Winter on the Clwyds
Posted by Sam Harrison on January 6, 2011 at 23:47.
This is a walk I did with my Dad on 21 December 2010. The initial plan was to head to Snowdonia for a walk over the Glyders but snow was forecast for the afternoon and we were worried that our car would get snowed it. As it turned out our route back, the A470 through Llanwrst, was described as barely passable and so it was probably wise we decided to stick closer to home.
Start point: Cilcain, SJ 177 652
Summits: Moel Famau, Moel Dywyll, Moel Arthur
Distance: 14.9 miles / 24.0 kilometres
Ascent: 3390 feet
Whilst I've been up Moel Famau and along the ridge to Moel Arthur countless times, I've never carried on over Moel Arthur before, so this was a first for me. Starting in Cilcain we headed straight up Moel Famau past the water station and the smallest of the reservoirs. This brings you out at cross-paths at the edge of a forest.
From here it's just a short walk up by the side of the forest to the summit.
As you can see the snow conditions weren't bad at all - just soft and powdery stuff that was easy to walk on. From the summit we carried on along the ridge (on the Offa's Dyke path) via Moel Dywyll and then dropping down to the road before Moel Arthur before carrying on over. Surprisingly considering we live so close, this was my first time on the top of Moel Arthur. Unfortunately the weather wasn't very good and hence I didn't take any photographs.
The Offa's Dyke path carries on past Moel Arthur. We took this route, which after a short decent to another road rose up alongside a forest that I'm informed is a good place for mountain biking. It then opens out and eventually leads down to a small track. It is here that we leave the Offa's Dyke path and head south west, skirting around the ridge until eventually bringing us back to the road to the south of Moel Arthur. The trek along this track was hard going, which I'm putting down to the ever-so-slightly uphill gradient and fast pace we were going at.
From Moel Arthur it was back down a forest track leading right off the road, taking us past two "viewpoint" car parks and eventually back into Cilcain for a well-deserved pint at the White Horse Inn. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, probably one of the most rewarding I've been on over the Clwyds. The weather stayed good in the end, and although it was very cold we even got a slight hint of sun in the afternoon. I plan to run this route before I head back up to university.
Start point: Cilcain, SJ 177 652
Summits: Moel Famau, Moel Dywyll, Moel Arthur
Distance: 14.9 miles / 24.0 kilometres
Ascent: 3390 feet
Whilst I've been up Moel Famau and along the ridge to Moel Arthur countless times, I've never carried on over Moel Arthur before, so this was a first for me. Starting in Cilcain we headed straight up Moel Famau past the water station and the smallest of the reservoirs. This brings you out at cross-paths at the edge of a forest.
Signpost on the way up Moel Famau
From here it's just a short walk up by the side of the forest to the summit.
On the summit of Moel Famau
As you can see the snow conditions weren't bad at all - just soft and powdery stuff that was easy to walk on. From the summit we carried on along the ridge (on the Offa's Dyke path) via Moel Dywyll and then dropping down to the road before Moel Arthur before carrying on over. Surprisingly considering we live so close, this was my first time on the top of Moel Arthur. Unfortunately the weather wasn't very good and hence I didn't take any photographs.
The Offa's Dyke path carries on past Moel Arthur. We took this route, which after a short decent to another road rose up alongside a forest that I'm informed is a good place for mountain biking. It then opens out and eventually leads down to a small track. It is here that we leave the Offa's Dyke path and head south west, skirting around the ridge until eventually bringing us back to the road to the south of Moel Arthur. The trek along this track was hard going, which I'm putting down to the ever-so-slightly uphill gradient and fast pace we were going at.
From Moel Arthur it was back down a forest track leading right off the road, taking us past two "viewpoint" car parks and eventually back into Cilcain for a well-deserved pint at the White Horse Inn. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, probably one of the most rewarding I've been on over the Clwyds. The weather stayed good in the end, and although it was very cold we even got a slight hint of sun in the afternoon. I plan to run this route before I head back up to university.