11. Turn left and retrace your wheel tracks along this trail. At the next junction
(GR156630) turn left and re-ride the rocks sections. Climb the muddy
singletrack then jink right through the gap in the drystone wall. Continue
straight on and climb the singletrack through the heather. After the crest bear
right for a short, steep descent. Continue along the trail all the way back to the
junction below the summit of Moel Famau by the start of the trees on the
right(GR163633). Go straight on, keeping the trees on the right, to the gate at
the start of the grassy descent. After the gate descend this fast, grassy track
all the way to the bottom. Go past the track on the right halfway down then
take care on the left and right bends that lead to the next gate. It can be a little
hard to slow down here and there are usually walkers. After the gate descend
through the trees to the junction at the bottom (GR177637).
12. Turn right and go through the gate. Follow the dirt double track through a
few gates, and go straight on at the farm on the left. The track eventually
comes out to a farm at the end of the track. Go straight on and descend the
broken lane to the junction just after (GR184634). Turn right and climb the
tarmac lane to a junction by a farm on the left. Take the rutted double track on
This is a mountain bike route of
19miles in the Clwydian Range, a
chain of hills just inside the North
Wales border near Chester. It
crosses the eastern flanks of Moel
Famau, heading to the village of
Cilcain and back. The riding is on a
good mixture of trails with wide forest
tracks, muddy and rocky singletrack,
fast sweeping descents and technical
rock sections. The trails are pretty
much ridable all year but when it's wet
it's muddy.
1. Start from the Moel Famau lower
car park (GR172611). Follow the trail,
signed as a cycle route, out the back
of the car park almost opposite the
entrance barrier. Follow it around to
the right, past a junction with a
footpath on the left, and straight up to
where it meets a fire track on a bend.
19miles in the Clwydian Range, a
chain of hills just inside the North
Wales border near Chester. It
crosses the eastern flanks of Moel
Famau, heading to the village of
Cilcain and back. The riding is on a
good mixture of trails with wide forest
tracks, muddy and rocky singletrack,
fast sweeping descents and technical
rock sections. The trails are pretty
much ridable all year but when it's wet
it's muddy.
1. Start from the Moel Famau lower
car park (GR172611). Follow the trail,
signed as a cycle route, out the back
of the car park almost opposite the
entrance barrier. Follow it around to
the right, past a junction with a
footpath on the left, and straight up to
where it meets a fire track on a bend.
Climb straight up the firetrack. Go straight on at the first junction to the second junction, on the crest (GR178616).
2. Turn left up the short climb and on to where the trail bears left and flattens out. Go straight on at the next junction
and follow the trail as it contours around the eastern slope of Moel Famau. Keep to the main trail as it climbs and
descends through a number of bends. The fire track finishes on a descent where it turns into a thin rocky track with
bushes on either side. This turns left after a short distance and climbs to a gate (GR169633).
2. Turn left up the short climb and on to where the trail bears left and flattens out. Go straight on at the next junction
and follow the trail as it contours around the eastern slope of Moel Famau. Keep to the main trail as it climbs and
descends through a number of bends. The fire track finishes on a descent where it turns into a thin rocky track with
bushes on either side. This turns left after a short distance and climbs to a gate (GR169633).
3. After the gate turn left and climb towards the trees on the grassy trail by the drystone
wall. At the top bear right to a gate. After the gate follow the boggy section of trail
keeping the trees on the left. The trail starts becoming firmer and comes to a crossroad
(GR163633), with a steep trail on the left leading to the summit of Moel Famau. Go
straight on along the singletrack through the heather. This track soon goes up a short
steep climb to the left then descends before jinking right through a drystone wall.
Continue straight on after the wall to some rocky sections a little further on. The track
then comes to a junction with the choice of climbing straight on or turning off to the right
(GR156630).
4. Turn right to follow the track just below the
line of the ridge. There are two choices when
taking the right turn, either try to clean the rock
section on the first right or take the easier option
and go straight on for about 20-30m then drop down the grassy singletrack on
the right, opposite the fallen wall on the left. They both link up to follow the
muddy and rocky singletrack. At the next junction (GR153630) turn right and
ride over the fallen section of wall, past a post with details of the trails
concessional status. If you bear left and come to a stile on the ridge you have
missed the junction.
the right, opposite the fallen wall on the left. They both link up to follow the
muddy and rocky singletrack. At the next junction (GR153630) turn right and
ride over the fallen section of wall, past a post with details of the trails
concessional status. If you bear left and come to a stile on the ridge you have
missed the junction.
