How high is Moel Famau? (and other FAQ’s about this popular Clwydian Range Walk)

moel famau guide for beginners
moel famau walk

Q: How high is Moel Famau?

A: Moel Famau is the highest peak in the Clwydian Range, standing at 1,821 feet (555m) above sea level. You can see a full list of all the peaks in the Clwydian Range here.

Moel Famau from Foel Fenlli
Moel Famau from Foel Fenlli

Q: Is Moel Famau a Mountain or a Hill?

Moel Famau is considered a hill rather than a mountain, as it falls short of the 2000ft threshold. Generally, geologists define a mountain as a landform that rises 1,000 feet (300 meters) or more above its surroundings.

moel famau walk from Moel Arthur car park
Showing the Jubilee Tower in the distance taken from the Northern side route having parked at the bottom of Moel Arthur (B5429) – This route from the north is longer and a little more rugged but also has a clear path and sign posts.

Q: How long is the Moel Famau Walk?

A: There is a circular walk from the Coed Famau Car park which is around 3.5miles and will take most people around 2 – 3 hrs. Or you could take a longer linear walk from the northern side as shown in the photo above which is more like 4-5 hrs.

Q: Moel Famau Parking? Where do I park and what will it cost?

There are two pay car parks for the most popular routes from the south and one from the north which is free but much smaller, it’s also a longer route to the top of Moel Famau.

Car Park to the South: Looking down from Foel Fenlli to the Bwlch Penbarras Car Park at the bottom of Moel Famau.

The quickest route is from the south Bwlch Penbarras, a pass between Moel Famau and Foel Fenlli. You will have to pay to park here either at the top of the pass or at Coed Moel Famau.

As of October 2023 prices are as follows and you pay as you exit from Coed Moel Famau Car Park- so you don’t need to worry about rushing back down to avoid a fine.

  • £2 for 3 hours
  • 40p for every additional 30 minutes
  • £5 maximum charge per day

It’s pretty reasonable but there are a few free spaces along the road, but not many!

It’s all very clearly signposted from the car Coed Moel Famau car park, you can simply pick a route.

This map shows the routes which the Country Park has signposted to make it easy to pick the right kind of walk for your group. The purple Jubilee route is the only one here that goes to the top. You can start from either of the car parks to the south for this well trodden route.

Car Park to the North: Looking Down at the smaller Car Park to the north of Moel Famau and across to the hill fort of Moel Arthur
Moel Famau from the north parking at the bottom of Moel Arthur on the B5429
Moel Famau from the north parking at the bottom of the Iron Age Hill Fort Moel Arthur on the B5429. This photo is right at the start of the path. Go through the gate not over the style.

Q: Are there toilets at Moel Famau?

Yes there are toilets at the Coed Moel Famau Car Park to the south of Moel Famau. There are no toilets if parking in the Moel Arthur Car Park to the north.

Q: Is the Moel Famau walk suitable for children?

A: Yes, it’s a great day out for the whole family and especially energetic children, just make sure they have a decent coat, gloves and hat in colder months as it can be very bitter and windy on top. It’s a perfectly safe walk and really it just depends on how used to walking up hills your kids are. Take some decent snacks and I’m sure they’ll be fine. It will take a few hours and some parts are fairly steep so just be realistic about your child’s capabilities (most are fitter than adults!)

Q:Can you get a pram up Moel Famau?

A: Yes on the easiest route from the south it will be fine as long as it has the bigger off road style tyres and someone willing to push it up the steeper parts of the hill! It’s not a tarmac path so it may be a bit bumpy in places.

I don’t think it would be advisable from the other direction as the first section of the path from the Moel Arthur (free) car park is very steep and the path has rocks.

Q: Can you fly a drone on Moel Famau or in the Clwydian Range

In Eryri (Snowdonia) there are no drone signs all over the place – which many people ignore. I haven’t seen any no drone signs in the Clwydian Range. I think as long as you are respectful of other people’s privacy and their right to enjoy a peacful walk, plus follow all the rules of being a drone pilot then it should be fine.

Here’s some beautiful drone footage of Moel Famau from above I found on YouTube

What does Moel Famau mean in English?

It means ‘Mother Hill’


If you are interested in walking in The Clwydian Range why not take a look at the other illustrated routes on this blog. Clwydian Range Walks

CLWYDIAN RANGE map and route guides

5 responses to “How high is Moel Famau? (and other FAQ’s about this popular Clwydian Range Walk)”

  1. […] 1,495 feet. Click here to see a full list of the Heights of the Clwydian Range Peaks in order, with Moel Famau the highest at 554m. Compared to the Heights of the Snowdonia Mountain Range they are quite low, […]

  2. […] Moel Famau 555mMoel Fenlli 511mMoel Dywyll 475mMoel Gyw 467mMoel Llys-y-coed 465mMoel Arthur 456mMoel Llanfair 447mPenycloddiau Hill Fort 440mMoel y Plâs 440mMoel Eithinen 434mMoel Plas-yw 420mMoel y Waun 412mMoel yr Acre 400mGyrn 384mMoel y Parc 381mMoel y Gelli 361mMoel y Gaer 339mMynydd y Cwm 300mMoel Maenefa 290mMoel Hiraddug 265mBryn Coed yr Esgob (Prestatyn) 211mCraig Fawr Meliden 153m […]

  3. […] Disclaimer – I’m not a geologist so my information relies heavily on internet research, I’ll add links to credit all the sources I’ve found at the end. So why are the rocks on the top of the Glyderau so distinctive and more to the point why are they so different to the likes of Pen y Fan and Moel Famau? […]

  4. […] looking at Moel y Parc, Penycloddiau, Moel Arthur and in the distance you can just make out Moel Famau and Foel Fenlli. Head through this gate into the […]

  5. […] This route starts from Cilcain Viewpoint Carpark, it’s not a busy route so you may find it a good alternative to the busy route that starts from the main Moel famau car park. If you have any queries about walking up Moel Famau you can find lots of answers on my How High is Moel Famau and Other FAQ’s Post. […]

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