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Wednesday 14th August 2019 - Moel Famau11.98km
632m ascent
3 hours 25 minutes
We had initially been planning to stop off in the Howgills on the way down but it was still raining and the hills were hiding under many layers of cloud. A quick weather check suggested that by the time we got to Wales it would be marginally better, and so we ended up driving through Mold and up to the Moel Famau.
We found a place to get the car off the road and headed down the road before starting up a track. This led us through a field of cows. I hate cows, they’re huge
We diverted a little to give them a bit more space
Avoiding the cows A field of sheep got Malky in a funny mood
Captions please.... Although it was dry here we could see that the worse weather was covering the higher hills
Sheep field - Malky's favourite This track got very muddy very quickly but before too long we were out on fields and heading for a hill fort
Ahead to the hill fort To avoid an extra drop down we tried to find a break in the bracken which led us out onto the better ground
Looking back to bracken hell Once up the worst of it we picked up a path which led Malky towards some of his sheepy brethren
Sheep on the run 
Malky looking very satisfied with himself 
Approaching squalls I was promised paths – and yes, this just about counts but the wet heather was making my leggings and the tops of my boots wet and I was kicking myself for not wearing my gaiters (although I was melting anyway
)
A good path all the way I was told! 
Into the cloud Eventually we hit the motorway that is the Offas Dyke path and this led us easily to the Jubilee Tower on top of Moel Famau – I’m sure most of the folk walking this route will pass this point without realising they’re on a Welsh Marilyn
Moel Famau summit It was cold and windy and damp and there were no views so we headed back along the path until it started to clear a bit
Slightly brighter at last 
Very pretty heather so long as we don't have to walk through it! 
The motorway that is the Offas Dyke The motorway dropped us down on a wee road (with a bus stop!) which we crossed and headed up the other side towards Foel Fenlli
The route up Foel Fenlli 
Malky is scared of heather (or me) 
Looking back 
Looking towards Liverpool We did realise we’d missed a trick
Looks like we missed the easy way up! And then we were there….
Foel Fenlli summit 
Smashing views 
Looking back to Moel Famau 
The way down We followed a steep path down before picking up a nice easy one down the glen. We had to pass through another field of cows where this nasty big guy decided to follow us halfway across the field
Evil cows Then it was an easy stroll down the road back to the car. We picked up some supplies in Mold before getting fed by Malky’s friend Gordon whose wife makes a mean chicken fajita
The next few days of walking in Snowdonia deserve reports of their own as we tackled
Tryfan and the Glyderau the next day (spending Friday avoiding drowning on a good day for ducks) and then having a splendid day on the
Carneddau on Saturday.
Sunday 18th August 2019Great Orme
6.21km
264m ascent
1 hour 30 minutes
With high winds and rain forecast for Snowdonia and a long drive home we decided to break up the journey with some smaller hills. Our first stop, Llandudno. We parked up in the centre and headed through town and into the Happy Valley
Looking back to the pier 
Might be time for some tobogganing on the way backIt was easy underfoot but as we climbed higher the wind was getting a bit insane…
A final steep ascent The views along the coast were stunning
The coast 
Little Orme We fought our way to the summit and it was definitely hold onto your hats weather
Summit of Great Orme 
Looking South to all the hills We popped into the café for some ice cream before braving the winds on the way down….
Tram 
Great Orme Tramway We took the road to save a bit of time on the way down – something about hills near towns that make people want to build on them
Seafront We were then reminded why we go on holidays away from people
Llandudno beach Then it was back to the car – plenty miles to go, but Malky wanted a
new Marilyn
Mynydd y Cwn
1.49km
97m ascent
21 minutes
We parked up high on the road out of Cwm and enjoyed the only view we’d get
That hill looks more interesting! I climbed a stile (Malky went through the gate next to it
) and up a steep track – this wasn’t what we bargained for
Then we hopped another stile (no gate this time…) and onto a wee path which looked like it was going in sort of the right direction
Heading up -this could get messy Although we were fully expecting to spend several hours lost in a forest we managed to follow a simple few paths which led us to the summit of Mynydd y Cwm – a tiny wee lump with no views whatsoever
Memorial on Mynydd y Cwm 
Mynydd y Cwn summit We carried on a short distance over another wee lump (the other “summit”) before the path dropped us down unceremoniously onto our outward track a little further along. An easy wander back to the car – easiest hill ever
Billinge Hill
1.38km
53m ascent
20 minutes
Another couple hours up the road and we were needing another break – Malky had been dying to visit Billinge Hill so I volunteered to come along
Initially an easy walk along concrete but with some niceish views across fields
Pretty fields 
Heading up The last wee climb got slightly wilder
Views East The summit wasn’t the most scenic of places
Local drinking spot But the wind had dropped enough to get on the trig
Billinge Hill summit We could see the weather coming in so it was time for a quick march back to the car where we got back just as the spots of rain started to fall on the windscreen. More time driving to the start point than the hill actually took
But always good to stretch the legs en route
Our other potential summit was ditched as it started chucking down with rain so we elected to stop for dinner at the duck pond services (Tebay) before getting back to Glasgow about 8.30 – definitely late enough as I was back to work early the next morning
