Back in 2012, Corwen achieved the ‘Walkers are Welcome’ accolade with support from us and the greatly missed Councillor Huw ‘Chick ’Jones who was so passionate about Corwen and all it had to offer. Denbighshire County Council continues to work with Corwen to ensure the footpaths around the area are well maintained and developed so that walkers old and new have the best experience when visiting Corwen.
As well as many footpaths and bridleways Corwen, has many waymarked and very well maintained routes as Corwen sits with the whole Berwyn Mountain Ridge behind it and walks from the town itself can take visitors to Liberty Hall and on to the highest point in the Dee Valley and Clwydian Range ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’, Moel Fferna at 630 metres high. The Berwyn Ridge contains the peaks of Cadair Bronwen (784 m), Cadair Berwyn (827 m) and Moel Sych (827m).
Corwen makes a great base for walks on this vastly underrated range of mountains. In total, there are twenty four peaks over 600 metres high in the Berwyn Mountains.
The routes include :
- The Dee Valley Way
- The North Berwyn Way
- The Brenig Way
- Pen Y Pigyn
- Gro Isa
- Corwen Cutting
- Corwen to Cynwyd railway
- Caer Drewyn
This year sees the 10th Anniversary Corwen Walking Festival which will take place from the 30th August to the 5th September 2021 with seven days of walks to take part in. From Monday 30th August (Bank Holiday Monday) to Friday 3rd September 2021 there will be a program of walks to suit all abilities.
We interviewed Steve Layt, ( pictured below) the organiser of Corwen Walking Festival to find out how things were shaping up for this year’s festival.
What are the plans for the Corwen Walking Festival this year following the pandemic?
2021 is the tenth year since the start of the Corwen Walking Festival and we plan to celebrate with walks for a whole week happening around Corwen and on the Berwyn mountains. Although at this time restrictions are still in place we are confident that the festival this year will take place and we will be able to have our walks programme up and running. Walks will happen each day from Monday 30th August and will culminate in a weekend of walks over the 4th and 5th September. These will be showcasing all the amazing walks that Corwen and its surrounding Countryside has to offer. There will also be the evening Navigation workshop and Cotswold Outdoors pop up shop. This year will be a celebration of the hundreds of walks that people have gone out on over the past ten years and we welcome everyone coming along and taking part.
What is your favourite walk in Denbighshire?
I first walked in Denbighshire in 1996 when I first walked to the top of Cadair Berwyn and did the whole ridge and walked back into Corwen. This remains my favourite walk and I have a watercolour painting of this walk above the fire place at home. I believe this ridge walk from Pistyll Rhaeadr is one of the finest walks in the Country.
With your knowledge and experience is there any hidden gems you would like to share with us?
For accessibility Liberty Hall via Pen Y Pigyn is in amazing walk that has everything. Its not that high and can be accessed very easily but it offers amazing views on the way up and if you come back via Cynwyd Falls and the former railway line back into Corwen it offers so much variety.
What do you see as the main benefits of walking?
I find the main benefits of walking are the ability to get out into the open Countryside if you can do that with family and friends the time spent out is very special. I find that going for a walk with a complete stranger can forge friendships that last a long time and walking in the fresh air allows the worries of modern life to fade away. I think we underestimate the power of a simple walk to refresh us and this is about being outdoors.
Anything else you want to share?
The hidden gem of the Dee Valley and the Berwyn mountains are truly stunning and deserve to be explored as they offer so much to all walkers. From easy walks to high level mountain walks they have it all and are worth stopping at and simply going for a walk
Steve is obviously an incredible ambassador for the area and his passion for Corwen is obvious. If you would like to register for any of the walks, please click here.
Blog written by Denbighshire County Council Tourism Department as part of the Destination Management Plan 2021.