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{{Short description|Moorland and hill range in Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Location map|Wales|label=|marksize=6|mark=Blue_pog.svg|lat_dir=N|lat_deg=52| lat_min=55|lat_sec=23|lon_dir=W|lon_deg=03|lon_min=26|lon_sec=17|position=right|width=170|float=right|relief=y|caption=Location of Berwyn Mountains, [[Wales]].}}
[[File:Cadair_Berwyn.jpg|thumb|right|[[Cadair Berwyn]], with [[Llyn Lluncaws]] in the foreground]]
[[File:Moel Sych.jpg|thumb|right|Summit of [[Moel Sych]]]]
[[File:Cadair_Bronwen.jpg|thumb|right|Summit of [[Cadair Bronwen]], looking towards [[Cadair Berwyn]]]]
The '''Berwyn range''' ([[Welsh (language)|Welsh]]: ''Y Berwyn'' or ''Mynydd y Berwyn'') is an isolated and sparsely populated area of moorland in the northeast of [[Wales]], roughly bounded by [[Llangollen]] in the northeast, [[Corwen]] in the northwest, [[Bala, Gwynedd|Bala]] in the southwest, and [[Oswestry]] in the southeast.

==Description==
The area is wild and largely vegetated by [[Calluna|heather]] about one metre thick, with some acidic grassland and [[bracken]].  It is not very popular for [[hill-walking]] or [[scrambling]] since the peaks are lower than those in nearby [[Snowdonia]]. However, the topmost peaks are rugged and have a distinctive character. Nearby towns include [[Llangollen]] and [[Corwen]], which are popular tourist destinations.

The main summits are [[Cadair Berwyn]] at {{convert|832|m|ft|0}}  above sea level, [[Moel Sych]] at {{convert|827|m|ft|0}} and [[Cadair Bronwen]] at {{convert|783|m|ft|0}} above sea level.
The Berwyn range is crossed to the southwest by the B4391 [[Milltir Cerrig]] [[mountain pass]] at an elevation of {{convert|486|m|ft|0}}.

[[Cadair Berwyn]] is the highest point in the Berwyn range, and the highest point in Wales outside the National Parks. Cadair Bronwen and [[Foel Cedig]] to the west are the two [[Marilyn (geography)|Marilyn]]s that form the Berwyn range.

The mountain lies on main ridge of the Berwyn range which runs north–south. The eastern side of the ridge is characterised by steep drops and crags including Craig Berwyn north of the summit and Craig y Llyn to the south. Craig y Llyn forms the headwall of a [[valley|cwm]], and it is to this that the word cadair (chair in Welsh) presumably refers. Further north along the ridge is Cadair Bronwen, whilst to south the ridge continues to Moel Sych (Welsh pronunciation: [ˈmɔil ˈsɨːx], meaning "dry hill").

It is often reported that [[Moel Sych]], {{convert|1|km|mi|frac=8}} along the ridge, is of equal height, but Cadair Berwyn's [[spot height]] on the Ordnance Survey maps, where the trig point stands, is not the true summit. Cadair Berwyn's summit, {{convert|200|m|yd|-1}} south of the trig point, is three metres taller than Moel Sych. This summit is listed as Cadair Berwyn New Top on the Nuttall list.

Several other summits in the area are listed as [[Hewitt (hill)|Hewitt]]s or [[Nuttall (hill)|Nuttall]]s, including Foel Wen ([ˈvɔil ˈwɛn], Welsh for white hill) and Mynydd Tarw ([ˈmɐnɨð ˈtæɾu], bull mountain).

The summit lies on the border between [[Powys]] and [[Denbighshire]], and is the highest point in Denbighshire. The northern end of Craig Berwyn is the highest point in [[Wrexham County Borough]].

==History==
There is a [[standing stone]] at SJ080337 near the summit between Cadair Berwyn and Tomle. It was re-erected in June 2008 by High Sports.

The Berwyn range also played its part in causing King [[Henry II of England]] to turn back during his invasion of [[History of Gwynedd during the High Middle Ages|Gwynedd]] in 1165. Rather than taking the usual route along the northern coastal plain, his army invaded from Oswestry and took a route over the Berwyns.  The English invasion faced an alliance of Welsh princes led by King [[Owain Gwynedd]], but there was little fighting – endless days of heavy rain forced the English to retreat.

