protecting the water vole...definitive guide for those looking to learn more about the history,...

A Guide to the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Where the hills meet the sea

Countryside a stone’s throw away from the coast





Protecting the Water VoleConservation efforts in the Clwydian Range



Welcome to the latest edition of Capturing the Clwydian Range, thedefinitive guide for those looking to learn more about the history,attractions and beauty of the Clwydian Range Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty (AONB).

The AONB stretches from its northern edge at Prestatyn, down the spineof Flintshire and Denbighshire to the outskirts of Ruthin and Mold,taking in numerous countryside communities that all add a uniquequality to the Clwydian Range.

The hills can be seen from far and wide, from the North West of Walesand from the Cheshire Plains and the populated areas of Wirral andMerseyside. It’s not a surprise that over half a million of visitors makethe journey to the Clwydian Range for that special day out or a holidayin one of Wales’ most naturally scenic areas.

There are many organisations involved in managing and protecting theClwydian Range for future generations. The hills are steeped in history,rich geology and wildlife which needs protecting. This cannot be donewithout the support of local landowners, businesses, visitors andvolunteers.

So what is there to do and see in the Clwydian Range? For a start thereare country parks at Loggerheads and Moel Famau that offer miles uponmiles of interesting walks, activities for the whole family andopportunities for volunteering.

The views can only be described as breathtaking. Stand on top of themajestic Moel Famau and the panorama will astound you. Lookingtowards the North Wales coast, you will see the flatlands of the Vale ofClwyd. Looking west and the rolling Denbigh Moors and mountains ofSnowdonia are in clear view, looking east to the rural communities ofFlintshire, with the more populated towns of Mold and Buckley in thebackground. Further afield, you can see Wirral and the industrial areasof Merseyside and Cheshire. On a clear day, Blackpool Tower can beseen in the far distance.

We hope that’s enough to tempt you to visit the Clwydian Range andshare the magical experience with us. We look forward to offering awarm Welsh welcome in our delightful countryside.

Denbighshire Countryside ServiceLoggerheads Country Park, Nr Mold, Denbighshire CH7 5LH

� 01352 810614 Email: [email protected]

The views expressed by the contributors are their own. Denbighshire County Council accept no responsibility

for any errors or omissions.

www.clwydianrangeaonb.org.ukwww.denbighshire.gov.uk/countrysidewww.ridetheclwyds.comwww.loggerheadsarea.co.uk

contentsWelcome to ‘Capturing theClwydian Range’

Protecting the Water Vole

Mrs Beeton re-visited is arecipe for success

Bilberry muffins

An architectural and historical delight

On the trail of history

Caught on film

Where the mountains meetthe sea

Welcome to‘Capturing the Clwydian Range’

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Flintshire County Council,

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AONBs and National Parks are theUK’s most treasured areas and assuch are Protected Landscapes

The river valleys of the Wheeler andAlyn, which run through parts of

the Clwydian Range, have beenidentified in the AONB managementplan as being special features andspecific action has been taken toimprove the habitats of these areas.

Local consultants were employed to carry outa survey which identified the Bodfari andLoggerheads areas were strongholds for thewater vole. However, the habitats were foundto be in desperate need of improvement.

Over recent months, work

has been underway to improve habitats, withthe support of landowners. Fenced bufferzones have been created around waterditches, to restrict sheep and cattle fromgrazing when the water vole is not inhibernation. This work allows the vegetationto be eaten by the water voles and thefenced-off areas prevent predators fromcoming in - it acts as a haven.

Lots of individual habitats have been foundin the area, and with a helping hand, theycould be joined together to provide anenhanced habitat for the water vole in theClwydian Range.

Water voles are the UK's fastest decliningmammal, down 80% in a century. There hasbeen a catastrophic decline due to overgrazing and loss of habitat. However, thegreatest threat to the water vole is theAmerican mink.

Plans are in place to do other surveys in theClwydian Range to identify where watervoles can be found.

Llanferres Community Council recentlycontacted the Countryside Service to askwhether they could have some help withclearing some Himalayan Balsam growing inthe area - a highly invasive plant (each flowerhas 800-1000 seeds). It is taking over riverbanks in the area. It is an aggresive plant -which means that no other local plants havea chance of growing.

Did you know that the water vole, a protected species is alive and kicking


Water Voles: The FactsThe largest type of vole in Britain, they are oftenmistaken for a rat.

Life span: They live for up to 24 months

Body length: 12-20cm

Weight: 70-320g.

Description: Dark fur, a round body and a short, fatface. They have a long, fur-covered tail.

