A Walking Festival Event With NO Walking – can it be true?

Feeling slightly unfit, I couldn’t believe my luck this year when the programme for the walking festival was put together and my name was put forward to help with an Access for All tour, which meant hardly any walking! The minibus tour took people to the best viewpoint sites of the moorland and the six Iron Age hillforts in the Heather and Hillforts Project Area.

Accompanied by tour guide Erin and with Rhun in charge of the driving (he had even brought a bus driver hat), a full minibus headed off from Loggerheads, slightly later than the 10.00 scheduled start. 

Our first stop was the viewpoint above Cilcain from which we had a good view of Moel Famau looking glorious. We talked about the moorland, why those funny shapes are cut and burnt in the heather, the rare birds that live there and the story of the Jubilee Tower. With everyone sitting comfortably back on the bus on to our next stop, passing what must be Wales’ best scarecrow on the way.

At the foot of Penycloddiau hillfort people were amazed to hold a stone left by a Soldier from the Canadian Army (who was American!), during World War 1 on the walkers’ cairn built on top of a probable Bronze Age burial mound. The stone was found during archaeological work last year and his descendants have been tracked down in America. We looked at aerial pictures of Penycloddiau and archaeological maps before turning our sights towards Moel Arthur.

With the slight concern of a mystery liquid starting to trickle out into the foot-well of the front passenger seat, on we went to Llandyrnog and Denbigh, before turning towards Ruthin. We stopped at what must be one of the best viewpoints of the Range with Penycloddiau, Moel Arthur, Moel Fenlli and Moel y Gaer all being in full view. Everyone shared what they knew about these wonderful forts and we had lots of questions that no one knew the answer to – like were they inhabited all at once? Perhaps one day we will find out for sure.

A slightly longer drive took us to Corwen and the Rhug Organic Centre for lunch. A slight change in the schedule, but with the liquid gushing out at times, it was thought for the best. I’m sure that Erin would have brought her wellies if had known! In sunshine we all tucked in to our lunch, some had brought sandwiches and my roast bap was lovely. Some also bought treats for later from the Organic Shop.

Looking at Caer Drewyn from the bus people were amazed of the effort it would have taken to build such a fort and especially without a JCB in sight. Although 99% certain that the mystery liquid was not serious, to err on the side of caution, a slight change to the schedule meant that we looked towards Moel y Gaer from Bryneglwys, rather than the small road we had intended to go on. The erosion damage caused by off-road vehicles to the moorland on Llantysilio mountains was clearly visible in the sun, at least Nick has started to restore some of the vegetation with help from volunteers. 

The last leg took us through Llanarmon yn Iâl to Loggerheads with Erin giving us bits of interesting information on the way. Everyone had a wonderful day and I was left with the thought of how lucky we are to be living in somewhere that is so beautiful and rich in history and thankful that our carriage for the day had got us back safely, despite the liquid! Time for a quick group picture and a look of a replica Iron Age sword before everyone said goodbye. We must to do this again.