==Alleged UFO crash==
{{main|Berwyn Mountain UFO incident}}
At 8.38&nbsp;pm on 23 January 1974, an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 was felt over a wide area of north Wales and as far as Liverpool. Since earthquakes are uncommon in the UK,{{dubious|date=March 2013}} it was not generally recognized for what it was, and since a number of unusual lights in the sky had been observed the same evening, it was considered possible that an aircraft had crashed, or a meteorite had impacted. Further confusion was caused by lights seen on the Berwyn Mountains, which subsequently turned out to have belonged to poachers.<ref name=Roberts>{{cite web |author=Roberts, Andy |title=The Berwyn Mountain UFO Crash – A British Roswell? |url=http://www.uk-ufo.org/condign/berwart.htm |work=Flying Saucery Presents ... The Real UFO Project |year=2001 |access-date=12 October 2009}}</ref>

==Ecology==
The area supports substantial populations of upland birds including raptors, such as the [[hen harrier]] (''Circus cyaneus''), [[Merlin (bird)|merlin]] (''Falco columbarius''), and [[peregrine falcon|peregrine]] (''Falco peregrinus'') (about 14–18 breeding pairs of each species, 1%–2% of the total British population),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-2057-theme=default |title=Berwyn |publisher=[[Joint Nature Conservation Committee]] |access-date=29 June 2011}}</ref> and for this reason it is a [[Special Protection Area]] classified in accordance with the European Union's [[Birds Directive]]. Much of the area is also designated a [[national nature reserve (United Kingdom)|national nature reserve]] and a [[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] and forms part of the Berwyn and South Clwyd Mountains [[Special Area of Conservation]].<ref>{{cite web |author= Countryside Council for Wales |title= Berwyn |url= http://www.ccw.gov.uk/landscape--wildlife/protecting-our-landscape/special-landscapes--sites/protected-landscapes-and-sites/sssis/sssi-sites/berwyn.aspx |access-date= 16 March 2014 }}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Other wildlife include [[short-eared owl]], [[Common raven|raven]], [[Common buzzard|buzzard]], [[European polecat|polecat]] and [[Eurasian golden plover|golden plover]].

==Etymology==
The scholar [[T. Gwynn Jones]] suggested that a possible origin of the term "Berwyn" was "Bryn(iau) Gwyn (ap Nudd)", where the Middle Welsh word ''"bre"'' (hill) had mutated to ''Ber'' + ''Gwyn'', [[Gwyn ap Nudd]] being the mythological King of the [[Tylwyth Teg]] (Fair Folk, or fairies).<ref>T. Gwynn Jones, ''Welsh Folklore and Folk-Custom'' (1930; new edition 1979). Several other place names in the area also include the element 'Gwyn'.</ref> A more likely etymology is ''"bar"'' (summit, crest) + ''"gwyn"'' (white),<ref>D. Geraint Lewis, ''Y Llyfr Enwau – Enwau'r Wlad: A check-list of Welsh Place Names'' (2007).</ref> with the ''"a"'' in ''"bar"'' showing [[i-mutation|i-affection]] as a result of the ''"y"'' in ''"gwyn"'', therefore changing from ''"a"'' to ''"e"''; the word also shows ''[[Colloquial Welsh morphology#Initial consonant mutation|soft mutation]]'' of the letter ''"g"'' (which is deleted under soft mutation).

