A moderate walk to an iron age hillfort in the heart of Ardudwy
Craig y Ddinas is an iron age hillfort situated on an isolated rock, 350m above sea level. The hillfort stands in a dramatic location with fantastic views of the Ardudwy area.
Craig y Ddinas still preserves much of its original features. There is an impressive entrance on the eastern side. The remains of iron age and Roman roundhouses are also visible on the site.
The hillfort itself may have been used as a place of refuge or as a communal meeting place. The roundhouses were probably used as settlements.
Why this path?
Craig y Ddinas is a perfect option for those interested in some of the National Park’s lesser-known historical and archaeological sites. However, as a moderate, 4-mile route, it might not be suitable for novice walkers.
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The National Park Authority has categorised this route as a moderate route. It is suitable for people with some countryside walking experience and a reasonable level of fitness. The terrain will include some steep or unsurfaced paths in the open countryside. Walking boots and waterproof layers are essential.
Start/Finish
Car Park near Cors y Gedol Hall (SH 602231)
Relevant Map
OS Explorer OL18 (Harlech, Porthmadog and Bala)
Always park in designated parking areas and never in places where you block entrances to fields or residential areas.
Private car park at Cors y Gedol Hall
£1 fee is required
Stay safe and help protect the countryside by reading the information about safety and following the Countryside Code.
The hillforts of Eryri
Hillforts such as Craig y Ddinas are perhaps some of the most impressive archaeological sites in Eryri. However, they are also the least understood. They occur in a bewildering variety of shapes and sizes, which might reflect that they were built for various uses. Not all the hillforts were defensive. Some may exist for ritual or religious purposes, while others are clearly built to be impressive rather than functional.
Very few of the thirty or so larger forts in Eryri have been examined on a large enough scale to understand them. The effort and expense required to excavate them mean that this situation is unlikely to change.
Ardudwy
Craig y Ddinas is situated in the Ardudwy area. Ardudwy is often featured in Welsh mythology. Harlech was the site where Bendigeidfran, the iconic giant from the Mabinogi, holds court in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. In the Fourth Branch, Math fab Mathonwy gives Lleu Llaw Gyffes the areas of Eifionydd and Ardudwy. Lleu later builds his palace, Mur y Castell, in Ardudwy.
