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Name:Gwaunceste Hill
Hill number:2184
Height:542.1m / 1779ft
RHB Section:31B: Welshpool to Hay-on-Wye
Nuttall/Wainwright area:Central Wales - Radnor Forest
County/UA:Powys
Catchment:Wye
Class:Marilyn, Hump, Dodd (500-599m), Dewey, Clem
(Ma,Hu,Tu,5,Dew,Cm)
Grid ref:SO 15823 55553
Summit feature:ground by trig
Drop:165.1m
Col:377m  SO 1695 5822  
OS map sheet(s):(1:50k) 148
(1:25k) 200E
Observations:ground 180m SSE at SO 15878 55379 is lower
Comments:col 300m WNW at SO 1667 5835 is 2.7m higher
Change log:show changes for this hill entry
GPS data:show GPS entries for this hill

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N.B. Some hill summits are on private property or on land where there is no public right of way.  Permission should be sought from the landowner where access to a hill summit is through private land.
Please report via the contact page any logs you see below which describe or encourage acts of trespass.  Please quote the hill number and hill name.

Logged Descriptions  (logged by 250 users, only the latest 50 shown - Show all)ByDate of Ascent
Parked in Glascwm, outside the old youth hostel. Unsigned public bridleway to Lower Gwm-twrch, across field, over fords, continuing on bridleway to Access Land. Bridleway to SW of summit, then track through heather to trig pillar. With Jill.Dangerous Dave06/02/2024
Revisit to relocated top. Actually just a stretch of the legs whilst driving to and from Telford.Dusty31/12/2023
Parked in layby next to the church wall at Glascwm. Circular walk up fp above Cwm-Shenkin farm onto the ridgeline near Llyn y waun (a little to the W of fp shown on map). Good track up towards trig, complete with herd of wild ponies. Descended initially on track SE of trig which continues on the ground down to the NW corner of enclosure shown on map and then fp SW to Glascwm village. Stream crossing near the bottom in semi spate was OK. Chilly wind and overcast. With Gillianrichard6906/11/2023
Llanfihangel Hill (Colva Hill) [Colva Hill S5656] > Llanfihangel Hill West Top] > Gwaunceste Hill [Gwaun-Ceste Hill S5648] from GR: SO 17760 55113 (end of BOAT but approach from the south)ronaldo33319/08/2023
Llanfihangel Hill (Colva Hill) [Colva Hill S5656] > Llanfihangel Hill West Top] > Gwaunceste Hill [Gwaun-Ceste Hill S5648] from GR: SO 17760 55113 (end of BOAT but approach from the south)Hippster19/08/2023
Parked in layby just past church in Glascwm. Walked a clockwise circuit heading up the path which passes by the disused quarry. Visited trig pillar then the true summit before descending via the footpath to the west of Upper Cwm-twrch.KevPalmer07/08/2023
Parked in layby just by church in Glascwm. Took 2nd track on the right up through several gates onto ridge to near 504m point. Followed bridletrack up to main ridge then turned right along good track along ridge to summit. Descended by cutting down over bracken to bridleway east of stream, followed down to 2nd bridlepath to right leading down below Fort, to meet short bit of year ck, cross stream (was easy to cross)then back to start. 4.1 miles, 90 mins walking time.JulieB28/12/2022
Walked over all high ground to SSE trig!dave g26/07/2022
From Rhewey following good paths to west and then south of summit. Thin path not shown on map to trig. KeithByTheC27/03/2022
G, MyIdris27/09/2021
On paths from top of road east of Glascwm.Winterfloodian06/09/2021
In Glascwm at the grass area next to town hall.Stevooo27/08/2021
M Gmaryjdavies27/08/2021
Climbed before meeting Stevie n Tay and Yeltzbagger in New Radnor to climb Great Rhos.ketzster26/07/2021
From just above Glascum. Wide parking area on grass near trees. Tracks to trees, from below tricky to find which trimmed heather/gorse path doesn’t end in a dead end. If in doubt and trashing, pick out a post and aim for it.. 4/4 Marilyn... sunny day and my final Welsh Marilyn.N.Morters30/05/2021
Good grass parking at SO166534. Track N to two clumps of trees; up prominent ATV track N, but then an irksome slog through heather and short gorse to top (unwise). In descent, followed a nearby 'clear run' in the heather, S, but it petered out above the two clumps of trees. Might have missed a better route on the W side?Isbjorn16/04/2021
Views from Cader, the Aran and Berwyn round to the Cotswolds and Forest of Dean. Stunning.Rob Rees26/09/2020
A good walk through the quiet hills above Glascwm (saw no other walker all day) from the summit of the road at SO 165534 visiting Little Hill (east one), Gwaunceste Hill, Llanfihangel Hill, Yr Allt (west one), Newchurch Hill, Bryngwyn Hill, Red Hill and Glascwm hill. Mostly fast progress on good tracks through the heather moors, but beware the totally overgrown and nettle infested bridleway down from Yr Allt to the road before Newchurch Hill. 31km with 1100m ascent in 8 hours. (S)silveracorn_alan29/07/2020
from col little hill 469, Gwenceste Hill mostly paths then off path straight towards colfa hill across grouse cuts paths to colva hill and return via rows above cwm cesteunderhill03/07/2020
Took bridleways from layby at Llynheilyn. Once bridleways fork in two after four stones, take care when taking the left hand track, it becomes very unclear, better to take track to the right then approach summit from north east.RyParks07/04/2020
Delightful all around views this morning for my 360th Marilyn.Alex C22/03/2020
4/4 for day on anticlockwise route from old YHA in Glascwm, heather clad dome of a hill, a bit gloomy and light fading reduced impact.richardrosser10/03/2020
