United Cavers Exploration Team

Penycloddiau (Clwydian Hills)

Distance
6-7 Miles Approx.

Elevation
Mostly shallow undulations with a steep incline of around 500 metres to top out Penycloddiau

Time
3 Hours approx

Parking
Easy parking for 15-20 vehicles at a designation parking spot at SJ 139 688

Walk Description
A pleasant wander around Penycloddiau following the Clwydian way along the front of hill (with spectacular views of the Vale of Clwyd) and then circling back around using the Offa’s Dyke path to breach the summit and drop back down to the car park.

From the car park there are three possible routes â€" one takes you up to the summit directly, one takes you down parallel to the steep road you drove up and the middle route has a shallow descending gradient between the two (through a gate at the side of the car park) â€" take this route and you are immediately walking through a conifer woodland (you will see the path up to the summit on your right almost immediately â€" ignore this).

As you walk, on your left, you will grab a sneak preview of the Vale of Clwyd between the hill you are walking around (Penycloddiau) and its neighbour (Moel Arthur). The path opens and closed within the woodland until you come to an old, rickety wooden gate â€" this is where the path joins the Clwydian Way and you are presented with fine views of the Vale of Clwyd on your left.

Now the path levels out and undulates upwards a little and heads to a “U” bend where a stream crosses within a small copse of woodland. This is a heavy flow in winter and barely anything in summer.

Continuing around and through the small woodland brings you back out onto the face of Penycloddiau with yet more stunning vies of the Vale of Clwyd. Continue along until you find another copse of woodland, this time with a large metal container tank just to the right of the path. Behind this and 30 feet higher, there is a stream emanating from the hillside itself. This is a collapsed cave entrance where the water still finds it way out although entry to the cave is now not possible die to the collapse. In summer there is a mass of flora (mostly nettles) and this is best viewed in the winter ... no doubt the “cave” goes under Penycloddiau but this will be a mystery for future generations to uncover.

Continuing along the path, it becomes more of a track with yet more views of the Vale of Clwyd until you come to a gate and stile which is also used for parking â€" this is the “corner” of the join up with the Offa’s Dyke path and you must turn right and walk steeply up hill just BEFORE you arrive at the gate (with a road on the otherside). This path continues up the hill steeply with waymarkers hither and thither to keep you on course. Ultimately you are brought to the peak which is now adorned with a reconstructed Bronze Age burial ground.

From here, follow the path down and you will soon arrive back at the car park where you set off.

Off course, there is a short video here;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIE0tqVsB6I





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