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Moel Famau Circular Walk – Clwydian Range

Try this Moel Famau Circular walk! Moel Famau is the highest of all the Clwydian Hills and has the iconic Jubilee Tower on top. The tower can be seen from miles around making the hill easily identifiable from afar.

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.

Where to Park – Cilcain Viewpoint Carpark

There are lots of routes you can take up to the summit of Moel Famau. This route starts from the Cilcain Viewpoint Carpark. The Cilcain viewpoint is essentially a pair of large laybys with parking for around 8-10 cars in each. Starting early will ensure you get a parking space, although many people stop at the viewpoint just to take it in, so if you arrive and don’t find a spot it may be worth hanging on a while until someone leaves.

How Long does the Moel Famau Circular from Cilcain Take?

It’s a 3.5 hour walk, and unless your running it’s unlikely you’ll complete it much quicker. It took me exactly 3.5hrs to do with a few short stops for coffee and a snack. I’m used to hillwalking and go at a decent pace so if you have slower members in your party like small children, I’d give yourself an extra hour for comfort.

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Starting the route

Once parked up you’ll be able to see Moel Famau with it’s famous tower on top. As you look at it you want to head right up the road, towards Moel Arthur. Instead of taking the actual road which curves round to the right you want to walk up a track, this takes you past a forest on your right and eventually comes out at the bottom of Moel Arthur by a National Trust Car Park.

There’s a sign saying ‘Moel Famau’ just beyond a gate to your left. Head through the gate and then decide if you want to do the steep direct route straight up the Offa’s Dyke path, or for a slightly more leisurely ascent head diagonally right up a path which will take you round the side of Moel Llys y Coed. This diagonal path is not shown on the OS Map but it very clear on the ground.

The path eventually crosses with another path heading straight up to the top of the hill where you will join the Offas Dyke Path.

Once on this path if you have good visibility then you can see Moel Famau clearly ahead of you it’s hard to go wrong, there’s a fence on your left most of the way (you should be right of the fence) The path is clear and even in low visibility it will be hard to veer off it as it’s fairly wide and very well trodden.

Once you’ve had a look about the Jubilee tower at the top and touched the trig point then head down back towards Cilcain with the ridge of the hills you have just walked to your left.

The path is very clear. You’ll pass a little stream then make your way across some fields before arriving at a road by the waterworks.

Walk up the road until you see a footpath sign on the left (just at the top to the left of the white house in the pic above), you’ll then walk up a steep path which takes you just a little along from the Cilcain viewpoint carpark. Turn left at the top of the road and you’re back to your car.

If you love the look of walking in the Clwydian Range but want some more route ideas take a look at all my Clwydian Range Walks Route Guides.