Habitats: Ditches, rivers, streams and grassedareas.

Food: Mainly green plants that can be found in ornear rivers

Protected? Yes, in Britain. American Minkcontinues to be the biggest and most feared predator.

Denbighshire Countryside Service hasworked with local residents on up to 6separate weekends to clear the balsam. By better managing river banks, we are morelikely to create habitats where water volesare more likely to relocate.

Education is extremely important - if peoplespot a water vole in the area, they shouldcontact the Countryside Service, so that itcan be investigated and registered. Byhaving a clearer picture of where they arelocated, we can use our resources to try andprotect the water vole and create habitatswhich will encourage them to breed, allowinga new generation of water vole to make theClwydian Range river valleys their home.

in the Clwydian Range?

Himalayan Balsam(Impatiens glandulifera) belongs to the samefamily as the Busy Lizzie. It is a tall, annualplant that produces purple flowers in theshape of helmets. Each plant can produce upto 800 seeds. Introduced to the UK in 1839, itcan be found especially on riverbanks andincreasingly in waste places and has become aproblem weed.

The main method of control, and usually themost appropriate, is pulling or cutting plantsbefore they flower and set seed. Conservationbodies regularly organise ‘balsam bashing’work parties to clear the weed frommarshland and riverbanks.

Jane Clough has embracedthe wholesome methods and

values of the Victorian kitchenqueen to step back in time atCaffi Florence at LoggerheadsCountry Park, between Ruthinand Mold.

Jane’s desire to reduce food miles is alsoreflected in the way she has adopted thetraditional approach championed by MrsBeeton, one of the most famous cookerywriters in British history.

Jane uses local produce - the potatoesare grown in a field just 200 metresaway from the café!

The area has been a populardestination for visitors since the early20th Century and the land was boughtby the Crosville Motor Bus Company in1926.They established tearooms,gardens, a bandstand and a boatinglake for day-trippers at Loggerheads.Countless families came on regularweekend bus excursions from

The culinary legend Mrs Beeton has inspired the rebirth ofone of North Wales’ best known cafes.


Mrs Beeton re-viis recipe for success

Caffi Florence

that is Moel Famau - were notsurprisingly officially designated as anArea of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Mother-of-two Jane, 48, lives nearby inthe village of Tafarn y Gelyn.

“I got into catering from home, bakingcakes and Bara Brith which I sold tolocal shops and at food festivals andfarmers markets. Very quickly thoughthe demand for what I was producingexceeded the capacity of my kitchen athome. I came to the conclusion that Ieither needed a production unitsomewhere or the other option was togo down the café route.

“Whilst I was thinking about whichdirection to take, the café atLoggerheads became available. It isowned by Denbighshire County Counciland they put it out to tender. As I livejust a five minute walk away, it wasperfect.

“Between us, we have carried outmajor refurbishments. The kitchen hasbeen gutted and totally re-done, we’veknocked down half the external walland put in sliding doors so in thesummer we will open up onto theoutside terrace.

“There’s a new floor of ‘home-grown’oak and a bright, clean feel to theeating area. The floor is part of aproject managed by the European-

funded Cadwyn Clwyd ruraldevelopment agency and is part of theirCoetir Clwyd project to promote theuse of local timber and localcraftspeople.

“I didn’t want the chintzy, coffee shoplook. I wanted something contemporarythat also said tradition and qualitybecause everything we serve is homemade. We wanted to be distinctivelydifferent and I think we have achievedthat.

“All the staff are local people and myfood is as local as possible. Thepotatoes haven’t generated a singlefood mile - they’re grown by a localfarmer, Sam Griffiths, in a field just 200yards from the café.

“Our meat comes from Ruthin or Moldand we have organic vegetables fromthe Welsh College of Horticulture, inNorthop, and wonderful Cheshire Farmice cream.

“Right from the beginning, DenbighshireCounty Council wanted to do this as apartnership - they wanted a café herethat reflected the wonderful quality ofthe park.

“It’s an Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty, it is just stunning and theywanted the two to be complementary.”

Liverpool and the Wirral to enjoy thedelights of the Crosville Tea Rooms.

The area was developed as acountry park after being brought intopublic ownership in 1974.Subsequently, in 1985, thesurrounding Clwydian Range -including the magnificent landmark

sited

Muffins are great cakes to make. Very simple yet delicious. Bilberries area traditional ingredient but this recipemakes use of the bilberries foundgrowing wild on the hills of theClwydian Range.

The key to great muffins is not to over stirthem. When mixing the wet and dryingredients just stir gently to ensure all thedry ingredients are mixed in. The mixmay look lumpy but that doesn’t matter.

