When did Snowdon get its name?
Hill expert Myrddyn Phillips said, according to Hywel Wyn Owen and Richard Morgan’s Dictionary of the Place-Names of Wales, the name Snowdon is documented as far back as far 1095, while the first known reference to Yr Wyddfa was in 1284.
What was Mount Snowdon named after?
The Welsh name for Snowdon, Yr Wyddfa, means grave and is pronounced like “er with-va”. The story goes in a legend that the giant Rhita Gawr, the king of Wales, was buried under a cairn of stones on the summit of the mountain, following a battle with King Arthur.
How old is the name Snowdon?
The Snowdon family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Snowdon families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1891 there were 778 Snowdon families living in Durham.
How was Mount Snowdon formed?
Mount Snowdon was formed in the Ordovician period between 485 million and 443 million years ago by volcanoes forming their unique rocks.
How cold is it at the top of Mount Snowdon?
The mean temperature at the summit is only around 5 degrees, so if you plan to climb in a T-Shirt and shorts you will feel quite cold at the top. You are also more likely to experience rain – Snowdon gets about 3 metres of rain per year – and you may well find yourself climbing through thick cloud.
Where did the rocks in Snowdonia come from?
The rocks which today make up Snowdon and its neighbouring mountains were formed in the Ordovician Period. At that time, most of modern-day Wales was near the edge of Avalonia, submerged beneath the ancient Iapetus Ocean.
How tall is the highest peak in Snowdonia?
The highest of these peaks is Yr Wyddfa, which reaches an elevation of 3,560 feet (1,085 metres). Snowdon is composed mainly of slates and porphyries that date from the Ordovician Period (490 million to 443 million years ago).
Why is Snowdonia a national nature reserve?
The environment of Snowdon, particularly its rare plants, has led to its designation as a national nature reserve. In addition to plants that are widespread in Snowdonia, Snowdon is home to some plants rarely found elsewhere in Britain.
Where can you see the British Isles from Snowdonia?
View from the summit. Snowdon offers some of the most extensive views in the British Isles; on exceptionally clear days, Ireland, (the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland ), Scotland, England, and the Isle of Man (as well as Wales) are all visible, as well as 24 counties, 29 lakes and 17 islands.