This is a 16mile mountain
bike route around Moel
Famau in the Clwydian
Range, a chain of hills just
inside the North Wales border
near Chester. The riding on
this route, although not very
technical, is enjoyable as it
has a good mixture of trails
and a great descent off Moel
Famau into the Vale of Clwyd.
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
bike route around Moel
Famau in the Clwydian
Range, a chain of hills just
inside the North Wales border
near Chester. The riding on
this route, although not very
technical, is enjoyable as it
has a good mixture of trails
and a great descent off Moel
Famau into the Vale of Clwyd.
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 round to the 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).
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 round to the 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
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).
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. Climb straight ahead, following the line of the
drystone wall on the left, up a section that is
usually a push and can be a bit wet and muddy.
Fortunately this is only a short section. Halfway
up go left to cross over to the other side of the
wall and continue following the wall up to the
crest of the hill. At the top go straight across
Offa's Dyke path, that follows the crest of the
hill, and descend on the long grassy trail that
drops into the Vale of Clwyd. Follow the trail as
it bears right and flattens out then turns left and
drystone wall on the left, up a section that is
usually a push and can be a bit wet and muddy.
Fortunately this is only a short section. Halfway
up go left to cross over to the other side of the
wall and continue following the wall up to the
crest of the hill. At the top go straight across
Offa's Dyke path, that follows the crest of the
hill, and descend on the long grassy trail that
drops into the Vale of Clwyd. Follow the trail as
it bears right and flattens out then turns left and
5. Go left through the stream and climb off to the right
following the grassy trail. This eventually comes to a field and
a gate in the bushes at the end of the trail. Don’t go through
the gate, turn left and follow the edge of the field to the small
gate in the bottom corner (GR137633). Go through the gate
and descend between the fences for a nice section through a
gully in the trees. If it has been wet this can be quite muddy. At the end go through a
gate to the junction with a lane. Cross the lane and continue descending along the BW
ahead, just slightly off to the right. This is a nice fast trail but be careful of the stream in
the deep gulley. This comes out onto tarmac at the Gellifor (GR126626).
gate to the junction with a lane. Cross the lane and continue descending along the BW
ahead, just slightly off to the right. This is a nice fast trail but be careful of the stream in
the deep gulley. This comes out onto tarmac at the Gellifor (GR126626).
6. Go straight on a short way to a junction at the end of
the lane. Turn left and follow the road to the end and
turn left again. Follow along this lane for a couple of
miles and after the second crossroad take the dirt track
off to the right, just before the house on the right
(GR133603). Follow this muddy double track between
the hedges. The doubletrack eventually gives way to
tarmac, continue straight on to the junction on the bend
in the main road.
7. Carefully cross the main road and go down the lane
on the other side. Not far down the road go right at the
first small junction and follow the lane for about 1mile.
Just past a junction on the right, signed to Ruthin, turn
left up the track signed as a BW (GR142573). Follow this track through a farm. Climb
towards the trees and at the first small junction follow the lane to the left. At the next
junction, by a house on the right, go straight on and climb the dirt track into the woods.
8. After climbing for a while bear left at the junction with an access road to a house on
the right. Continue up a short way to a junction at the edge of the woods. Take the right
hand trail ahead that continues climbing on the right hand side of the trees. The rocky
trail goes through a left hand hairpin and back into the trees. When the trail exits the
towards the trees and at the first small junction follow the lane to the left. At the next
junction, by a house on the right, go straight on and climb the dirt track into the woods.
8. After climbing for a while bear left at the junction with an access road to a house on
the right. Continue up a short way to a junction at the edge of the woods. Take the right
hand trail ahead that continues climbing on the right hand side of the trees. The rocky
trail goes through a left hand hairpin and back into the trees. When the trail exits the
trees it flattens out bearing right through some fields then
passes some houses. It finally comes out at the A494 by the
Clwyd Gate Hotel (GR163581).
9. Turn right and descend the main road a short way then take
the track climbing away on the left, just after the bollards. At the
houses follow the trail as it bears very slightly right then climb
passes some houses. It finally comes out at the A494 by the
Clwyd Gate Hotel (GR163581).
9. Turn right and descend the main road a short way then take
the track climbing away on the left, just after the bollards. At the
houses follow the trail as it bears very slightly right then climb
left on double track up the side of the hill. At the junction at the end of the hedge follow the left hand fork up a short
steep section to a gate (GR170589). After the gate follow the trail on the flat to the trees. After the trees continue
along this trail through a number of gates and fields till it descends to a junction in the trail. Turn square left and follow
the steep grassy climb along the edge of the field to a gate at the farm (GR172597).
steep section to a gate (GR170589). After the gate follow the trail on the flat to the trees. After the trees continue
along this trail through a number of gates and fields till it descends to a junction in the trail. Turn square left and follow
the steep grassy climb along the edge of the field to a gate at the farm (GR172597).
10. Through the gate turn right then
go through two more gates close to
each other. Continue climbing, on a
gentler incline, on the double track as
it follows the drystone wall. The track
bears right then left before coming to
a right turn at the top of the final
descent. Drop down the wide, muddy
and rocky trail. The trail bears left to
a gate about 1/3 of the way down.
After the gate continue descending straight on then bear left, following a drystone wall on the right, on the increasingly
rocky trail. At the bottom (GR179611) go through the gate and turn left onto the lane. Follow it around a right hand
bend to the junction at the end. Turn left and ride about 100m to the lower Moel Famau car park and the end of the
ride.
This ride took just under four hours but that was a really social pace with lots of standing around chatting. The very fit
should be able to get round this in a little over an hour. I noticed little in the way of refreshment stops on the way round
although I haven't explored Gellifor so I would advise taking all your food with you unless you pop into Ruthin. For 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.
This route crosses and can be combined with other routes from this site.
Cilcain and the Vale of Clwyd
The Clwyds and Nercwys Forest
The Cilcain Circuit
Pictures and a description of this ride can be found in the Gallery
Clwyds Shop Ride Apr 08
Clwyds Shop Ride Oct 05
rocky trail. At the bottom (GR179611) go through the gate and turn left onto the lane. Follow it around a right hand
bend to the junction at the end. Turn left and ride about 100m to the lower Moel Famau car park and the end of the
ride.
This ride took just under four hours but that was a really social pace with lots of standing around chatting. The very fit
should be able to get round this in a little over an hour. I noticed little in the way of refreshment stops on the way round
although I haven't explored Gellifor so I would advise taking all your food with you unless you pop into Ruthin. For 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.
This route crosses and can be combined with other routes from this site.
Cilcain and the Vale of Clwyd
The Clwyds and Nercwys Forest
The Cilcain Circuit
Pictures and a description of this ride can be found in the Gallery
Clwyds Shop Ride Apr 08
Clwyds Shop Ride Oct 05
steepens dramatically for the main part of the descent.
This long, fast descent finishes when it crosses a
drystone wall and drops through a right hander to a
stream crossing (GR143627).
This long, fast descent finishes when it crosses a
drystone wall and drops through a right hander to a
stream crossing (GR143627).
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