==Peaks==
[[File:Welsh mountains Bala to Trallwng.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|Bala, Gwynedd to Welshpool]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
! colspan="4" | {{center|Between [[Bala, Gwynedd]] and [[Welshpool]]}}
|-
! Name of Peak !! OS coordinates !! Geographical coordinates
|-
|[[Allt y Gader]] || {{OS coord|SJ149176}} || 52.749°N, 3.262°W
|-
|[[Allt y Main]] || {{OS coord|SJ162151}} || 52.727°N, 3.242°W
|-
|[[Bryn Du (y Fawnen)|Bryn Du]] || {{OS coord|SJ145360}} || 52.914°N, 3.272°W
|-
|[[Bryn Gwyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ042295}} || 52.854°N, 3.424°W
|-
|[[Bryn-llus]] || {{OS coord|SJ085408}} || 52.956°N, 3.363°W
|-
|[[Cadair Berwyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ071323}} || 52.880°N, 3.381°W
|-
|Cadair Berwyn (N top) || {{OS coord|SJ072327}} || 52.883°N, 3.380°W
|-
|[[Cadair Bronwen]] || {{OS coord|SJ077346}} || 52.900°N, 3.373°W
|-
|Cadair Bronwen (NE top) || {{OS coord|SJ087352}} || 52.906°N, 3.358°W
|-
|[[Carnedd Das Eithin]] || {{OS coord|SJ051238}} || 52.803°N, 3.409°W
|-
|[[Cefn Coch]] || {{OS coord|SH923266}} || 52.826°N, 3.599°W
|-
|[[Cefn Gwyntog]] || {{OS coord|SH976265}} || 52.826°N, 3.521°W
|-
|Cefn Gwyntog (N top) || {{OS coord|SH975274}} || 52.834°N, 3.522°W
|-
|[[Cerrig Coediog]] || {{OS coord|SJ113386}} || 52.937°N, 3.321°W
|-
|[[Craig Berwyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ077335}} || 52.891°N, 3.373°W
|-
|[[Craig Rhiwarth]] || {{OS coord|SJ054271}} || 52.833°N, 3.405°W
|-
|[[Croes y Forwyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ029210}} || 52.777°N, 3.440°W
|-
|[[Cyrniau]] || {{OS coord|SJ062251}} || 52.815°N, 3.393°W
|-
|[[Cyrniau Nod]] || {{OS coord|SH988279}} || 52.839°N, 3.503°W
|-
|[[Cyrniau y Llyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ000244}} || 52.807°N, 3.484°W
|-
|[[Ffordd Gefn]] (Bryn Gwyn) || {{OS coord|SJ033240}} || 52.804°N, 3.435°W
|-
|[[Foel Cwm Siân Llwyd]] || {{OS coord|SH995313}} || 52.869°N, 3.494°W
|-
|[[Foel Dugoed]] || {{OS coord|SH893131}} || 52.704°N, 3.639°W
|-
|[[Foel Figenau]] || {{OS coord|SH916284}} || 52.842°N, 3.610°W
|-
|[[Foel Goch (Berwyn)]] || {{OS coord|SH943290}} || 52.848°N, 3.570°W
|-
|[[Foel Tyn-y-fron]] || {{OS coord|SH918257}} || 52.817°N, 3.606°W
|-
|[[Foel Wen]] || {{OS coord|SJ099333}} || 52.889°N, 3.340°W
|-
|Foel Wen (S peak) || {{OS coord|SJ102330}} || 52.886°N, 3.336°W
|-
|[[Foel y Geifr]] || {{OS coord|SH937275}} || 52.834°N, 3.579°W
|-
|[[Gallt y Goedhwch]] || {{OS coord|SJ137159}} || 52.733°N, 3.279°W
|-
|[[Glan Hafon]] || {{OS coord|SJ080272}} || 52.834°N, 3.367°W
|-
|[[Godor]] || {{OS coord|SJ094307}} || 52.866°N, 3.347°W
|-
|Godor (N top) || {{OS coord|SJ089311}} || 52.869°N, 3.354°W
|-
|[[Gyrn Moelfre]] || {{OS coord|SJ184293}} || 52.854°N, 3.213°W
|-
|Jericho Hill || {{OS coord|SJ162202}} || 52.772°N, 3.243°W
|-
|[[Llanymynech Hill]] || {{OS coord|SJ263221}} || 52.791°N, 3.094°W
|-
|[[Lledwyn Mawr]] || {{OS coord|SH905287}} || 52.844°N, 3.627°W
|-
|[[Moel Bentyrch]] || {{OS coord|SJ055095}} || 52.674°N, 3.399°W
|-
|[[Moel Cae-howel]] || {{OS coord|SH978330}} || 52.884°N, 3.520°W
