The Clwydian Range

The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty stretching south from the hills above Prestatyn for thirty miles to the border country around Llangollen. It is visible from the town on almost any clear day — a distinct ridge of heather moorland and limestone rising above the Vale of Clwyd. Getting into it takes about thirty minutes by car; what you find there is some of the finest upland walking in North Wales.

Moel Famau

Moel Famau (555m) is the highest point in the Clwydian Range and the summit most often visited from Prestatyn. The Jubilee Tower — a truncated Georgian column built in 1810 to commemorate George III's golden jubilee, never completed, and now a ruins that somehow improves the view — sits on the summit. On a clear day the panorama encompasses the coast from Anglesey to the Wirral, the Snowdonian peaks, the Vale of Clwyd, and the Dee Valley. On a cloudy day, the summit is in cloud and you walk in blind — also an experience, differently.

The standard ascent from the Bwlch Pen Barras car park (about 8 miles south of Prestatyn by car) takes forty to fifty minutes at a moderate pace. The car park itself is at 300m, which means the climbing is manageable. The path is well-marked and maintained.

Iron Age Hill Forts

The Clwydian Range contains six significant Iron Age hill forts on successive summits along the ridge. Moel Arthur (455m), Penycloddiau (440m), and Foel Fenlli (511m) all have visible earthworks — substantial banks and ditches that survive remarkably well on the heather moorland. Penycloddiau is the largest, with earthworks enclosing several hectares of summit plateau. Walking the ridge between them — the northern section of Offa's Dyke Path runs through this area — gives a sense of the density of Iron Age activity on these hills.

The Vale of Clwyd

The valley running south from Prestatyn between the Clwydian hills and the limestone uplands of the west is agricultural and pleasant in a way that takes time to appreciate. Ruthin, at the southern end of the Vale, is one of the better-preserved Welsh market towns — a castle-hotel, independent shops, and a strong Welsh character. St Asaph, halfway down the valley, has the smallest cathedral city in Britain. The Vale provides quiet road cycling and riverside walking that complement the hill routes above.

Practical Information

The Clwydian Range AONB has several managed car parks along the ridge road, all pay-and-display. The Loggerheads Country Park near Mold is the most developed visitor facility in the range, with a visitor centre and waymarked trails. For the Moel Famau ascent from Prestatyn, the Bwlch Pen Barras car park is the standard starting point. OS Explorer 265 (Clwydian Range and Dee Valley) covers the whole area.