Good lay-by parking off A481 a few hundred metres SW of junction with road to Rhewey farm. Good tracks for most of way to summit. Summit in hill fog today, so no views,ger21/11/2019
Second walk of the day, clear skies now. Parked just to the W of Llynheilyn, where there is parking on both sides of the road for several cars. Along the bridleway passing Four Stones ( there are 5 ) & then up to the summit / trig.DanMaisieBex29/10/2019
From Rhewey, parking outwith the yard with No Parking sign. Two snarling chained up dogs, then on to the bridleway and a quad track from a pond, takes you nearly to the trig.NormanW03/10/2019
From NW, P 150m back from Rhewey.Topographer5708/09/2019
Straightforward bag whilst returning from a conference in Llandrindod. Up from Rhewey (parking for 1 car by gates, just in front of farm entrance). Squall came in on top so no views.huwthomas19/07/2019
From car park off A481 at Llynheilyn, public FP/tracks to S of trig before final plod through heather. Soggy, murky day.steve_a29/05/2019
Parked at SO166543. Circular 14k walk bagging Little Hill, Gwaunceste Hill and Little Hill 2 (the sequel). Beautiful Easter Monday and saw nobody.Ramblingpaul22/04/2019
3/4 - started at 165534 - figure of 8 curcuit - weather fine all day - moderate breeze - not coldwychwood20/02/2019
I set off from Glascwm on a rather murky cool winters day. After doing a 5k race in Builth Wells I wanted a cool down walk in these little visited hill. My first objective was the higher Little Hill. A Red Kite was quartering overhead on its long wings. I then headed over to Gwaunceste Hill on route I met a large party heading the opposite way. As I reached the summit trig the cloud lifted to give views all be it limited. There was a few tiny patches of snow close to the summit. It was hard to see but Radnor Forest looked to have had a covering. I descended in sunshine to the other Little Hill. On the latter I put up 5 Red Grouse. I headed down to the minor road and climbed steeply to the unmarked summit of Glascwm Hill. From the summit I headed down to the village in the gathering twilight. Time taken 3 hours 15 minutes for 8.25 miles. Other wildlife a Buzzard, Coal Tits and Blue Tits.isabelle20/01/2019
From car park at Llynhellyn, via tumulus to w of summit on tracks. Small paths lead esily to the summit. Descended to E also on small unmapped paths to 172547 then ba kvia Cwm Keaty (with enthusiastic dog). Overcast and damp, ground soggy but not muddy. Not a great hill, but ok.Clive G31/12/2018
16.15 cloud and bit of a chill breeze S5648 on trig pillar.vegibagger30/12/2018
G MyIdris17/11/2018
G Mymaryjdavies17/11/2018
First of four Dewey's from Hundred house on a twenty two mile walk taking between seven and eight hours. Route was Gwaunceste hill, Llanfihangel hill, Glascwm hill and Red hill. A long walk best for a dry day.WAYNE ROWLETT02/09/2018
From Pool pond, small car park. Hot, sunny, calm and good views.iangalbraith19/07/2018
From Rhewey, up the track, then onto the old track on the crest of the hill. It soon runs out, but sheep tracks convey you to a nice grassy oasis in the heather, and this joins another, newer ATV track. When the trig hoves into view, it's an easy walk across mown heather. I'm not sure why this SSSI has so much mown heather all over it. Seems to be an ineffective way to regenerate heather, given that the only stuff growing is bilberry. Oh well, time will tell.Gill22/04/2018
After a pleasant camp at Disserth, parked at Glascwm and ascended via Wern. Cloud lifted when we arrived at the top, so headed west to Giants Grave and over little hill to descend back to tarmac lane. Glascwm Church yard was full of native Welsh daffodils.mindlessflogger29/03/2018
With M, from Painscastle. Misty, wet later. Lost of snow from the earlier storms - some minor roads still blocked.douglas_easton09/03/2018
Short walk up from the road in sunshine, collecting Marylins. Nice enough hill, heather had been cut so easier walking.nickywood101/12/2017
2 of 5 Marilyns from KingtonSteveG24/03/2017
Straight forward there and back route along farm track through SSSI from SO 14738 57459. Due to SSSI status stayed on track all the way to summit rather than direct route across heather. Convenient place to park near field entrance opposite Rhewey Farm.mntainman22/11/2016
From car park at Pont Y Nantau, Gwaunceste Hill and Llanfihangel Hill.rhalstead05/11/2016
From Hundred House as described for Little Hill 7606.dicky17/09/2016
A lovely walk from the parking area by Llynheilyn (SO 16571 58187). Route and write-up at: http://gayleybird.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/bradnor-hill-great-rhos-and-gwaunceste.htmlGayle28/06/2016
#597 Tactical bag from the A481 via Rhewey, probably a nice walk when it is not raining!tim74726/06/2016
From New Cwmceste farm. Good path to Cwm Kesty then E to hill top. Returned over Llanfihangel Hill. This is all Duff Gordon's (Gordon's Gin people) land with grouse shooting being re-introduced to the moorland. May be some future access issues.jonglew15/06/2016
From Rhewey farm. Parked at old gate access just before farm. Very good tracks to within 100m of top. Looped around anticlockwise and approached trig from S.W. A wild and windy day, somehow managed to avoid the heavy downpours all day. This whole area is criminally underrated. This probably the least impressive of 5 marilyns today. Farmhouse is derelict. Farmer seems to live in the static caravan.stig_nest27/03/2016
SOTAmike.hartley27/02/2016