Eryri · Easy · Circular

Harlech Castle, Muriau'r Gwyddelod and the Fronlief Hir stones

Round Harlech Castle, one of Edward I's castles, and up on to the hill above the town to the ancient settlement of Muriau'r Gwyddelod and the Fronlief Hir stones.

Distance
4.6 km (2.9 mi)
Ascent
154 m
Time
About 1 h 30 min
High point
167 m
Grade
Easy
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Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), drawn by Global Adventurer.

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Harlech Castle, Muriau'r Gwyddelod and the Fronlief Hir stones
Cmao20 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The walk

The walk starts from the Bron-y-Graig Isaf car park in Harlech. Streets lead to Harlech Castle, built by Edward I between 1282 and 1289 on its rock above the dunes of Morfa Harlech, with views over the dunes and the sea. Footpaths then climb south-east on to the hill ground above the town to Muriau'r Gwyddelod, the remains of an ancient settlement, mapped as Iron Age, and past the Fronlief Hir standing stones before the walk comes down to the town.

It is 4.6 km with 154 m of ascent; allow about 1½ hours. The grade is Easy.

The paths on the hill are rough and can be wet, and there is livestock on the fields: keep dogs under control and close gates. There is a short stretch of town road at the start and end, and the hill is exposed to wind and cloud. The castle's 127-step stairway down to the cliff foot, the Way from the Sea, is not on this walk.

The Bron-y-Graig Isaf car park charges. Harlech railway station is 520 m from the start, and the castle is looked after by Cadw, so entry is a separate ticket.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.

Good to know

  • Edward I built Harlech Castle between 1282 and 1289, at a cost of £8,190
  • The castle is part of the Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd World Heritage Site, designated in 1986
  • Owain Glyndŵr took the castle at the end of 1404 and made it his home and headquarters until 1409
  • A siege of about a month in 1468 ended the Lancastrians' seven years in the castle and is remembered in the song Men of Harlech

Getting there

Start: Bron-y-Graig Isaf car park, Harlech · Pay and display. 52.85709, -4.10811

Directions to the start

Google Maps Apple Maps

By train: Harlech station is 0.5 km from the start.

Places to stay nearby

Rooms in and around Bron-y-Graig Isaf car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →

Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.

Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line is drawn along OpenStreetMap paths and the figures are worked out from it; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.