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Penycloddiau

4.85 miles (7.8 km)

Ordnance Survey Map Open Streetmap This circular walk climbs to the ancient hill fort at Penycloddiau in the Clwydian Range.
The route uses sections of the Offa's Dyke Path and the Clwydian Way to create a circular route to the summit.
You can start the walk from the Coed Llangwyfan & Penycloddiau Car Park located just to the south east of the hill. From here you can pick up the waymarked Offa's Dyke Path and follow it north west up to the hill. Here you'll find the one of the largest Iron Age hillforts in Wales. From the elevated position of the fort there are some splendid views over the Vale of Clwyd.
The route then continues north west towards Aifft where you can pick up the epic Clwydian Way. The trail can then be followed south along a bridle path towards Langwyfan. Here you turn east to follow a woodland trail back to the car park.

Postcode

LL16 4NB - Please note: Postcode may be approximate for some rural locations

Penycloddiau OS Map Ordnance survey map - Mobile GPS OS Map with Location tracking

Penycloddiau Open Street Map Open Streetmap - Mobile GPS Map with Location tracking

Further Information and Other Local Ideas

To extend the walk you could follow the Offa's Dyke south east from the car park to climb the neighbouring Moel Arthur and the popular Moel Famau Country Park.
Continue north and you can visit the transmitting station on Moel Y Parc.
The hill is located just a few miles east of Denbigh where you can explore the remains of the historic 13th century castle.

Photos

Penycloddiau hill fort - geograph.org.uk - 109965

Penycloddiau hill fort

Penycloddiau - geograph.org.uk - 43229

View north on Offa's Dyke Path from Penycloddiau fort on the Clwydian Hills.

Ascending Penycloddiau - geograph.org.uk - 1329549

Ascending Penycloddiau. Offa's Dyke National Trail crosses this stile before the final onslaught to the summit.

Byway near Penycloddiau - geograph.org.uk - 624530

Byway near Penycloddiau The byway, which also makes up part of the Clwydian Way, stretches from the minor road in SJ1366 to the junction of footpaths in SJ1268. Moel Famau is just visible in the background.

View south from the flank of Penycloddiau - geograph.org.uk - 1317745

View south from the flank of Penycloddiau. On Offa's Dyke Path, which curves to the left towards Moel Arthur. Straight ahead, the hills of the Clwydian Range slope down to the Vale of Clwyd.

Offa's Dyke Path above Llangwyfan Woods - geograph.org.uk - 1329545

Offa's Dyke Path above Llangwyfan Woods. Some of the plantation has been felled hereabouts, exposing some fine views on the flanks of the hill.

Pen-y-Cloddiau - geograph.org.uk - 241687

Heather on the hill top. It is one of many hill forts in the Clwydian hills. The extent of the fort can be seen from the air, and it covers about 50 acres of this hilltop.

The Nant Simon Stream. - geograph.org.uk - 624543

The Nant Simon Stream.  A small stream that starts on the slopes of Penycloddiau and eventually joins the River Clwyd.

Video

GPS Files

GPX File

Penycloddiau.gpx (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold>Download Linked File)

Memory Map Route

Penycloddiau.mmo (On Desktop:Right Click>Save As. On Ipad/Iphone:Click and hold >Download Linked File)