Rambling Club by S Bull

NINE members enjoyed a 13-mile walk in the Clwydian Hills on Saturday. Beginning in the village of Cilcain, we walked through fields, along lanes and through a forest, skirting Moel Plas-yw.

We then followed the Clwydian Way along the flank of Penycloddiau and were rewarded with magnificent views across the vale of Clwyd. Snowdonia was clearly visible and Triffan's distinct shape was easy to make out. We could see the coast at Rhyl and the pointed spire of the marble church at Bodelwydden. We had lunch here, enjoying the view.

Continuing along the bridleway, we cut up through the forest to the car park below Moel Arthur, joining the Offa's Dyke path and following it up a deceptively steep, grassy slope to begin the walk to the top. Taking the very steep, narrow, stony path down to the road, we climbed straight up another steep path opposite, to reach the more gentle approach to the summit of Moel Famau, looking back to see the remains of the Iron Age fort which once topped Moel Arthur.

The Jubilee Tower, originally built in 1812 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of King George III's Coronation, tops Moel Famau, and here we took in views of Fiddler's Ferry, Southport sands and the vague outline of the Lakeland fells. The day ended at the White Horse pub in Cilcain, which was a coaching inn in the 16th century. The next walk is in the Forest of Bowland on October 8.