Berwyn Hills, North Wales
The quiet expanse of Berwyn National Nature Reserve rests calmly to the east of Snowdonia National Park; with far-reaching views from its airy summits.
This moorland landscape is special. The Berwyn National Nature Reserve offers space, seclusion and a mix of gently rolling shoulders and stiff, limestone escarpments. This range of heather-topped hills, lying to the east of Snowdonia National Park, and forming a backbone of high ground between Bala and the border of England, gives rise to a windswept and wild feeling of isolation.
Distinct areas of this high moorland are also given status as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to their near-natural blanket bog coverage – the largest in Wales. And bird lovers will delight in knowing that this swathe of upland is the most important for breeding birds in Wales. Please do take note of this when walking with dogs at certain times of year.
Tread lightly in this landscape and take some time to unlock its special qualities when you visit. Note there are three stream crossings on the return loop, so pick a day after a drier spell of weather!
SJ035371 Park respectfully in this small, village car park. Heading back to the crossroads, look for a footpath sign, through a housing area, that breaks off south-east from the village, across fields. This links up with a lane, into a public bridleway that gradually ascends into farmland. At
SJ038356 follow the line of an old wall, rather than scamper off into farm fields. This will keep you on the public bridleway until it enters the Open Access land of Berwyn National Nature Reserve.
SJ043352
From this point, head north, uphill, on good tracks through heather and grass. At SJ048357 continue uphill at a fork of tracks, heading for the skyline. The angle of slope is steady, if sometimes wet underfoot but the going dries out as you ascend towards the very rounded top of Moel Pearce.
SJ062355 Having gained some height onto drier heathland, the going is smoother towards the rising contours towards Cadair Bronwen. Don’t forget to look behind you at the expansive views back west. At 690m, keep to the crest of the hill, handrailing a fence line, to keep gaining height towards Cadair Bronwen’s prominent cairn and summit at 780m. Some peat hags will be encountered along this section!
SJ077346 Make the wonderful high traverse between Cadair Bronwen and Cadair Berwyn, with a loss of height through Bwlch Maen Gwynedd and back on to the higher, limestone escarpment on which Cadair Berwyn sits. This is Cadair Berwyn’s ‘north top’ and from another (higher) prominence to the south, a fabulous view of Llyn Lluncaws is enjoyed.
SJ072327 Enjoy these views as you descend south-west and reascend slightly to Moel Sych (dry hill!).
SJ066318 Until now you’ve been following established tracks and hill shapes, but here is where you can make your own path as you use the hill shapes to wend your way off Moel Sych. Follow a fence line initially, to spot height 770m, where you can turn north-west downhill along ‘Esgeiriau’ (ridge) to the small valley of Nant Esgeiriau (‘stream of the ridge’). In poor vis, map and compass will be useful here.
SJ050329 There’s a sheepfold here (marked on 1:25k maps) , which makes a flat area to cross the stream. Continue to contour at 480m, around the base of the shoulder that has swept down from Cadair Berwyn above (hillside called ‘Pennant’). Look for a place to cross Nant
Cwm Tywyll below an old quarry working at SJ053335. ‘Cwm Tywyll’ means dark valley – let’s hope it’s not?! You do pick up a better trod that exits from the quarry to contour round the slopes below 450m, finally picking up a stone wall at SJ047344 and using a good trod to make progress to where the path crosses through this wall at SJ048349 and descends towards a hidden stream crossing at SJ046351. Where the stream makes a sharp bend at the Open Access land boundary, there is evidence of many feet passing through here and the narrow section of stream makes for a good ‘jump’ across. Scamper back up the bank to rejoin a trod back to the National Nature Reserve sign and exit from Open Access land.
SJ043352 Two choices from here: retrace ascent route back to Llandrillo. Or, for a firmer walking surface, take the tarmac farm track that bears to the left/downhill. This track brings you out on to a minor lane that makes easy progress back into Llandrillo village, opposite the car park.