Pen-y-corddyn-mawr is not only a super walk with some pretty views, it’s also an Iron Age Hillfort. Thousands of years ago this little hill was an important part of the chain of hillforts on the North Wales coast.
What does Pen-y-corddyn-mawr mean in English?
Pen-y-Corddyn-Mawr translates from Welsh to English as “Head/Top of the Great Entrenchment” or “Top of the Great Fortified Mound,” referring to the major Iron Age hillfort.
Just a few minutes drive from the A55 – Pen-y-corddyn-mawr is one of the numerous great walks to be had from Rhyd-y-Foel. This walk will only take you an hour or so and it makes for an ideal shorter North Wales coast walk with beautiful views.
Where to park to walk up Pen-y-corddyn-mawr
For this route I parked on the roadside, just a little beyond the start of the footpath, ensuring I wasn’t blocking anything.
Once over the stile at the start of the route the path is fairly obvious to follow as it climbs up around the side of the hill. You’ll be looking up at a steep cliffside which eventually you’ll be on top of looking back down.
There’s an option to head up via a steep narrow path earlier in the route to the top but I carried on around to the back, losing some height but on a less steep route up through a pretty field and then eventually bearing left up a farmers track.
I did take the steeper route back down but you could easily just retrace your steps to avoid that.
The top of the hill is effectively a large field but if you walk around the sides you’ll see evidence of the ancient Iron Age Hillfort ramparts.
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