Over Coed Hyrddyn.

Start. Llantisilio Green car park.

Route. Llantisilio Green car park - Llangellon History Trail - A542 - Valle Crucis Abbey - Abbey Farm - Eglwyseg River - A542 - The Pillar of Eliseg - A542 - Coed Hyrddyn - Llantisilio Green car park'

Notes. It’s much easier to call Coed Hyrddyn by it’s English name Velvet Hill, as we’re in Wales lets call it Coed Hyrddyn in respect of the Welsh language. Lets be quite honest this walk was a disappointment, not because the hill doesn't live up to expectations because it did, stunning views for such a low hill, green paths, easy to follow, no the weather gods tormented us, heavy showers followed by hot sunshine. But as the saying goes “there’s no such thing as bad weather just badly dressed walkers”, we had the gear and used it. No the walk went down hill when we tried to visit Valle Crucis Abbey, turned away because some guy was filming, we were told to come back next week.

Llantisilio Green car park (Horseshoe Falls car park) marked our starting point, a few yards back down the road, next to a junction a flight of steps climbed into the trees, this was our route. Through woodland to a stile we walked, at the stile the path cut right across the lower slopes of Coed Hyrddyn, tiny arrows kept us on track, it seemed we were on the Llangollen History Trail.

After a small cops of mature trees the path descended to the main road, we descended with it to join field path leading to Valle Crucis Abbey. Disappointed at not being allowed access we wandered through the caravan park passed the Abbey Pond (which we also struggled to get photos of) then across the Eglwyseg River, we then climbed to access a large field. The path then guided us along the field boundary to access a metal ladder stile, which we crossed before descending to another footbridge crossing the same river, field paths then guided us to a field corner where a stile allowed us to access the driveway to a house, the drive lead to the main road.

We could have headed back from here but a field away a slender pillar sits on a mound, this is Eliseg’s Pillar. Originally 20ft high with a cross on top, it has stood on the early Bronze Age burial mound for around one thousand years, after the disappointment at the abbey this must be worth a visit. It seems Eliseg's Pillar was once a blunt statement of royal authority, an inscription recorded the family tree of the kings of Powys back to their mythological beginnings. You can't read it today, I know this because an interpretation board told me so.

From the pillar we wandered back down the main road to a stile allowing access to the steep slopes of Coed Hyrddyn, the path was steep our pace slow, once on the summit ridge the views were stunning. After wandering along the crest of the hill the path dipped through gorse to reach a fence line, this guided us back to the stile we crossed earlier.

view route map.

home.

Traversing the lower slopes of Coed Hyrddyn, just leaving the tree cover hopeful for some views.

Over the tree tops rain washed Castell Dinas Bran.

Looking back along a path just trod.

Views across the Vale of Llangollen, on the horizon Trevor Rocks and Castell Dinas Bran.

A splash of colour before we descend to the main road.

After holding the camera above my head I managed to capture this picture of Valle Crucis Abbey, founded in 1201 by Prince Madog ap Gruffydd and the "white monks" of the Cistercian order.

Rain soaks the fields above the abbey, we're cowering under a bush trying and failing to keep dry.

The Pillar of Eliseg.

From the slopes of Coed Hyrddyn, Valle Crucis Abbey. It turns out this majestic medieval abbey was legendary for its extravagant feasts.

Castell Dinas Bran as seen from the steep slopes of Coed Hyrddyn.

Stunning views from the summit ridge of Coed Hyrddyn.

A green trod under foot heading south over Coed Hyrddyn's wonderful undulating summit ridge.

Down below Llangollen, the big white tent is the Royal International Pavilion.

Trevor Rocks and Castell Dinas Bran rise from the farmland of the Vale of Llangollen.

The tree lined banks of the River Dee meanders west through the alluring Vale of Llangollen.

Nearly back, we,ve had sunshine, heavy rain, and a smaller slice of history than expected, we'll just have to come back.

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