5. A short distance later at
the next junction take the
right hand rock strewn track,
to go straight on for the start
of a great descent. If it is wet
this section can be a stream.
After a few bends the trail
turns right for a short, steep
and boggy section over
some big rocks. It is rideable
but does get quite soft when
wet. At the bottom the trail
reduces in steepness and
becomes a fast, flowing and
grassy singletrack. Be
the next junction take the
right hand rock strewn track,
to go straight on for the start
of a great descent. If it is wet
this section can be a stream.
After a few bends the trail
turns right for a short, steep
and boggy section over
some big rocks. It is rideable
but does get quite soft when
wet. At the bottom the trail
reduces in steepness and
becomes a fast, flowing and
grassy singletrack. Be
careful on the first blind left hand bend, there are some rocks just after that can catch you out. Follow the obvious
singletrack downhill. Go over the rock section after the dip by the tree and follow the line of the wall on the right. At the
end of the wall turn 90deg right and descend the steep, wide, muddy and grassy trail to the junction by the stream
crossing (GR154639).
6. Turn right and cross the stream using the ford or the plank. After the stream follow the muddy trail down to the small
gate, just after the gorse bushes. Turn right and descend the doubletrack straight on, through a couple of gates. Go
past a junction with a track on the right to the junction with the lane at the bottom. Turn left and follow the lane through
a dip and climb right then left to a junction by the church in Cilcain (GR176652). Turn left and climb through a right
hand bend to the next junction. Turn left and climb the lane through a few bends. The lane soon flattens off and
straightens out before going past a parking area on the right and coming to a crossroad junction (GR166653).
singletrack downhill. Go over the rock section after the dip by the tree and follow the line of the wall on the right. At the
end of the wall turn 90deg right and descend the steep, wide, muddy and grassy trail to the junction by the stream
crossing (GR154639).
6. Turn right and cross the stream using the ford or the plank. After the stream follow the muddy trail down to the small
gate, just after the gorse bushes. Turn right and descend the doubletrack straight on, through a couple of gates. Go
past a junction with a track on the right to the junction with the lane at the bottom. Turn left and follow the lane through
a dip and climb right then left to a junction by the church in Cilcain (GR176652). Turn left and climb through a right
hand bend to the next junction. Turn left and climb the lane through a few bends. The lane soon flattens off and
straightens out before going past a parking area on the right and coming to a crossroad junction (GR166653).
7. Go straight across and follow the lane straight
on to go past a farm on the right where the lane
becomes a dirt track. Bear right then left on the
double track to a gate. After the gate follow the
track right then left again. This leads to a
straight section of trail that comes to a junction
with a byway signposted through a gate with a
white gatepost, on the right, just before the track
starts descending (GR161661).
8. Go through the gate for a long, fast and straight descent with a lot of rocks and mud,
it can be a bit wet. Follow the trail straight ahead all the way to the bottom where it gets
really rocky, then finishes with some very muddy ruts. Follow the ruts through a couple of
bends to the next junction and turn left. The trail soon steepens and turns into tarmac.
it can be a bit wet. Follow the trail straight ahead all the way to the bottom where it gets
really rocky, then finishes with some very muddy ruts. Follow the ruts through a couple of
bends to the next junction and turn left. The trail soon steepens and turns into tarmac.
Be careful as there are a few blind bends and it is usually green and slimy. Follow this lane down to a road junction at
the bottom (GR174676).
9. Turn right and follow the main road over a crest. Descend past a crossroad with some dirt tracks, then go past the
open junction on the left on the flat. After the next lane on the right is a crossroad at the house on the right with the
well kept hedges (GR177660). Turn right, following the sign for the viewpoint, and climb the lane to the next junction,
just after a right turn. Turn left and continue climbing going straight on at the next junction for a steep climb to the
the bottom (GR174676).
9. Turn right and follow the main road over a crest. Descend past a crossroad with some dirt tracks, then go past the
open junction on the left on the flat. After the next lane on the right is a crossroad at the house on the right with the
well kept hedges (GR177660). Turn right, following the sign for the viewpoint, and climb the lane to the next junction,
just after a right turn. Turn left and continue climbing going straight on at the next junction for a steep climb to the
following crossroad (GR166653). Go
straight on and continue up the now
gentle climb. At a junction with some
tracks on the right, on a left hand
bend, bear left to stay on the tarmac.
