Moel Famau, North Wales - A 10 Mile Trail Run

Great place, nature in the raw. Today we are near Mold in Flintshire, North Wales at Moel Famau which is the highest hill in the Clwydian Range. We start from the small car park on the Offa’s Dyke path between Moel Arthur and Moel Famau. It’s well worth a visit, from the top the views are beautiful and on a clear day you can see Cadir Idris and Snowdon.

Moel Arthur

If you headed in the other direction you’d reach the top of Moel Arthur where the ramparts of a 2000 year old hill fort can still be seen and in fact there is car park on the other side of Moel Arthur so you could have extended the route and started there if you wanted.

Offa’s Dyke Path

We’ve crossed this path a couple of times now. It runs 177 miles from Chepstow to Prestatyn and is as old as me (so its been around a while). I started my coastal run at prestatyn from the car park by its start / end point and passed not too far from it near Wrexham and Llangollen.

Jubilee Tower

At the summit you’ll find the Jubilee Tower which was built in 1810 to commemorate the golden jubilee of George III. The climb is a popular school trip and so the tower has often been described as a sweet shop or chip shop to keep the kids motivated on the climb I believe, only for their hopes and dreams to be shattered at the top, though I’m sure the view compensates a bit.

The Route

Most of the ascent is dealt with in the first couple of miles, hard work but worth it for the views. At the summit we turn right and continue down to the car park on the pass via the Offa’s Dyke path we then skirt the edge of Moel Famau through the country park north back to our starting point. Use a map otherwise you will get lost.

Wetherspoons

Its only a short drive from Moel Famau down to the coast at Holywell where you can enjoy libations at what was a really great Wetherspoons, The Market Cross. It felt like you where on a luxury yacht with all the wood panelling and definitely pay a visit to the loos, talk about posh