Parking
Start at the private car park near Cors y Gedol Hall (SH 602231). Use designated parking areas only.
Overview
About Craig y Ddinas
A there-and-back walk of 7 km (4.3 miles) round trip, graded Moderate, rising to a hillfort set on an isolated rock about 350 m above sea level. Start and finish at the car park near Cors y Gedol Hall, grid reference SH 602231.
Why go
- Iron Age hillfort on an isolated rock
- Quiet open-country views
Heads up
- Steep unsurfaced sections
- Private parking at the start
The route leads inland and uphill from the valley, passing Cors-y-Gedol Ffridd Isaf and the site of an ancient village on the way to Craig y Ddinas. The reward is the hillfort's perch itself, a defensive rock outcrop reached on foot and returned by the same line, so the high ground is the turning point rather than a loop halfway.
Parkwolf’s verdictThe way up and the payoffMap & elevation
The route
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Best time to go
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Eryri Tour Guide
Your drive to Craig y Ddinas, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Eryri National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Craig y Ddinas Hillfort Walk0:00 / 0:25
“Up ahead is the start of the Craig y Ddinas walk, a climb across open hills to an Iron Age hillfort on a lone rock. Allow about two hours for the out-and-back, with steep, unsurfaced stretches.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Eryri Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- The Boxer in the Grass
- Why a Dune Needs Bare Sand
- A Fort Shaped by Rock
- The Tomb That Grew
- 298 audio storiesacross Eryri’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Grey Heron, Tawny Owl, Common Raven, and 9 more
- Works offlinemaps, 120 trails, 82 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Craig y Ddinas
Difficulty and footingModerate suits it well.
Moderate suits it well. Expect some steep sections and unsurfaced paths across open countryside, so proper boots are essential rather than optional, and waterproof layers should be in the pack.
Scenery and open-country characterThis is upland walking in the open: stone wall lines, rough grass and rock underfoot, hills…
This is upland walking in the open: stone wall lines, rough grass and rock underfoot, hills layering away inland and the coast showing in the distance. It is listed as not popular, so the walk tends to feel quiet for its length.
Access and parkingParking is at the private car park near Cors y Gedol Hall. Use designated parking areas only.
Parking is at the private car park near Cors y Gedol Hall. Use designated parking areas only.
A note on distanceThe official visitor figure is 4.
The official visitor figure is 4.3 miles round trip, while the mapped physical corridor measures 2.361 miles one way. The two published measurements do not agree, and both are recorded here as documented.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Eryri
77 sightingsGrey HeronMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
17 sightingsTawny OwlMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
32 sightingsCommon RavenMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
21 sightingsGreat Spotted WoodpeckerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
18 sightingsEuropean RabbitMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
161 sightingsViviparous LizardMost seen around 10 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Eryri. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
