If until now you’ve tended to stick to low level walks, The Clwydian Hills are the perfect place to start venturing a bit higher. 

The Clwydians, stretching from Prestatyn to Llandegla near Wrexham lie in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and much of it also sits within Moel Famau and Loggerheads Country Parks – so paths tend to be well-trodden and easy to follow, and are usually sign-posted too. 

The range is a series of hills in a chain running roughly from north to south, with Llwybr Clawdd Offa / Offa’s Dyke Path (a National Trail linking Chepstow to Prestatyn) crossing or skirting each of the main summits.

Access to the more popular hills is made easier by the four car parks in the area – two near Bwlch Penbarras on the minor road from Llanbedr DC to Tafarn y Gelyn (for Moel Famau and Foel Fenlli), one on the road from Hendre to Llandyrnog (for Moel Arthur or a longer walk over Moel Dywyll to Moel Famau), and one on the Nannerch to Llangwyfan road at Coed Llangwyfan (for Moel Arthur or Penycloddiau).

A word of warning – the Clwydian’s accessibility, their proximity to Chester and the Wirral, and the relative ease of navigation on well-defined paths means that it’s a popular area. Annual visitor numbers for Moel Famau Country Park have increased from 150,000 – 200,000 10 years ago to around 300,000, so on busy days, and especially around bank holidays, the car parks can get full quickly. But if you’re after solitude, it’s still there on the less popular routes and on off-peak days.

The Ten Highest in the Clwydians

1. Moel Famau 555 metres
2. Foel Fenlli 511 m
3. Moel Dywyll 475 m
4. Moel Gyw 467 m
5. Moel Llys-y-coed 465 m
6. Moel Arthur 456 m
7. Moel Llanfair 447 m
8. Moel y Plas 440 m
9. Penycloddiau 440 m
10. Moel y Waun 412m