Its a bright, clear morning, I have the day off but have to take the wife to work for eight and pick her up later in the afternoon. It would be a shame to waste such an opportunity as the next hours present. I feel the first signs of Spring in the air as I get the dogs in the car along with my rucksack and boots, heading of the seven miles or so to drop off the wife at her work which just happens to be at Western foot of the beautiful Clwydian Range.
I follow a winding lane up a valley onto the top of the range and park in the small car park on the left. Towering above me are the steep banks of the ancient hill fort, Moel Arthur. Built around 500BC, over two thousand years ago, the hill fort is one of many along the Clwydian Range, commanding spectacular views over the Vale of Clwyd to the West and over the border into England to the East. This site was inhabited before the Iron age as a possible Bronze Age burial mound lies in the middle of the site and excavations have unearthed Bronze age axes.
Moel Arthur from the Car park
After kitting up its the step climb up to the summit. Its step on this Southern side with a narrow winding track through the heather leading the way. I'm soon puffing and panting, the legs starting to burn when about half way up I reach a slight level area with views to the East. I can see the Jubilee Tower on Moel Famau in the distance, some three miles away. A few photos later and its upwards again to the top of the hill to the site of the old fort. There's a cold wind blowing up here, the rock pile at the summit, some 456m, is totally exposed to the elements, the ground here is still frozen, the sun has still to work its magic. I look around at the views. Below, a few miles away I can see the small village of Llandurnog, further to the West I can make out the Castled town of Denbigh with a backdrop of the snow capped mountains of Snowdonia in the far distance. It is beautiful, a view to behold. A view I cant truly capture with the camera.
Moel Famau away in the distance
Views over into England
Denbigh with the snow capped mountains of Snowdonia in the distance
From here I follow a narrow track down to the well trodden Offa's Dike Path, known in Welsh as Lywbr Clawdd Offa. It is one of Britans National Trails, its 177 miles, 285km, route runs from Prestatyn to Sedbury, near Chepstow on the Severn estuary, closely following the Welsh, English border and attracts walkers from the world over.
Here, I turn left, following a N.W. direction, down into the next small valley, wooded on the North side, eventually leading to a busier car park, (Grid Ref SJ139669).
The way down to the second valley
Out of the car park, heading for Penycloddiau
I stop here for a rest and drink, watching fellow walkers coming and going, some couples, holding hands, some on their own with all the modern brightly coloured walking clothes, some out walking their dogs. Refuelled, its time to move on. Around the wooden gate and taking the narrow footpath to the right, just a few meters ahead, its a steady climb up along the woods edge towards the second, larger hill fort of the day, Penycloddiau. The path eventually breaks away from the woods and heads over the rampants of the fort Again, the path offers some fantastic views across the Vale below. Carrying on the path continues along the barren, windswept hillside. The small pond I've seen on the map appears to the right jurns out to be more of a bog, not a possible campsite as I hoped. But to be honest, I wouldn't want to camp here as it is too close to the well walked path anyway.
Continuing uphill for a few hundred metres or so to the summit of Penycloddiau, marked by a small mound of stones. I rest here and chat for a while to a couple of fellow hikers, taking some photos and admiring the views below.
Penycloddiau translates as 'Hill of the Trenches' or 'Peak of the mounds'. It is one of the largest hillforts in Wales and is one of the five 'Marilyns' on the Clwydian Range. It stands at 440m, some 1440 feet. Its believed, as with Moel Arthur that this area was inhabited before the Iron Age as there is evidence of a Bronze age burial mound to the Northern end of the hill.
One thing about these hill forts is the beautiful views, but, more importantly to their inhabitants, is the commanding views. You could never sneak up on them and to attack them would be exhausting.
Views enjoyed, food and water consumed, its time for the return trip and eventually pick up the wife and return home.
A pose from the boys.