The recipe makes approximately 12 muffins.

� Preheat the oven to 200°C (gas mk 6, 400°F).

� Place the eggs, oil, sugars andmilk in a large mixing bowl andquickly beat together. In anotherbowl, thoroughly mix the sievedflour, salt and baking powder.

� Add the dry ingredient mix to theliquid, and roughly mix it in - itdoes not have to be absolutelysmooth.

� Stir in the bilberries.

� Fill a muffin tray with paper muffincases and then fill each case tonear the top with the muffinmixture.

� Sprinkle with Demerara sugar.

Bake the muffins for 25 minutes.

bilberry muffins

Recipe

INGREDIENTS

2 Free Range Eggs

240ml Milk

120ml Vegetable Oil

100g Granulated Sugar

100g Soft Brown Sugar

375g Plain Flour

4 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 Teaspoon Salt

175g Bilberries

25g Demerara sugar for sprinkling on top


By Jane Clough, Caffi Florence

Diana Rivaz is aDenbighshire based writer whogave up a career in educationto follow her passion for writing.

Living and working in theClwydian Range has given Diana inspiration to write poetry,inspired with ideas by her surroundings.

She hosts regular workshops in Mold and Ruthin and runsworkshops on demand inschools and community groups around the area.

Wind from Moel Famau uplifts wings,Tearing through the bwlch down to Ruthin.Amongst patchwork violet and cowslip, the heavy stench of fox lingers, nicotine on frail skin.Lines of trees like Spanish combs stand proud of soft turfed curving mounds.Offa’s Dyke cuts through butterfingered gorse,slipping and staggering over limestone.

Bulrush and Aaron’s Rod reclaim the bedrock and litter of Pistyll Gwyn.Rabbit-scrapes and warrens fray and pock the disused quarry shoulders.Around the collar jackdaws rise in quick argument,climbing higher to mob and harry,subsiding to bicker then lift againin a ragged, noisy Mexican wave.

From working quarries, sirens wail.Charges blasting hill guts from dawn till duskto dress unwitting highways.

The wind pauses, caught and cwtshed in the dykewith the memory of ancient footfall,tramping the crowns of these worn pegs of hills.

Hill forts wheel around the crests,sheep punctuating their paths, passing blue print secretthrough faultless memory of genes.A solitary voice commands, Co-ome co-ome, co-ome and distance-fractured answers bump out unevenlyas the flock converges cloud-like on the caller.

Heather’s wiry, black crabbed fingers hold fastdespite wind’s rising thrust and spiral overMoel y Gaer, Foel Fenlli, Penycloddiau.

Small creatures run from wing shadowsin water meadows winding through to Denbigh.Farms dot the grassy folds and wooded crannies.

The land shimmers and teems,Pauses in silence, breath held.Stillness blurring at the edges.Silence unwraps, secrets unfold,Wings quiver, and the buzzard stoops.

buzzard’sflight By Diana Rivaz

Professor Dawkins (1837-1929) ofManchester University trained as ageologist and became immersed

in looking for evidence for paleolithicpeople across Britain. Visit WookeyHole in Somerset and you will see BoydDawkin’s name as someone whoexcavated the remains of ice age

animals there. The limestone caves ofthe Clwydian Range did not escape theProfessor’s attention.

In 1886 Boyd Dawkins was excavatingGop Cairn, Trelawnyd, Flintshire,unsuccessfully trying to establish thedate of the site he was invited to

investigate the caves just below. Hefound a layer containing the bones ofhyaena, bison, stag, reindeer, roedeer,horse and woolly rhinoceros, not exactlythe types of animals now roaming theClwydian Range but common duringthe ice age, perhaps the cave was ahyeana den?. Above the animal bone,


An architectural historical delight

Stepping back in time...

A question: What do Wookey Hole in Somerset and the Clwydian Range have in common? The answer: a man named Professor Boyd Dawkins.

bones from Cae Gwyn and FfynnonBeuno caves, Tremeirchion. Bones ofanimals including lion, wild cat, spottedhyaena, wolf, bear, wild boar, woollyrhinoceros and mammoth were foundand Professor Boyd Dawkinsconsidered that the cave was at thistime being used as a hyaena den.

We look today at the Clwydian Rangeand note how much it has changed inthe last 100 years or so, just imaginehow much it has changed since thosewoolly rhino, bears and hyeana’sProfessor Boyd Dawkins was findingwere wandering around the area!

