A perennial favourite choice for 'avoid the crowds' magazine articles, the Berwyns are just that, a great way of avoiding the North Welsh crowds and getting some cracking walking in at the same time. Nice.
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Tyn-y-ffridd > Foel Wen >
Cadair Berwyn > Tyn-y-ffridd
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Distance:8.5 miles (13.7
km)
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Height Gain: 2561 ft
(781m)
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Overview: Just a couple of hundred
feet below the magic 3000ft mark the Berwyn's provide an
excellent alternative to Snowdonia, with consistent walking
above 2200 ft.
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Maps: Landranger 125
Online: Streetmap
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Strenuousness: 2
Technicality: 1
Photo Grade: 2
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Start Point: SJ
117 308
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When you fancy a change from the well-trodden classics of Snowdonia,
head east young person where Cadair Berwyn, which falls just a couple
of hundred feet below the magic 3000 foot mark, offers an excellent
and under-rated alternative with consistent high level walking above
the 2200 foot mark.
The summit of Moel Sych by Bob Conley from
his numptyville
album
High up the persistent heather of the lower slopes relents to
expose the most easterly line of cliffs in North Wales. Great walking
without the crowds.
Section 1 - Tyn-y-ffridd to Foel Wen
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Distance: 2.1 miles (3.4km)
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Height Gain: 1275ft ( 389m)
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From the start point at Tyn-y-ffridd
take the narrow lane north through the farmyard to where a marked
footpath heads off towards the corner of the woods ahead.
The path follows the edge of the woods directly up to the first
summit of Mynnydd Tarw. The summit itself is marked by a cairn
converted into a shelter.
Now turn left, north west, towards the main ridge, with a fence as
a poor weather handrail. A short descent is followed by a climb
leading to the first of Foel
Wen's twin summits, before dropping slightly and climbing
again to the main flat topped and unmarked summit.
From here you get extensive views over Shropshire and the Cheshire
Plain to the east.
Section 2 - Foel Wen to Capel Moel Sych
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Distance: 2.7 miles (4.4km)
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930 ft (283 m) 721ft (220m)
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The second leg leaves the summit plateau of
Foel Wen west along
the line of the fence, dropping to a col before climbing steadily for
half a mile to the cairn topped summit of
Tomle.
Looking towards Cadair Berwyn from Tomle from
Stuart Judd's
OM Gallery album
Continue along the ever-present fence with the main Berwym ridge
ahead and left. Initially you drop down to another col, marked by an
8ft tall prehistoric stone, then climb again to the ridge where the
path hugs the cliff edge. The trig point ahead was the old summit of
Cadair
Berwyn, but recent resurveying has now demoted this to joint
second place.
Now the views to the west are as impressive as those to the east,
with The Arrans and far-off Snowdonia visible on a good day.
Moel Sych and Cadair Berwyn in winter from Stuart
Judd's
OM Gallery album
Continue along the fence line to the new summit where a much
needed shelter provides respite from the wind. This is the highest
point of both the walk and the Berwyn range, but ahead lies the
summit of Moel Sych which though 10ft lower has a reputation
for outstanding views. The summit itself is marked by a cairn just
beyond a three-way junction in the fences.
Section 3 - Moel Sych to
Tyn-y-ffridd
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Distance: 3.7 miles (5.9km)
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Height Gain: 356 ft (109 m)
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From the summit of Moel
Sych return along the way you came as far as the first col
where a faint path heads right, south east, along the ridge with Llyn
Lluncaws way below.
Again the fence provides a handrail as you climb over Moel yr
Ewig then plod half a mile over fairly level grass and heather to
where the fence turns right.
An atmospheric sunrise over the Berwyns by
Ricahrd Nicholls from his OM
album
Carry straight on here and climb slightly to the north west top of
Godor, then rejoin the fence. Another half mile brings you to
a three-way fence junction where a small white cairn marks the final
summit, Godor's main top.
From here the path follows the east ridge back down the hill to
join a path at Bryb-gwyn. A short stroll along the path brings you
back to your start point.
