Walking

Walkingworld

MOEL HIRADDUG

The area around Prestatyn and Dyserth has a lot to offer the walker who takes the time to explore it and get to know its secrets. There is the National Trust owned rocky lump of Graig Fawr which is a magnificent viewpoint for the surrounding area, and running below it you will find the Prestatyn to Dyserth Way which runs for 2.5 miles/4.02 km and follows the course of a disused railway line linking the two towns. Then there is the elevated escarpment of Prestatyn Hillside which offers elevated hiking in stunning surroundings. But the most prominent feature of the area is the bulky summit of Moel Hiraddug that rises to a height of 869 ft./265 metres and which is the objective of this month’s walk. Moel Hiraddug is the most northerly of the Clwydian Hill range that runs along the border between Denbighshire and Flintshire and has been designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. These lovely summits offer superb high-level walking on mostly good paths and give stunning views in all directions. Be prepared for steep ascents and descents if you intend to explore them, but generally they are friendly and benevolent hills which rise to their highest point on mighty Moel Famau at 1,821 ft./555 metres. And Moel Hiraddug is no exception. Its most distinct feature is the massive quarry that has literally taken a huge chunk out of the northern end of the hill. However, this does not detract from the hills beauty and can’t be seen from the summit ridge itself anyway. The view from the top is extensive and takes in most of the Vale of Clwyd and the skyline of the mountains of Snowdonia in the distance. You get a pretty good view of the sea as well with the local coastal towns looking tiny below you. Our walk starts in the pretty hamlet of Cwm and does a circuit of the surrounding area taking in the minor summit of Marian Ffrith before climbing to the uppermost reaches of Moel Hiraddug. This is a full-blown hill walk and you should wear the appropriate gear and walking boots (and carry a map and compass) for the outing. And wait for a settled clear day so you get the best from those stunning views!

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

J Distance: 4.2 miles/6.76 kilometres J Time: Allow around 3 hours J Start: Roadside parking in the village of Cwm (near Dyserth) facing the

Parish Church of Ss Mael and Sulien and just up from the Blue Lion pub – please park considerately J Grid Ref: SJ 066774 J Nearest postcode: LL18 5SH J Ordnance Survey Map: Ordnance

Survey Explorer 264 – Vale of Clwyd J What to expect: This walk uses a combination of field paths and hill paths and tracks which are fairly clear throughout. It also involves some lane walking. Some of the tracks can be very muddy after rain.There are plenty of steep ups and downs with some rough going in places and the descent from Moel Hiraddug can be slippery and requires care if wet. You will need full hill walking gear and a map and compass with the ability to use them.

The route should be avoided in bad weather. J Dogs: OK on leads J Suitable for: Experienced hill walkers J Refreshments: The Blue Lion pub is at the start of the route and you will find plenty of cafés, pubs and restaurants plus shops in Dyserth, Prestatyn and

Rhuddlan

Camping and caravan site

Caravan site Park and ride, seasonal

Phone; public, emergency

Swtan

Castle or fort Picnic site

START

Cathedral or abbey Preserved railway

Country park Public house(s) 5

Take this footpath right to rise up a woodland path rising 2 steeply in the woods and continuing for about 250 metres. Watch for a large pine tree right by the side of the path and a bit of red tape on a small tree to your right. Here leave the path you have been following to take a less obvious path left that soon develops into a better path. Follow this path uphill to reach a stile on the edge of the woodland you have been climbing through. Cross the stile and take the field path beyond next to a fence and continue to cross a stile by a building left. Continue on the path beyond to reach an access drive for the building. Go ahead on this to follow the track and curve left to descend to pass through a gate by a stile to a track junction. Go left for a short distance to reach a footpath and stile right. Go right over the stile to take Offa’s Dyke footpath down the right side of the field. Stay ahead at a fence corner to reach a stile and footpath sign. Cross the stile and cross a lane to cross another stile. Go half left following the direction of the arrow. Follow the path over the field to descend to a kissing gate. Pass through and continue on Offa’s Dyke footpath to rise up the field beyond and pass through a kissing gate to a lane in the village of Marian Cwm.

