Coed Ceunant and the Afon Clwyd 12th November 2025.

Our best view of Moel Famau today.

After lunch it was in cloud.

Crossing the stile at the back if Ruthin School.

The Clwydian Hills from the field near Ruthin School.

A fine tree, still decked in leaves.

This tree was planted in 1919.

Evidence for the age of this tree.

St. Peter's Church Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd.

Old St. Peter's Church now a ruin.

At the side entrance to Old St. Peter's Church.

Spot  the lanyard, Fran.

The view through the main entrance towards the Vale of Clwyd.

The open gate that tempted us to explore.

Glimpses of Llanbedr Hall.

The track leading to Coed Ceunant.

Fern dying back in Coed Ceunant.

Autumnal leaves in Coed Ceunant.

The fern covered hillside looked much redder than this.

The Old Mill and Well next to the Afon Clwyd.

The fish weir on the Afon Clwyd near Ruthin sewar works.

Distance: 7.6 miles
Climb: 856'.
Time: 4 hours 37 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.3 m.p.h. Overall walking average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Temperature: 17 Celsius, feeling on the warm side.
BWF: 0-3, maximum an 89 m.p.h Gentle breeze.
Group: Martyn, Fran and Nigel.
The forecast was good in the morning, but deteriorating mid-afternoon. In fact, the rain came in much earlier than expected. It was raining from about 12-00 onwards. It wasn’t heavy, but I needed to use an umbrella during the frequent showers.
We set off from Ruthin Craft Centre at about 10-00, and it wasn’t long before Fran realised that she didn’t have her rucksack. She decided to carry on, and the Nigel and me said that we would share our lunches.
As expected, some of the fields that we crossed were pretty muddy. The first port of all was Llanbedr-Dyffryn-Clwyd, where we learned a tree next to St. Peter’s Church was planted in 1919, over a hundred years ago.
The next port of call was Old St. Peter’s Church, now a ruin, but still worth visiting.
Whilst at the back of the church, Nigel noticed a path leading to an open gate, so we decided to explore it. It turned out to go through the grounds of Llanbedr Hall, not a right of way, but did lead to the track that we wanted.
On route to Coed Ceunant, we came across and apple tree, a bonus find that helped towards Fran’s lunch!
After going through Coed Ceunant along paths covered leaves of many autumnal hues, we arrived at the contoured around the western slopes of the Clwydian Hills.
It was along this section that we stopped for lunch, sitting on a broken wall under some trees.
Arriving at an old mill, we came across some builders renovating the nearby house. I started to talk to one of the builders, and Fran realised that his accent was very Welsh. It didn’t take long for Fran to find that he was a Welsh speaker. Not to miss out, she spent the next 20 minutes talking to him in Welsh.
It was at this point that I realised that I must have left my Leki somewhere, but couldn’t remember where I last knew that I had it.
Later on, Fran did drive to Clyttir Egg Farm, where I thought that I may have put my Leki down when I stopped to take a photo of some leaves. I didn’t notice that it was propped up against the fence, until I retraced my steps on Thursday.
Leaving the old mill, we came across a section of the path that was flooded, but we had no choice, but to walk quickly through it, hoping that id didn’t go over the top of our boots. Thankfully, it didn’t, but it did on Thursday as I returned after find my Leki near Clyttir Egg Farm.
Birds seen or heard today included: House sparrow, Common blackbird, Goldfinch Long tailed tit, European robin, Rook, Jackdaw, Carrion crow and Raven.
Overall, an enjoyable walk, that we celebrated at the Druids Inn at Llanferres. Purple Moose’s Madog le and Elderflower Pale Ale went down Well.

Retracing My Steps Along The Afon Clwyd, the Old Mill to Clyttir Egg Farm In Search of My Lost Leki.

Moel Famau from the banks of the Afon Clwyd.

Friends reunited!

The flooded path near the Old Mill.

The fish weir near Ruthin sewar works.

Looking northward  towards the Sewar Works, with the Afon Clwyd on the right.

Distance: 4.4 miles.
Climb: 108’.
Time: 1 hour 512 minutes. On the move walking average: 2.8 m.p.h. Overall walk average: 2.4 m.p.h.
It was a very pleasant walk - warm sunshine and very little wind.

Melin-y-Wig and Derwen 8th October 2025

Our starting point today.

The view south from our stating point.

A delightful avenue of Beech trees.

The stile leading into the notorious forest!

The is OK so far!

Still OK.

The start of the nightmare!

Bracket fungi 1

Fungi 2  - possibly Yellow staghorn.

The stile that ked to freedom from the notorious forest.

Looking back to the notorious forest on the skyline.

Distant views of Moel Famau.

The sheep with the golden fleece.

Leaves changing colour.

Good to see the chapel in Melin-y-Wig still has Sunday services.

The Afon Clwyd near Melin-y-Wig where I saw the Dipper.

Badger sheep and a Jacob's sheep.

More Jacob's sheep with the black sheep of the family.

Tentative steps over the acorns on the riverside path.

Acorns on the path.

Fungus 3.

Fungus 4 - possibly Shaggy inkcap.

The Afon Clwyd from our lunch spot.

At our lunch spot next to the Afon Clwyd.

The Afon Clwyd from our lunch spot.

Is it a fungus or a lichen?

God's House - the gate is always open.

The War Memorial at Derwen.

Dinas (hillfort) on the skyline?

Derwen chapel.

The road to Ffynnon Sara.

Our only sighting of a Buzzard.

Parasol mushrooms. 

Ffynnon Sara.

Distant view of the hills (Llantysilio Mountains) from the Ruthin road near our start point.

Distance: 8.3 miles. Climb:1024. Time: 5 hours 20 minutes
On the move walking average: 2.4 m.p.h.
Overall wall average: 1.6 m.p.h.
Temperature: 17-21 Celsius.
BWF: No noticeable wind.
Birds seen or heard today included: Common blackbird, Blue tit, Dipper, Grey heron, Woodpigeon, Carrion crow, Jackdaw, Grey wagtail, Rook and Common buzzard.
This walk always presents a challenge trying to keep to the path as we go through the forest south Glan-y-gorse farm. Despite our efforts and two maps on our GPS devices, we failed again. The huge number of fallen trees blocked the way, every time we tried to keep on the path. Eventually we arrived at the stile at the southern end of the forest, but I suffered many scratches on my legs going through the vegetation In addition I managed to get one foot wet when I stepped into a boggy section and the water went over the top of m boot.
The only other problem we had was along the river path, where so many acorns covered the path, and rolled as we put our feet on them.
We had lunch next to the Afon Clwyd, where a fallen tree provided suitable perching.
The weather today was almost perfect for walking, not too hot or cold, very little wind, no rain and good spells of warm sunshine.
This was day that could have been call the “Acorn walk” or alternatively the “fungi Walk”, as thy seemed to be everywhere we went.
One unexpected encounter was made at Glyn-bach, where we had to wait by the side of the garage until the owner rounded up his three dogs before we could go through the yard.
Glyn-bach had been impressively renovated since the last time we did this walk.
Overall, a very enjoyable walk apart from the tricky forest section.
After walk drinks were enjoyed at the Ruthin Castle Hotel (a Wetherspoon), where there was a Beer Festival taking place. I managed to taste four different beers, while Nigel drank is Pepsi and ate a packet of crisps.