ales 04 Pentrefoelas, Ramblers Routes DISTANCE 13KM/8 MILES ASCENT 308M/1,010FT TIME 4 HOURS TYPE MOOR AND VALLEY

To download this route NAVIGATION FITNESS PERFECT NUMBER and hundreds of others, visit LEVEL LEVEL FOR OF STILES ramblers.org.uk/routes MODERATE MODERATE VIEWS 5

4 Anglesey The estate village of Pentrefoelas lies Conwy in the broad upland vale of the Afon PENTREFOELAS Merddwr. The low ridges of remote Portmeirion Hiraethog ripple its fl anks, from where there are superb views to ’s highest peaks and more distant summits to the south. This walk Plan your walk revels in these, encountering evidence en route of the area’s turbulent past WHERE A circular walk from the village of Pentrefoelas ROUTE BY NEIL COATES 3 in Conwy. 5 START In the village centre, START/END Bridge End car 1 2 park (SH873514). join the lane rising beside the Foelas Arms. At the bend, turn R Roads, byways, TERRAIN behind the churchyard; the moorland tracks, fi eld paths. subsequent path advances fi eld-side, OS Explorer OL18; START MAPS reaching a road beyond a farmyard. 6 1 & FINISH Landranger 116. Turn L up this (care needed) to fi nd GETTING THERE Llew Jones a rough track departing R in 400m. bus 70 on Tuesdays and Saturdays only from Fork along this bridleway, pass 2 and to Pentrefoelas L of Cefn Garw farmhouse and (0800 464 0000, follow the walled track to meet a traveline.cymru). Car park in tarred lane in 650m. Turn L to reach 7 descend two pastures to reach the Pentrefoelas by river bridge, the A543 road. A5 road beside a cottage. south of the A5 road. EATING & DRINKING Riverside Turn L, then in 100m head R up using two adjacent gates, then Cross R into the narrow lane, 3 6 Chocolate House & Tearoom, the farm lane. Turn R in front of contour-walk across three pastures then cross two bridges and rise Pentrefoelas (01690 770296, the farmhouse; the lane roughens to (waymark arrows) to join the gated to the T-junction. Keep ahead up the riversidechocolatehouse.com). a fi eld road and bends R at trees to fi eld road ahead to Cefn-y-Gadfa. gated, rutted fi eld track, rising past SLEEPING Y Giler Arms, rise wall-side to a waymarked Bear L at this cottage along the woodland, then beside reedy pastures Rhydlydan (01690 770612, (Hiraethog Trail) cross-track in continuing fi eld road to the next to reach a minor road. giler.co.uk). Foelas Arms, another 350m. Turn L on this, which farm, then drop to the minor road. Pentrefoelas (01690 770213). rises gently to unlock views to a Turn R, then just before the cattle Turn L and walk 600m to a 7 VISITOR INFORMATION sublime skyline of Snowdonia’s grid use the kissing gate, L. Follow gated waymarked stony track Snowdonia National Park highest summits, from the the hedge-line before passing on the L. Take this; keep R at the Information Centre, Royal Oak Carneddau in the north, via Snowdon through woods covering the steep T-junction, then L in 120m to reach Stables, Betws-y-Coed to shapely Siabod in the south. Pass motte of Foel Las castle, possibly a squat communications mast. Go R for (01690 710426). straight over the cross-track above built for the Welsh Prince Owain 50m, then L to a ladder stile, beyond GUIDEBOOKS Pathfi nder fi r woods and follow the fi rm Gwynedd in 1164. At the tarred farm which follow waymarks beneath the Guides: North and moorland track through four lane go R to a road. nearby spreading beech to regain Snowdonia by Terry Marsh further gates. Pentrefoelas Bridge, visible ahead. (£11.99, Crimson Publishing, Cross into the gated track 5 ISBN: 978 1780590721). Just past the fourth gate, go L opposite, passing above the 4 eort a at roe LOCAL RAMBLERS Conwy down the walled track towards farm to reach a junction. Turn L ia te atatc a or at Valley (01492 874563, Maes Merddyn farm. Turn L (fi ngerposted) to the nearby sharp L ramblers.org.uk/atatc

PHOTO: NEIL COATES. MAP: CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA LICENCE 049/18. CREATED WITH MEMORY-MAP CREATED MEDIA LICENCE 049/18. ORDNANCE SURVEY. 2018 COPYRIGHT MAP: CROWN NEIL COATES. PHOTO: ramblers.org.uk/conwy-valley). immediately above the farmyard, bend. Use the handgate, R, and

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Walk60_49_RR04_WALES_final.indd 51 08/08/2018 16:36