Walking

Walkingworld

CAER DREWYN HILL FORT

Corwen is situated in a superb location where the wide valley of the River Dee meets the Vale of Edeyrnion before winding its way to Llangollen. To the south of the town the rolling Berwyn Mountains provide high-level tough walking for experienced walkers, while north of Corwen you will find the elevated hill fort of Caer Drewyn which is one of the most complete hill forts in Wales. Caer Drewyn is the most southerly hill fort in the Clwydian hill range and was built in the Iron Age sometime between 600 BC and 43 AD. Unlike other hill forts in this region Caer Drewyn does not have earthen banks and ditches but has a large dry stone wall instead and it is this you will see if you follow this month’s walk from the streets of Corwen to the summit of Caer Drewyn. Within these walls there are the foundation remains of ancient round houses where the forts occupants lived. The original entrances to the fort where on the west and north sides and as you stand amongst the ruins you will see why this site was chosen for a defensive structure as the view in all directions is extensive. Caer Drewyn has never been properly excavated and consequently there are many unanswered questions about its history – why are there strange round holes in some of the walls and where did the stones to build the fort come from as there are no ancient quarries in the area and yet it must have taken many tons of material to construct the fort. Caer Drewyn is a large fort and covers an area of three hectares within its surrounding rampart walls. The hill fort continued to be used long after the Iron Age ended. Legend has it that it was used by Owain Gwynedd, the self-proclaimed King of Wales, while King Henry II was camped on the nearby Berwyn Mountains and it is also believed to be the site where Owain Glyndwr gathered together his troops after he proclaimed himself King of Wales in 1400. Today all is peaceful here and after a stiff climb to the upper reaches of the fort you will no doubt settle down to enjoy your lunch surrounded by history and magnificent views.

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

J Distance: 2.9 miles/4.66 kilometres J Time: Allow around 2 – 2.5 hours J Start: Use the pay and display car park off

Green Lane near the centre of Corwen and just north of the A5. There is plenty of space to park and the car park has toilets. J Grid Ref: SJ 079435 J Nearest postcode: LL21 0BD J Ordnance Survey Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 256 – Wrexham and Llangollen J What to expect: This walk uses a combination of roads with pavements and quiet lanes lower

down. The climb to Caer Drewyn is quite

rough and tough and uses steep tracks and paths. The descent uses tracks and an old lane. Choose a day of settled weather and wear walking boots J Dogs: OK on leads J Suitable for: All walkers who don’t mind steep ascents and some rough going J Refreshments: Corwen has cafés, restaurants, pubs and shops

WALK DETAILS

START

Exit the car park back to the road and turn right. Follow

the road to curve right then left passing the memorial Park on your left. Continue following the road using the https://openstreetmap.org/copyright https://openstreetmap.org pavement and heading towards the slopes of Caer Drewyn. Copyright OpenStreetMap and contributors, under an open licence Cross a river and rise with the road to a road junction. Go right (no pavement) and continue for a short distance to reach a lane left with a sign for ‘Tan-y-Gaer’.

5

START/ FINISH 2 3

Points of interest on this section

J Corwen is situated where the wide valley of the River

Dee meets the Vale of Edeyrnion before winding its way to Llangollen. Corwen has a population of about 3,400

Llandudno Cable Car

Go left on the lane (signed for ‘Caer Drewyn’). Rise up the 2 rough lane between high banks. The lane ends at a house right. Continue ahead on a rough track heading steeply uphill. Pass through a gate to a junction of paths by a Caer Drewyn sign. Go right up steps signed for ‘Caer Drewyn’. Follow the path steeply

up the hillside using steps in places. Reach a track by a boulder. Cross straight over the track to continue uphill on a grass path. Climb steadily to pass through the walls of the hill fort. Follow

the path beyond to reach the summit of the hill fort which is marked by a cairn.

Points of interest on this section

J Caer Drewyn is the most southerly hill fort in the Clwydian hill range and was built in the Iron Age sometime between 600

BC and 43 AD

Continue ahead dropping from the summit cairn to 3 curve right through the walls of the hill fort. The path now runs below the fort walls to go right on a grassy track still following the fort walls. As Corwen comes into view below the track starts to descend more steeply. Reach the path from your outbound route and continue ahead on the good track. Descend to pass by a gate to a track/path junction and go

right. Continue to pass through a gate and stay ahead on the track to reach a track junction. 4 Go left to descend gradually through trees staying ahead to rise up again. Continue on the track (which is now a lane) to reach a kissing gate left and a gate right.

Go left through the kissing gate signed for ‘Leisure centre’.

5

Follow the path past an old stile right continuing to descend steps to the track of Corwen Cutting. Go ahead on this (left) and continue on the track to pass a picnic area to reach the leisure centre. Exit on to the road near your outbound route. Cross straight over the road to re-join your outbound route (signed for ’Corwen’ and ‘Llangollen’). Follow this back into Corwen to go left

back into the car park and start point.

Points of interest on this section

J Corwen Cutting is the original railway line that brought the first train to Corwen from Ruthin in August 1864. It is now a

leisure footpath

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.