course refers to the cwm and lake above. “Glanrhyd” mean “ford-shore”. It was once a school for the local community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Glyder Fawr & Glyder Fach<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    \u2018Cluder\u2019 or \u2018cludair\u2019 means \u2018a heap or pile of wood or stones amassed together\u2019. It is possible that the names refer to the piles of loose stones on the summits of the two mountains, or possibly, to those rocks that are in the teeth of the wind on the western side of the Glyder Fach summit. The same word is seen in \u2018D\u00f4l-y-gludair\u2019 near Dolgellau.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Llyn Bochlwyd<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Boch means “cheek” and llwyd is wthe Welsh word for “grey”, so Llyn Bochlwyd is teh “Lake of the Grey Cheek”. Its named after an old legend connected to the lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Llwybr y Carw<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    This is the name for the path that meanders past Twll Du (Devil’s Kitchen), towards Llyn y Cwn. An interesting name that means “the deer path”. There are no reports of deer living in this area for centuries, but the Welsh placenames are an important record of what may have lived here in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nant Ffrancon<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    \u2018Nant\u2019 can mean \u2018valley\u2019 or \u2018stream\u2019. It is possible that \u2018ffranc\u2019 (plural \u2018ffrancon\u2019) denotes a \u2018foreign mercenary\u2019 or that it derives from the Old English \u2018franca\u2019 meaning \u2018spear\u2019, and that it is a description of the stream\u2019s mighty flow, similar to the sharp weapon, or from the prickly rocks of Braich T\u0177 Du. Another possibility is that “Ffrancon” derrives from the Welsh word “Afanc” meaning beaver. So it could be that the name means “Valley of Beavers”. Another name found in the valley “Sarn yr Afanc” meaning “Causeway of the Beaver” supports this theory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Nant Ifan<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    This is the name given to the stream flowing into Llyn Idwal from the southern cliffs. It has mistakenly been called “Idwal Stream”. The main path up to Glyder Fawr crosses this stream. The impressive slate bridge was installed in 2018 to protect nearby plants from being trampled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Pen Bryn Melyn<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    A name given to the spur of land extending into Llyn Ogwen, halfway along its southern shore. The name means “head of the yellow hill.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Perth yr Ewig<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    An area of land to on the north western banks of Llyn Ogwen. Perth is a Welsh word for “shrub” and it is the same name seen in the cities of Perth in both Scotland and Australia. Ewig is the Welsh word for “doe” (female deer). So the name means “shrubland of the doe” again an example of how Welsh name are a record of how the landscaped would have been different in the past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Rhiwiau Caws<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    An unusual name, meaning “cheese hills”. There is no definitive understanding of where the name comes from neither to precisely where it refers to. The OS map suggests Rhiwiau Caws and Idwal Slabs are the same cliff. However, it could more logical that the name refers to the series of hills adjacent to this cliff that look like lumps of cheese.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Trigyfylchau<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    An old name recorded by the early botanists and their local guides. It’s likely that it refers to the cliffs either side of Y Twll Du (Devil’s Kitchen).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tryfan<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    There are two elements to the name. \u2018Try\u2019 is an element that intensifies meaning, and \u2018ban\u2019 meaning \u2018summit, point, peak, horn\u2019 (compare with the Welsh word for the Brecon Beacons, \u2018Bannau Brycheiniog\u2019, that contains the plural form \u2018bannau\u2019). Therefore \u2018tryfan\u2019 means a mountain with a clear summit or a sharp head. It is very different from Glyder Fawr which is an intidy heap besides it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Y Foel Goch<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Y Foel Goch is located above Nant Ffrancon. The meaning of \u2018moel\u2019 as an adjective is \u2018naked\u2019. As a noun, it is a word for a barren hill or mountain (for example Moel Faban). \u2018Coch\u2019 (red) refers to the rock colour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Y Garn<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The meaning of \u2018carn\u2019 is \u2018a pile of stones\u2019. It occurs frequently in names of hills and mountains, for example Garn Fadryn, Ll\u0177n, and Garn Dolbenmaen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Y R\u00f4<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Y R\u00f4 is the name for the shingle beach on the shores of Llyn Idwal. It comes from the Welsh word for grit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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