The climb up to Moel y Gaer affords real mountain views — over the Berwyn Range to the south and the Clwydian Range to the north — that deserve a clear day to be appreciated. The heather- and bracken-covered hills are magnificent. Although the aspect can sometimes be stark because of the lack of trees, the valleys are clad in deciduous woodland, and the conifer plantations support a variety of wildlife.
The hamlet of Rhewl lies on the edge of the River Dee (Afon Dyfrdwy), which flows from Llyn Tegid at Bala to its estuary just north of Chester. Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake) lies about 12 miles (19 kilometres) to the west and is the largest natural lake in Wales, rich in a wide variety of fish.
Llantysilio Mountain, just north of the rugged Berwyn Hills, lies in the heart of Owain Glyndŵr country. The legendary Welsh hero took his name from the nearby village of Glyndyfrdwy; he was Lord of Sycarth and Glyndyfrdwy. Not far away is Glyndŵr's Mount, the site of one of his halls, where the sustained Welsh revolt against the oppressive English began on 16th September 1400, and where Glyndŵr was proclaimed Prince of Wales.
Talk to the locals at the Sun Inn, the 14th-century drovers' inn near the start of the walk in Rhewl, and some may remember the tragedy that happened on Moel y Gaer in 1942. The event has given the hill a new name: Moel y Dakota.
Starting at Rhewl, the walk leads past the inn and then up hedge-lined tracks until you reach Bwlch-y-garnedd, a cottage in the valley encircled by purple and russet mountains. It was the home of Harry Roberts, a shepherd. In August 1942, he was enjoying a quiet after-lunch stroll around the fields when there was the sound of an aircraft crashing on Moel y Gaer, confirmed by an engine bouncing down the cliff to land in some nearby trees. Taking the narrow path to the top, Harry Roberts met an airman stumbling down the hill. Using uprooted heather, he beat out the flames engulfing him. Harry sat the airman on a rock beside the path and entered the mist to reach the summit. The rocky summit of Moel y Gaer hillfort — one of the highest Iron Age settlements in Britain — was strewn with blazing wreckage. The wingtip of the C-47 Skytrain, more commonly known as a Dakota, had clipped the ramparts of the hillfort. Thanks to the shepherd's prompt action in effecting a rescue, the airman survived. Unfortunately, the other eleven crew and passengers died.
Walkers on Moel y Gaer today are unlikely to have the quiet of the mountain shattered by such a dramatic landing; this is essentially a quiet walking area, and you may have the paths to yourself. If you do, enjoy the lovely high rolling walk between Moel y Gaer on Llantysilio Mountain and Moel y Gamelin on Maesyrchen Mountain, which is an absolute delight.
Please take care if you visit the area in the autumn, or the peace of your walk may be interrupted by a more sinister character. Blackberries abound near the end of the walk, but do not pick them after September, for legend has it that if you do, they belong to the Devil, who guards them jealously.
Even in spring and summer, birdlife can be sparse on the hills, but look out for buzzards circling in the sky above, and for kestrels and sparrowhawks hovering, ready to swoop on unsuspecting prey. The open terrain of these lands is ideal for these stealthy hunters.
Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.
