Dyffryn Ardudwy Moelfre Foothills Triangle

Walk: A relatively short walk using quiet lanes and well defined paths into the hills behind Dyffryn Ardudwy

Distance: Just short of 6 miles

Parking: In the free car park behind Huws Gray Building Suppliers in Dyffryn Ardudwy

Bus Route: Unless you want to catch the bus or train to Dyffryn to start the walk, a bus is not necessary on this 'triangular' walk.

Although walks that start and stop in the same place are conventionally called circular, this one is actually triangular. You walk up into the hills behind Dyffryn, then contour the lower slopes of Moelfre (the mountain ahead of you) overlooking the coast and then angle back down to the start before you reach Pont Scethin. The route is pleasant rather than epic. It is easy to follow and also avoids the stress of having to drive further into the hills on very narrow lanes to find some expensive parking higher up.

The paths are mostly well defined tracks and quiet lanes though it is worth wearing boots as there are some interesting antiquities just off the track (or in the case of the neolithic burial chamber at Bron-y-foel-isaf, in part of the wall beside the track). Though there is no irksome slogging through open marshes (often the case on these 'foothill' walks), there is one rough soggy section of track just before route turns back toward Dyffryn. Rosie (the Spaniel (aka Swamphound)) had an impressively unclean undercarriage by the time we got back to the car. Mind you, we did this in March 2026 after a really wet winter and early spring and Rosie is an acknowledged expert at getting claggy.

The small free car park in Dyffryn Ardudwy

The walk starts in the Village of Dyffryn Ardudwy, right in the centre, in the small free car park that can be found to the west (coast side) of the Building Suppliers. From here go the 50 meters or so back to the crossroads and cross over the main road to take the one way road uphill. Continue uphill across the crossroads. You soon leave the village behind and get some fine views of the coast and the Lleyn Peninsular over your shoulder.

The quiet gated lane heading toward a snow-kissed Moelfre

Just past the small cemetery on the left, the lane narrows with a series of gates that put-off even the keenest of motorists - making for great walking territory.

Continue straight-on toward the lump of Moelfre ahead. Several gates on, the lane widens once more dipping into a small valley and climbing out past a farm and barns. Eventually the lane meets the busier lane that feeds from Dyffryn up to Cwm Nantcol. Turn right here and follow the main lane for half a mile to where it turns abruptly right, heading once more toward the lump of Moelfre. Once you take the right bend, the lane turns abruptly left again (like a staggered crossroads) heading onward toward Cwm Nantcol. Rather than take this lane toward Cwm Nantcol, keep straight on on the dead-end lane toward the farm buildings at Bron-y-foel-uchaf and the slopes of Moelfre sitting behind them. This is the start of the second side of the triangle.

Start of the ancient drovers way at Bron y foel

Ignoring the drive leading to to Bron-y-foel-uchaf, carry straight-on through a gate climbing gradually on the old drovers way that contours the south western slopes of Moelfre toward the crossing of the Afon Ysgethin at Pont-Scethin several miles further on. We follow this ancient route for just over a mile before cutting back downhill toward the start point.

Before the lane turns fully into a track, keep your eyes open for the somewhat ruined neolithic burial chamber of Bron-foel-isaf which now plays the less noble role of 'keeping the sheep in' as part of the stone wall on the right.

View west from Bron-y-foel-isaf burial chamber

Though not the best image of the neolithic monument itself, the photo here does serve to help understand why it may have been placed here (no little effort given that the cap stone must weigh several tons). I image it a bit like the modern bench alongside a popular walk that says something like 'In memory of Harry and Betty (died c 3500 BC aged 48) who loved to watch the sunset from here'.

Following in the footsteps and hoofsteps of the long-gone Harrys and Bettys and their animals, the lane turns into a rougher track angling uphill with fine views all around.

Remains of settlement on slopes of Moelfre

Continue on this track over open ground for about a mile with Moelfre high up to your left and the smaller iron age hillfort of Craig-y-Dinas ahead and to the right. This time keep your eyes open to the left for more evidence of erstwhile farming occupation alongside this ancient highway. This section of track was pretty chewed up but still not too bad considering the weather we had had. It didn't stop Rosie and I exploring the ruins and trying to imagine what it would have been like for the settlers and their animals here on this windswept part of planet earth back in the day. They'd have definitely needed their Iron Age thermals in winter.

The straight track down to Cors y Gedol

Just after the remains of the settlement the track splits. Straight on leads down toward Pont Scethin. For us though it is the second option of the long straight track that cuts back sharply toward the coast and ultimately, Dyffryn Ardudwy. This is the final side of the triangle.

Go through the gate and follow the track down until about a mile and a half later, near the collection of buildings that make up Cors y Gedol hall, it becomes a tarmacked lane.

The start of the footpath directly back to Dyffryn Ardudwy

Continue down the straight lane for about half a mile to pick up the footpath (second footpath on the right) that angles down across fields straight for Dyffryn Ardudwy. The path goes to the right had side of the first field to a stile and across a small stream. Keep going a few more hundred meters in the same direction on a green track until the opportunity presents itself to turn left on a green track/pathway between two walls. This eventually leads to the left hand side of some cottages and cabins before leading out onto the small lane that feeds them. Continue down this lane until, after a short distance on your left, you find the one way street you walked up at the beginning of the walk. Retrace your earlier steps back to the car park.

If you are interested in neolithic stuff, there are a pair of much photographed burial chambers in Dyffryn Ardudwy village itself, about a quarter of a mile south along the main road from where you are parked, behind the primary school. Much more intact (and hence impressive) than the one you've passed at Bron-y-foel-isaf but without Harry and Betty's view.