Imagine a home 2000 years ago.There were houses, neighbours,livestock and friends. People workedand played. The only difference being that people lived high up onwild summits in simple roundhouses,surrounded by impressive, imposingforts and the evidence is still visible today.

The magnificent hillforts of MoelFenlli, nestled between LlanbedrDyffryn Clwyd and Llanferres, andPen y Cloddiau towering overLlangwyfan and Llandyrnog give thesurrounding villages a direct link withpeople living in the same areasduring the Iron Age.

Local artist Tim Morgan ofLlandyrnog has createdreconstruction paintings of Pen yCloddiau and Moel Fenlli. Mr Morgan used surveys, aerialphotographs and wire-framedmodels, as well as site visits andphotographs to try and capture thecolours and mood of the presentday hillforts and surroundinglandscape.

He chose aerial viewpoints to helpwith the preliminary sketches,using the topographicaldescriptions and archaeologicalrecords to suggest the way thedefences were constructed, aswell as some indication ofdomestic and agricultural activitywithin the hillforts.

Professor Boyd Dawkinsuncovered evidence of bones

from a range of animals, but what kindof wildlife occupy the areas today?

Birds include red and black grouse,ring ouzel, red kite, merlin, chough, henharrier on both hillforts, and the nightjaris known to be present in the forestthat flanks the ramparts at Pen yCloddiau. You may even spot aCuckoo! Other species include theDung Beetle, the Ground Violet Beetle,which has a neon purple streak alongits sides, the Green Hair StreakButterfly, which you can find in groupsof 50-60, the Bilberry Bumblebee andthe Emperor Moth.

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in a separate chamber, he found theremains of 14 people, buriedperhaps five thousand years ago.

Boyd Dawkins became involved indebate and disagreements whichdeveloped in the 1880s following thediscovery of Pleistocene animal

Moel Fenlli: The Facts� In July 1816 a hoard of more than

1500 Roman coins were founddating back from 250 to 307 AD.The 43 surviving coins are ondisplay in the Grosvenor Museum,Chester.

� There is a Bronze Age barrow on thehighest point on the hill.

� Artefacts found there include Romanpottery, flint arrow heads, a stoneaxe and a stone hammer.

Pen y Cloddiau: The Facts� Three parishes meet in the middle of

the fort - Nannerch, Ysceifiog andLlandyrnog

� Largest hillfort in Wales, rising over1400ft, made up of an area of 21hectares.

� The name literally translates as Hillor Head of the Ditches.

� The rocks forming the hillside consistof deep water mudstones andsandstones and there is geologicalevidence of water flowing over thesea floor.

Geology is considered to be a male-dominatedindustry and this was no exception in the early

part of the last century.

However, the work of four female geologists providea fascinating insight into the history of the ClwydianRange.

More than a century ago, Gertrude Elles, EthelShakespear, Ethel Woods and Margaret Crosfieldwere sent out to unravel the complex rocks of theClwydian Range and the Berwyn Mountains. It wasconsidered ‘suitable and appropriate work forwomen, as it required great patience andperseverance’!

The women used tiny, now extinct, colonial creaturescalled graptolites for this work and took fossilspecimens from the rocks all over the ClwydianRange and the Berwyn Mountains.

Ethel Woods and Margaret Crosfield concentratedon the central part of the Clwydian Range, but untilrecently their work had been forgotten. Theydetailed their work in a map of their findings and alist of locations and specimens. The hunt was on totry to find these specimens and if possible theiroriginal field notebooks.

The trail started with a reference in the annual reportof the Chester Society of Natural Science in 1924.Initially these specimens could not be found but re-cataloguing of specimens revealed a collection withdistinctive labels that could be correlated to thespecimens and localities from the original paper.Further work revealed that another part of thecollection was lodged with the British GeologicalSurvey in Nottinghamshire. Specimens were foundthere, together with their original field notebooks.

These books contain a huge amount of personaldetail as well as their tentative ideas on the geologyof the Clwydian Range. More than 30 detailednotebooks tell us where they stayed, their thoughtson the quality of their accommodation, how theywere feeling and of day to day life in North Wales ahundred years ago. One lady recounts a story ofhow she was roundly harangued by a landowner forbeing out without a chaperone.

The specimens, notebooks and sites have now beencatalogued and conserved so the importantcontribution that these intrepid women made to thehistory of geology is preserved for future generations.


On the trail of history

The Mold Food and Drink Festival, launched in 2006,offers the chance for food producers and businesses

in the Clwydian Range and other regions to display andshowcase their produce to hundreds of people that flockto the festival.

Mold is a gateway town on the western side of the ClwydianRange and is only a few minutes away by car.

