This was not a hard choice because those in the know will be only too aware that our café is a stone’s throw away from the start of the classic fell race. The route is a simple strait up & down of Moel Siabod’s summit. The path is steep & can of course be dangerous so experience in Fell running especially if tackling alone is essential.
The route is 5.8 miles long contains approx. 2,300’ of ascent & takes between 50 & 90 minutes depending on your skill & fitness level.
From the café simply cross the road to the bridge & you are at the start line. Cross the bridge & follow the forest track for 250 metres to a T. Junction where you turn right & keep left at the fork 50 metres further on. Climb this forest track until after 5 minutes or so it levels out, here keep straight on (the track swings back on itself) to leave this track for a grassier track. After 50 metres take a smaller track off to the left & from here-on it is a straight forward ascent to the summit passing over 3 styles that lead you onto the mountain proper & a further style half way the main ascent. On the summit plateau follow a clear line of less rocky resistance to cross the back of the mountain before bearing right for the summit where a rocky knoll rises from the mountains far side. The return can be tricky to pick up in poor weather but a trick is to keep an eye out for this rocky knoll (now on your right) & bear left across the back at this point. The racers tend to descend across grassland to the right of the main path until at least the first style, faster but when training alone I tend to keep to or near the path for safety (should that dreaded accident happen you will be easier to find).