Cambria Sports Culture CIC Cymraeg

All walksConwy Valley and the North Coast

Conwy Valley and the North Coast

Rowen and the Old Quarry Road

Up from a village in the Conwy valley on the road the quarrymen walked to Penmaenmawr, with standing stones and burial chambers on the hill above.

Distance
4.3 mi / 7 km
Time
2 hr 40
Ascent
350 m
Difficulty
Demanding
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

You climb out past the church onto the hillside towards Bwlch y Ddeufaen, returning by a loop. Steady climbing.

Worth knowing

  • Men from Rowen walked over the mountain to the Penmaenmawr quarries and back each week.
  • Maen y Bardd burial chamber sits beside the old road and is easily reached.
  • The Roman road crosses the same ground.

What you’ll see

Maen y Bardd cromlech, standing stones, the old road, and the Conwy valley.

Background

Charles Edwards left Rowen school at fourteen to work at Graiglwyd quarry, walking over the mountain like many others from the village.