All walks › Eryri: Ffestiniog and the Moelwynion
Eryri: Ffestiniog and the MoelwynionDolwyddelan Castle
Square Welsh keep on a rock ridge in the Lledr valley, built by the princes of Gwynedd rather than the English, with Moel Siabod behind it.
- Distance
- 3.1 mi / 5 km
- Time
- 1 hr 50
- Ascent
- 180 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Shape
- Circular
Where it is
The circle shows the general area, not the exact start. Use the directions link below to get to the car park itself. Contours and paths shown are OpenTopoMap, drawn from OpenStreetMap data.
The route
From the car park, climb to the castle then take field paths and lanes round the valley below before returning.
Worth knowing
- A Welsh castle, not a Norman one, which is why it is a simple strong keep rather than a concentric fortress.
- Llywelyn the Great was traditionally born here in 1173.
- The Lledr valley is one of the quieter corners of Eryri.
What you’ll see
The keep on its ridge, the Lledr valley, and Moel Siabod filling the northern view.
Background
Built by Llywelyn ab Iorwerth in the early thirteenth century to control the pass between Meirionnydd and the Conwy valley.