Located near the gorgeous Horseshoe Pass in Llangollen, the Moel Morfydd route is a moderately challenging hike featuring incredible views of rolling green hills, lush forests, and the Welsh countryside. Here’s my experience hiking Moel Morfydd from the Ponderosa cafe, plus helpful tips and tricks!
Psst. This post contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure.
One of my favorite walks in North Wales, the Moel Morfydd hike from the Ponderosa Cafe will take you up 4 different summits:
✓ Moel Y Faen
✓ Moel Y Gamelin
✓ Moel Y Gaer
✓ and, finally, Moel Morfydd
Not for the faint of heart, this moderately challenging hike is more like a long-lasting interval training workout!
(Psst you know what hike is really not for the faint of heart due to sheer cliff drops and heart-stopping heights? Hiking Blencathra via sharp edge in the Lake District National Park in England!)
With 4 different mountain ascents and descents, you’re continuously going up and down and up and down — by the end of the hike I was a sweaty mess!
But with wildly beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and Welsh countryside, it’s incredibly rewarding and totally worth it.
HIKING MOEL MORFYDD IN NORTH WALES
Quick Stats:
- Height in Feet: 1,803 feet
- Height in Metres: 550 meters
- Hiking Time from Ponderosa Cafe: 1.5 hours to Moel Morfydd Summit (3ish hours roundtrip)
- Elevation Gain: ~840 feet (256 meters)
- Total Hiking Distance: around 5.5 miles (8.8 km)
Map of Route — Ponderosa Cafe to Moel Morfydd
In the map below, you’ll find the full route, as well as little tidbits of information within each point. Simply click on the blue dot to read my personal advice and information between each summit!
Tips for Hiking to Moel Morfydd
✓ Park directly across the road from the Ponderosa Cafe. There’s a sort of makeshift dirt parking lot for those who are hiking in the area. Click HERE to see the parking area in Google Maps.
✓ If you’re hiking in any season other than summer, make sure to bring the right outdoor gear (find my favorite gear below). Believe me when I say it’s very cold on the 4 summits, as there’s no barrier to stop the wind.
✓ Bring plenty of water. (Psst, not packing enough is one of the top reasons why many people SUCK at hiking!)
✓ Look at the weather days before when planning your hike. Though the weather is notoriously finicky in North Wales, you do not want to do this walk when it’s freezing cold or raining.
✓ When you’re done, grab some hot tea or a refreshing beverage at the cafe! It’s super cute in there and they have a really quirky gift shop.
My Favorite Hiking Gear
As I said earlier, it’s essential you have good hiking gear for this moderately challenging route. I’ve been ridiculously ill-prepared for a hike before and it’s extremely uncomfortable, not to mention it makes for one severely unhappy hiker!
Don’t be like me. Be prepared.
Here’s exactly what gear I had when venturing out on this walk in North Wales:
- Outer Layer: Columbia Arcadia II Waterproof Jacket
- Middle Layer: Zip-Up Fleece Hoodie
- Base Layer: Sweat-Wicking Long-Sleeved Shirt
- Bottoms: Regatta Pentre Hiking Pants & Under Armour Leggings
- Headgear: Outdoor Multifunctional Headband (Buff)
- Footwear: Salomon Hiking Boots
- Water Bottle: GRAYL Filtering Water Bottle
- Camera: Sony Mirrorless A7
Photos from Moel Morfydd Walk
Here’s a collection of my favorite photos from the walk! No doubt, these will inspire you to get out there and do the walk yourself.
Do you have a favorite hike or walk in North Wales? Or any recommendations for other readers? Share in the comments below!
Sophie xx
Not sure what to check out next? Readers love these posts:
Like this post on hiking Moel Morfydd? Pin it!
As mentioned above, this post contains affiliate links. Which means if you make a purchase through the links, this site receives a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read our full disclosure here.
Leave a Comment