{"id":1007315,"date":"2023-04-27T16:34:43","date_gmt":"2023-04-27T15:34:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1007315"},"modified":"2023-04-27T16:34:45","modified_gmt":"2023-04-27T15:34:45","slug":"moel-gyw-moel-llanfair-moel-plas-offas-dyke-path","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.half-daywalker.com\/?p=1007315","title":{"rendered":"Moel Gyw, Moel Llanfair & Moel Plas – Offa’s Dyke Path"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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Introduction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our son, Adam, is spending 12 days walking the Offa’s Dyke. I joined him for about 3 miles today as he was walking from Llanferres to Llangollen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a cold and cloudy day with mizzle in the air. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My staring point on the A494, west of Mold is about an hour and 5 minutes drive from Cheadle Hulme, and we were on our way from there by 1015.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 6.5 mile walk took took 2 hours 45 minutes, plus 20 minutes for lunch. It was quicker than my normal speed, as I was trying not to slow Adam down. He had many more miles to walk and rain was forecast for later in the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were lambs on the hills, so much of the walk was unsuitable for dogs today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I parked at Moel Gyw Car Park on the A494, postcode LL15 1YG. It is the car park of the currently unused Clwyd Gate Restaurant. Adam had met me here so I had no choice but to pay for parking, which took a good 10 minutes by phone and cost me \u00a37!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The walk is on OS Explorer Map 256 .<\/p>\n\n\n

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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Moel Gyw And Moel Llanfair<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The clouds were high as we set off, though the spectacular views west into the Vale of Clwyd were already quite murky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The gorse was in full bloom, to add a dash of colour to the hills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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And it’s an excellent grassy track around the hills, so plenty of time to watch the views, rather than where you’re putting your feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had a short break along the way to consult the map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Many of the lambs had brown splodgy colour patches, though their mothers didn’t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At Ty’n-y-mynydd, we had done 2 miles, and prepared for a short steep ascent ahead up Moel y Plas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Moel y Plas and Llyn Gweryd<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Over the top of the hill, the fishing lake came into view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A quick descent to the level of the lake, and then Adam continued his journey to the south, anticipating tea and cake at the cafe in Llandegla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I had turned sharp left to make my way past the end of the lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the first time, I had access to the views to the east from here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ty’n-y-mynydd <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rising away from the lake, and around the hillside, the farmhouse at the head of the valley came into view in the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The farm is surrounded by a copse; a mix of ancient trees and more recent conifers. I stopped here for lunch, and listened to the unmistakable call of a cuckoo – a first for this year. Why do these birds come from their wintering grounds in the central African rain forests to breed in these cold islands? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After crossing the valley, I looked back to the copse and hillside, a typical upland cuckoo environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Back Over The Hills<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rounding Moel Llanfair, the weather was closing in, cold, windy, and a bit wet, so I ignored my drawn route and stayed up on the track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At Garreg Llwyd, I could have taken a path to the summit of Moel Gyw. In good weather, I would have done, but not today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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So, I retraced my steps along the Offa’s Dyke Path, and could still enjoy the view despite the deteriorating weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The penultimate field had been full of cattle on the way up. Alone, I was glad they’d been moved as I returned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Looking across to the car park, I could see two things – <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. The cattle had been moved to the lower field, sheltered from the incoming weather.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. I was the only person to pay \u00a37 to park there! Surely they could fill the car park if it was, say, \u00a32, and make more money.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
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    It was great to share this walk with Adam for a little while, but the weather felt more February than late April.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And if you try this walk on a summer’s day the views will be spectacular. Just find somewhere else to park!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    And Finally….<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Ian Hunter (of Mott The Hoople fame) has a new album out, Defiance Part 1. There’s some good old-style rock guitar songs, such as this one, Pavlov’s Dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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