| Pen yr Ole Wen | |
|---|---|
 Pen yr Ole Wen seen from nearLlyn Ogwen | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 978 m (3,209 ft) |
| Prominence | 45 m (148 ft) |
| Parent peak | Carnedd Dafydd |
| Listing | Hewitt,Welsh 3000s,Nuttall,Furth |
| Naming | |
| English translation | Head of the White Slope |
| Language of name | Welsh |
| Pronunciation | Welsh:[ˈpɛnərˈɔlɛˈwɛn] |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Snowdonia, Wales |
| Parent range | Carneddau |
| OS grid | SH655619 |
| Topo map | OSLandranger 115 |
Pen yr Ole Wen is the seventh highestmountain inSnowdonia and inWales. It is the most southerly of theCarneddau range.
The mountain lies to the north of Idwal Cottageyouth hostel on theA5 road, from where it has apyramidal appearance. It may be climbed from the hostel by a path that leads directly up the south west "corner", climbing 675 m (2,215 ft) in about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) (i.e. an averagegradient of nearly 1 in 2). A slightly easier ascent involves starting from Tal-y-Llyn Ogwen, about a mile north-east from the hostel, following thestream until nearing the outflow from the mountainlakeFfynnon Lloer and then branching left to take the path up the ridge.
For many years the mountain's name was translated as "Head of the White Light", the interpretation of which was a mystery. However, in 2004 Professor Hywel Wyn Owen at the Place-Name Research Centre atBangor University inBangor, Gwynedd resolved the matter saying that Ole comes from Goleddf, which means slope or hillside,[1] making the correct English translation: "Head of the White Slope".
Pen yr Ole Wen is often climbed as part of a longer route on the Carneddau range. It is the same height as England's highest peak,Scafell Pike.
The mountain's average temperature hovers around 5 degrees Celsius (41 °F).[2]
53°08′14″N4°00′43″W / 53.13723°N 4.01205°W /53.13723; -4.01205