Points of interest on this section

J Offa’s Dyke Long Distance footpath follows the crest of the Clwydian Hill range on the final stages of its epic 177 miles/285 km from Chepstow in the south of Wales to

Prestatyn in the north

Head up the road away from the church (passing it on the right) and pub to pass the house of Ty Cerrig, passing a parking space right and houses left. Shortly take a marked footpath right over a stile by a gate. Follow the left hand edge of the field – at the field end cross a bridge and go over a stile to the next field. Go uphill aiming right of a white house to reach a stile near the field corner. Cross this to a lane and go left on it Stay on the track and when it descends and bends sharp passing the house of Cil Haul. Rise on the lane to reach right reach a marker post at a gate left – here leave the track a marked footpath cutting back right by a fence just to pass through the gate left. Go left following the arrow on a before another house. marker post to rise up the left edge of a field. About half way up the field bear half right away from the field edge to pass Points of interest on this section through a wall gap. Cross the next field to go over a stile by a J The delightful village of Cwm includes the Blue Lion marker post. Take the path ahead following it to bend right and pub and a Church dedicated to two 6th century saints wind a way through bushes as it rises up the slopes of Moel – Saint Mael and Saint Sulien Hiraddug. When the path splits below limestone outcrops (after you emerge from gorse bushes) go right (the better path). Rise to pass below scree runs staying on the path. Reach a fence above a quarry and go left to climb to the summit ridge of Moel Hiraddug. Take a path left away from the fence and follow it up the ridge to reach the summit of Moel Hiraddug just above a small building and a mast.

Points of interest on this section

J The wind farm you see out to sea from the top of Marian Ffrith is Gwynt y Mor the 5th largest operating off-shore wind farm in the world. It has 160 wind turbines J Moel Hiraddug rises to a height of 869 ft./265 metres 4 Descend left of the building and mast following a faint path which soon improves. Descend to a path junction with a path coming in right and go left. Descend to a gate and go right by it following an arrow (do not go through the gate). Descend a path that can be slippery after rain to curve right above a lane. Reach a kissing gate and sign left. Go left through the kissing gate to descend steps to a lane. Go left up the lane for a few paces to go right over a stile. 5 Follow the path up the left side of the field beyond. Rise to pass through a fence gap where the path vanishes. Go ahead aiming for a lone tree and the path soon reappears and heads towards houses below. Reach a stile and cross it to descend the woodland path beyond. Descend to a stile and cross it. Go ahead passing left of a building to cross a stile to a lane in Cwm. Go left past the Blue Lion pub and the Church back to the start.

Craft centre Public toilets Cycle hire Recreation, leisure or sports centre Cycle trail Slipway START/ FINISH

English Heritage Theme or pleasure park Fishing Viewpoint Garden or arboretum Visitor centre Golf course or links Walks or trails 2 Heritage centre Water activities (board) Historic Scotland Water activities (paddle) Horse riding Water activities (powered) Information centre Water activities (sailing) Information centre, seasonal Watersports centre (multi-activity) Mountain bike trail World Heritage site / area https://openstreetmap.org/copyright https://openstreetmap.org Copyright OpenStreetMap and contributors, under an open licence Great Orme Llandudno Cable Car 3

Go left through the village for a short distance to go right at 3 an Offa’s Dyke footpath sign and a bench. Pass through a gate by a stile and take the rising footpath ahead towards telegraph poles. Follow the path and line of marker posts over the top of Marian Ffrith and descend to cross a stile in the bottom left field corner to take the path beyond to a gate. Cross a stile right of the gate and go left on a farm track to pass a farm. Continue ahead on the track ignoring any footpaths going right or left.

A WORD OF CAUTION

Walking in the outdoors can be a strenuous activity and it is up to you to ensure that you are fit and healthy enough to undertake the route described and to approach the venture with caution and care. You should wear appropriate footwear and suitable clothing, take along food and drink plus carry the relevant map and a compass and be able to use it. The details given here are believed to be correct at the time of going to press. However, neither North Wales Magazine nor the author can accept responsibility for inaccuracies encountered.