|-
|[[Moel Fferna]] || {{OS coord|SJ116397}} || 52.947°N, 3.317°W
|-
|[[Moel Hen-fache]] || {{OS coord|SJ109281}} || 52.843°N, 3.324°W
|-
|[[Moel Poethion]] || {{OS coord|SJ082306}} || 52.865°N, 3.365°W
|-
|[[Moel Sych]] || {{OS coord|SJ066318}} || 52.875°N, 3.389°W
|-
|[[Moel y Fronllwyd]] || {{OS coord|SJ121176}} || 52.748°N, 3.303°W
|-
|[[Moel y Gwelltyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ170277}} || 52.840°N, 3.233°W
|-
|[[Moel yr Ewig]] || {{OS coord|SJ080317}} || 52.874°N, 3.368°W
|-
|[[Moel yr Henfaes]] || {{OS coord|SJ077385}} || 52.935°N, 3.374°W
|-
|Moel yr Henfaes (Pen Bwlch Llandrillo peak) || {{OS coord|SJ089369}} || 52.921°N, 3.356°W
|-
|Moel yr Henfaes (W peak) || {{OS coord|SJ099374}} || 52.926°N, 3.341°W
|-
|[[Mynydd Feifod]] || {{OS coord|SJ169400}} || 52.950°N, 3.238°W
|-
|[[Mynydd Mawr (Berwynion)|Mynydd Mawr]] || {{OS coord|SJ132286}} || 52.847°N, 3.290°W
|-
|[[Mynydd Mynyllod]] || {{OS coord|SJ002395}} || 52.943°N, 3.486°W
|-
|[[Mynydd Tarw]] || {{OS coord|SJ112324}} || 52.881°N, 3.321°W
|-
|[[Mynydd y Bryn]] || {{OS coord|SJ217268}} || 52.833°N, 3.163°W
|-
|[[Mynydd y Glyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ153222}} || 52.790°N, 3.257°W
|-
|[[Mynydd-y-briw]] || {{OS coord|SJ174260}} || 52.825°N, 3.227°W
|-
|[[Pen y Berth]] || {{OS coord|SJ081127}} || 52.704°N, 3.361°W
|-
|[[Pen y Boncyn Trefeilw]] || {{OS coord|SH962283}} || 52.842°N, 3.542°W
|-
|[[Pen y Cerrig Duon]] || {{OS coord|SH953281}} || 52.840°N, 3.555°W
|-
|[[Pen-y-coed]] || {{OS coord|SJ226414}} || 52.964°N, 3.153°W
|-
|[[Post Gwyn]] || {{OS coord|SJ048293}} || 52.852°N, 3.415°W
|-
|[[Rhialgwm]] || {{OS coord|SJ055211}} || 52.779°N, 3.402°W
|-
|[[Rhiwaedog-uwch-afon]] || {{OS coord|SH938313}} || 52.868°N, 3.579°W
|-
|[[Rhos (Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog)|Rhos]] || {{OS coord|SJ125323}} || 52.881°N, 3.301°W
|-
|[[Rhwng y Ddwynant]] || {{OS coord|SH978248}} || 52.811°N, 3.517°W
|-
|[[Stac Rhos]] || {{OS coord|SH969279}} || 52.838°N, 3.532°W
|-
|[[Tir Rhiwiog]] || {{OS coord|SH929162}} || 52.732°N, 3.587°W
|-
|[[Tomle]] || {{OS coord|SJ085335}} || 52.891°N, 3.361°W
|-
|[[Trum y Gwrgedd]] || {{OS coord|SH941284}} || 52.842°N, 3.573°W
|-
|[[Y Golfa]] || {{OS coord|SJ182070}} || 52.654°N, 3.210°W
|-
|[[Y Groes Fagl]] || {{OS coord|SH988290}} || 52.848°N, 3.504°W
|-
|[[Yr Allt]] || {{OS coord|SJ242102}} || 52.684°N, 3.122°W
|}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Denbighshire}}
{{Gwynedd}}
{{Powys}}
{{Wrexham}}

{{coord|52|55|16|N|3|25|26|W|region:GB_source:kolossus-eswiki|display=title}}

[[Category:Landforms of Denbighshire]]
[[Category:Landforms of Wrexham County Borough]]
[[Category:Landforms of Powys]]
[[Category:Landforms of Gwynedd]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Wales]]
[[Category:National nature reserves in Wales]]
[[Category:Special Protection Areas in Wales]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Clwyd]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in East Gwynedd]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Montgomery]]