Castell Dinas Bran.

Start. Llangollen (East Street car park).

Route. Llangollen (East Street car park) - Llangollen Bridge - Wharf Hill - School - Castell Dinas Bran - Wern-uchaf Wood - Wern Isaf - Wharf Hill - Llangollen Bridge - Llangollen (East Street car park).

Notes. Arrive in the Welsh town of Llangollen your attention is immediately drawn to a romantic ruin occupying a prominent hill top site, Castell Dinas Bran was raised around 1260 by the Princess of Powys Fadog on the site of a much older Iron Age Hill Fort. We rolled into the busy town mid afternoon after what was a short drive for us, the castle was there, it was too early to dine so why not go explore the damned thing, which turned out to be no easy feet.

After struggling to find a parking space we made our way across historic Llangollen Bridge, to the right of Bridge End Hotel a taxidermists shop marked the beginning of what was to be a long leg burning climb. We ascended Wharf Hill passing over the canal to access a flight of steps, these we climbed, an enclosed path then ushered us passed a school to reach a kissing gate, we passed through said gate and continued our assault on the hill.

A steep pull up the edge of a large meadow followed before another kissing gate allowed access to a rough track, this we followed still climbing. Straight on at the next path junction to enter a tree lined track, this track terminated at a gate, we passed through said gate then turned right, now the climbing really started. Slowly we picked our way uphill towards the ruin that was now looking down on us. The path zig-zags to ease the gradient but it was still steep, hot and bothered with burning leg muscles we arrived at the top.

The English call this Crow Castle or Crow Fortress and you can see why, only crows can reach the bloody thing, there was a few flying around disturbed by our presence. After a quick wander around we descended to the east a good path under foot, passed through a gate with a crow sculpture on one of the gate posts, crossed sheep pastures to access the tarmac surface of a narrow road, this we descended.

Easy walking followed, the lane was almost traffic free it guided us through Wern-uchaf Wood passed Wern Isaf back to Wharf Hill, we then descended back into the streets of Llangollen then headed straight for the Chinese Takeaway.

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home.

The River Dee from Llangollen Bridge.

Seen from Wharf Hill, Llangollen Canal.

The Maesyrychen Mountains seen from the ascent to Castell Dinas Bran.

Looking up the formidable climb to Castell Dinas Bran.

The limestone cliffs of Creigiau Eglwyseg and Trwvor Rocks dominate the view to the north.

Viewing sylvan Geraint Hill (to the left) over the valley of the River Dee.

The haunting remains of Castall Dinas Bran.

Hazy views today, across the horizon the Maesyrychen Mountains, in the middle distance rising above the white building of Dinbren Hall, a walk for later in the week Coed Hyrddyn (Velvet Hill).

Echoes of a distant past, Castell Dinas Bran or if you wish Crow Castle or Crow Fortress.

I could be out of my depth here but the castle was build on the remains of an Iron Age Hill Ford, could the ditch, walls and mound seen through the window be part of that fort?

The moody escarpments of Creigiau Eglwyseg and dwarfing the farm below Trevor Rocks.

Gate mentioned in the text above.

Canal boats at Llangollen Wharf.

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