It can be a nice idea to break the long drive to North Wales by walking up one of the Clwydian Hills in the east. Todays target was Moel Gyw, easily reached from the top of the pass on the A494 between Mold and Ruthin. The huge car park to the Cwyd Gate restaurant was empty but signs prohibited parked by non-patrons so I found somewhere round the back where there seemed to be no objection and off I went, following the Offa’s Dyke Path which starts up a track to Pen-yr-Allt farm then heads of left over some fields. The largest of these was full of young bullocks but they were nice enough to pay me no heed as I passed. You then swing right and start to contour the hill. At this point a fence goes off left leading part way to the top. I spotted a vestigial path alongside and decided to try following it. This wasn’t a great idea. The path gives up where the fence turns left leaving me to fight my way very strenuously up 100m of extremely steep pathless knee deep heather. On the top a sign advises visitors to return the way they came, presumably based on the presupposition that most folk would have more sense than I had. And indeed I found an excellent path leading south from the summit to meet the Offa’s Dyke Path at the col between Moel Gyw and Moel Llanfair. Be advised, go up that way. Then back down the Offa’s Dyke Path, braving the still indifferent bullocks a second time.
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