Route Notes : Moel Gyw & Moel Llanfair from Llanarmon-yn-Iâl

A steep (in parts) but quick route to the top of Moel Gyw at 467m, and its neighbour.

Views of Rhuthun & the Vale of Clwyd, and over to Foel Fenlli & Moel Famau

Distance 6.6 km approx. (4 miles), 300 m ascent. About 2 hours.

Start point : The chapel at the end of Ffordd Rhiw Iâl (near Rhiw Iâl Farm) OS Grid Ref: SJ 186 565

Take Ffordd Rhiw Iâl, to the left of the Raven Inn in Llanarmon-yn-Iâl village, and follow this to the end. There’s room for a couple of cars by the chapel, or alternatively (to avoid using the limited parking in the village) park by Pystyll Gwyn Quarry at grid ref SJ 188 573.

Route :

Take the footpath opposite the chapel into a field, cross the humps and head for the far right hand corner of the field where a stile takes you onto a track, and then a footpath to the right of Banhadlen Ganol and below Banhadlen Uchaf. The path becomes obvious here, and is easily followed, steeply uphill, to a bwlch or col between Moel Llanfair (the grassy hill to the left) and Moel Gyw (the heathery hill to the right). The path to the summit of Moel Gyw is clearly signposted (avoid the wide track which skirts the hill and leads to a dead end).

From Moel Gyw summit, retrace your steps to the bwlch and either :

• follow the signs for Moel y Plas which will take you round the western (Rhuthun) side of Moel Llanfair on Offa’s Dyke Path
• take the farm track on the eastern (Llanarmon yn Iâl) side . On the Ordnance Survey map, this isn’t a public right of way, but stiles are currently being installed, and it seems to be in the process of becoming a ‘permissive path’. (If you leave the track to head for the summit, head back down to the track after, rather than continuing along the ridge where you’ll find yourself trapped by a barbed-wire topped fence!)

The two routes above converge at a col between Moel Llanfair & Moel y Plas. Turn left here onto the rough track which becomes a tarmacked lane, and down to a junction. Turn left again, and stay left at the next junction to arrive back at the chapel.