April - 2026
Saturday 11th - Ruthin
A walk Lead by Brian Thorne
11.5 miles with 1800 ft of climbing.
This is quite a challenging walk, with some lengthy steep ascents and descents. However, on a clear day, the views are wide ranging and beautiful making it well worth the effort to tackle it. Some of the lower paths can be quite wet and muddy, so once again I would strongly recommend the wearing of gaiters if you have them.
Leaving Ruthin, our route takes us up past the school and onto farmland tracks and paths which lead gradually up to Ty’n-y-groesffordd and the open countryside at Terian. Now the real climbing begins with a steep ascent up the grassy track and on to the car park and viewpoint at Bwlch Penbarras. An initial steady climb on the Offa’s Dyke path gradually steepens, and leads us on to our high point of the day, the summit of Moel Famau and our lunch stop at the ruins of the Jubilee Tower.
Staying with the now steeply descending Offa’s Dyke path for a little longer, we then branch of and down to farmland once again, to reach the road at Plas Draw. Unfortunately, the onward path from here has been ploughed and planted, and even though it is a public right of way it is quite impassable, leaving us no option but to take a 1.5 mile road walk to reach the river Clwyd. A lovely riverside path then leads us on for the final two mile stretch and back into Ruthin.
B Walk Lead by Andrew Phillips
Distance Approx 7 miles. Total ascent Approx 950ft.
The walk commences at the Craft Centre, on the edge of the town centre, and follows the town centre by-pass for a short distance, before joining a footpath, heading north west out of the town.
Crossing the main A525, the route crosses several fields, climbing steadily, and in places fairly steeply, before descending into the valley of the Afon Clywedog. Crossing the river by a footbridge, we will join a path which ascends the valley for approximately 2 miles, before descending to the village of Bontuchel. Opportunities for suitable lunch stops are very limited, but here we might make use of a bus shelter with seating.
Passing through the village, our route joins a path which climbs steeply through fields, passing Woodlands Hall Caravan Park and a number of farms, before joining a lane which leads back into Ruthin, where we can go through the town centre and back to the start.
When I recced the route there were number of sections which were very muddy, so appropriate footwear is essential, as it is unlikely that it will have dried out much in the interim. Also, there are a number of stiles, some of which are difficult due to poor condition, demanding some agility.
C Walk lead by Pay Guy
5.5 Miles, 500ft Ascent
Our walk this month is to the market town of Ruthin in North Wales and the C party walk, after coffee, will start with a short stretch along a road before turning into fields which are thankfully not too muddy. We will follow the fields for just over a mile and then follow the River Clywedog to the village of Rhewl. The return to Ruthin is a nice easy walk following the River Clwyd all the way. The walk is about 5.5 miles in length and 500 feet of ascent.
Hopefully we will have a bit of time to explore Ruthin on our return as there is a castle, now a hotel, an indoor market, a craft centre and a Gaol.