Climb past a farm on the left and go
straight on to where the lane changes
to a wide rocky track (GR160651).
10. Keep to this track and climb for
roughly 1mile, going through a couple
straight on and continue up the now
gentle climb. At a junction with some
tracks on the right, on a left hand
bend, bear left to stay on the tarmac.
Climb past a farm on the left and go
straight on to where the lane changes
to a wide rocky track (GR160651).
10. Keep to this track and climb for
roughly 1mile, going through a couple
of gates on the way. Climb to the junction with the three trails on the left at the end of a drystone wall on the left, just
before reaching the ridge (GR146642). The lowest trail goes over a fallen part of the wall to descend through a grassy
field, the middle one is signed as a BW and the highest trail is signed as a concessional track. Follow the concessional
singletrack and climb into the heather. After a short distance the trail kicks up to the right over a rock and comes to a
junction. Bear left and keep on the obvious trail to follow the direction of the ridge. After a couple of short steep climbs
the trail bears right. Follow the trail through a few undulations until it bears left and comes to a junction. Turn right and
ride over the fallen wall, for a second time, to the junction with the previously ridden trail (GR153630).
before reaching the ridge (GR146642). The lowest trail goes over a fallen part of the wall to descend through a grassy
field, the middle one is signed as a BW and the highest trail is signed as a concessional track. Follow the concessional
singletrack and climb into the heather. After a short distance the trail kicks up to the right over a rock and comes to a
junction. Bear left and keep on the obvious trail to follow the direction of the ridge. After a couple of short steep climbs
the trail bears right. Follow the trail through a few undulations until it bears left and comes to a junction. Turn right and
ride over the fallen wall, for a second time, to the junction with the previously ridden trail (GR153630).
the right and follow it to a gate. After the
gate descend to a ford then bear left up a
short, loose climb. Descend through the
next gate to a junction. Go straight on
down the grassy, rutted track that follows
the line of trees on the left. Go through a
stream and the mud to the gate leading
into the forest (GR174625).
13. After the gate follow the trail left and
climb the singletrack that becomes wide
firetrack further up. Bear right at the top
and descend to a junction (GR176621).
Turn left and follow the track up the next
climb. Bear right up this track and go past
gate descend to a ford then bear left up a
short, loose climb. Descend through the
next gate to a junction. Go straight on
down the grassy, rutted track that follows
the line of trees on the left. Go through a
stream and the mud to the gate leading
into the forest (GR174625).
13. After the gate follow the trail left and
climb the singletrack that becomes wide
firetrack further up. Bear right at the top
and descend to a junction (GR176621).
Turn left and follow the track up the next
climb. Bear right up this track and go past
all the tracks on the left. At the junction at the top (GR178616) go straight on for the last descent. Halfway down take
the track on the left and continue downhill to the junction on the hairpin bend. Go straight on then, at the junction with
the footpath on the right bear, left next to return to the car park.
For refreshments there is the White Horse Inn in Cilcain. I haven't explored Gellifor so don't know what's there. At the
end of the ride there is usually a little trailer that sells tea and food in the car park but for something more robust there
is always the option of popping down the road to the Druid Inn in Llanferres, a cycle friendly pub that also does
accommodation.
More pictures of this ride can be found in the Gallery.
This route crosses and can be combined with other routes from this site :
Moel Famau and the Vale of Clwyd
Cilcain and the Vale of Clwyd
Moel Arthur Circuits
the track on the left and continue downhill to the junction on the hairpin bend. Go straight on then, at the junction with
the footpath on the right bear, left next to return to the car park.
For refreshments there is the White Horse Inn in Cilcain. I haven't explored Gellifor so don't know what's there. At the
end of the ride there is usually a little trailer that sells tea and food in the car park but for something more robust there
is always the option of popping down the road to the Druid Inn in Llanferres, a cycle friendly pub that also does
accommodation.
More pictures of this ride can be found in the Gallery.
This route crosses and can be combined with other routes from this site :
Moel Famau and the Vale of Clwyd
Cilcain and the Vale of Clwyd
Moel Arthur Circuits
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