The 2008 Mold Food and Drink Festival is taking place on theweekend of September 20 and 21 at New Street Car Park inMold.

The Festival has gone from strength to strength since the firstevent in 2006. In 2007, in only the Festival’s second year,nearly 12,000 visitors came through the gates.

Like the previous two successful events, there will be livecookery demonstrations by celebrity chefs on both days.There will be even more local producers exhibiting this year, aswell as entertainment, other demonstrations and activitiesthroughout the weekend.

For more information on the Mold Food and Drink Festival

2008, please visit the website

www.moldfoodfestival.co.uk.

mouth-watering

delights

.

Ridetheclwyds.comis a must for all mountain bikeenthusiasts and the official website

www.ridetheclwyds.com offers downloadable maps,information on bike specific facilities, 3D ‘flythroughs’,details of accommodation and news and events.

23 Countryside sitesto visit in Denbighshire and the ClwydianRange Area of Outstanding NaturalBeauty is designed to show you thecountryside sites in the area, how youget to them, what you can do when youget there and why they are such valuableplaces to visit and protect.

Discover Moel Famau and Loggerheadsprovides you with all you need to know about Moel Famauand facilities for walking, relaxing, cycling, horse riding andgliding, as well as information on how to get there.

Enjoy Prestatyn’sCountrysideis your guide to exploring walks in thePrestatyn area. See feature on page 18 forfurther information.

Loggerheads Industrial Trailgives you details of a mile long trail revealing the industrialheritage of the Park in just one hour.

Loggerheads Discovery Trailis your definitive guide to a mile long trail revealing the wildlife and history of the Park in one hour.


Looking for interesting walks and activities in and around

Then look no further than this definitive guide to booklets,

.The Out and Aboutbooklet offers a wealth of activities in theDenbighshire countryside throughout theyear. From Reptiles and Raptors toVolcanic Eruptions, from Teddy BearsPicnics to Forest Fun, there’s somethingto entertain the whole family in ourwonderful countryside.

The VolunteerProgrammebooklet gives information on the practical opportunities in the countrysidefor which we need your help. There is awhole range of opportunities, with tasksranging from tree planting to dry stonewalling, footpath construction to creatingwildlife habitats.

Rural Walks in FlintshireA guide to the best walking opportunitiesin Flintshire - illustrated with clear maps,directions and information. Includes aguide to the east of the Clwydian Range.

Rural Walks inDenbighshireA guide to the best walking opportunitiesin Denbighshire - illustrated with clearmaps, directions and information.Includes a guide to the west of theClwydian Range.

Booklets are available free at Tourist Information Centres inFlintshire and Denbighshire, as well as libraries and Wepre,Greenfield and Loggerheads Country Parks. Alternatively,they can be found on www.flintshire.gov.uk/countryside orwww.denbighshire.gov.uk/countryside andwww.clwydianrangeaonb.org

the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty?

websites and leaflets produced to promote the region.

Pupils from Ysgol Bro Famau havestepped back in time to workalongside freelance community

film-makers Lal and Huw Davies andlocal expert Lorna Jenner to help bringto life a series of cine films of theClwydian Range taken over 60 years

ago by the late W.H. Crawford. Theproject to produce an educationalresource pack based on the cine films ofthe late W.H Crawford, was made in theLlanarmon yn Iâl and Llanferres areas.Mr Crawford was a remarkablegentleman who had the foresight and

expertise to make a series of cine-films.These films contain a substantial amountof material, unusually shot in colour andinclude footage of community activitiesin Llanarmon, Llanferres, Maeshafn andTafarn y Gelyn.Over the past four years, staff from


Caught on filmTwo schools have been helping to bring back to lifearchive films of the Llanarmon and Llanferres areastaken in the 1940s and 50s.


They brought the films to the attentionof the National Screen and SoundArchive in Aberystwyth whorecognised their importance andagreed to digitise the films and mostimportantly house the films in the rightconditions.

An edited version of some of theoriginal film footage was shown tolocal groups during 2006 and 2007and generated considerable localinterest. Some contemporary filmingwas done with local residents and anextensive archive of old photographs,press cuttings and memorabilia hasalso been gathered.

A number of older residents agreed tohelp pupils from Ysgol Bro Famau in

Llanarmon and Llanferres to use theoriginal films to learn about life in theircommunities in the 1940s and 50s.The children recorded interviews withthe older members of the communitywho themselves featured in theoriginal films as children. The pupilsthen used clips of the original 1950sfilm to illustrate their interviews toproduce a series of short clips.

They will now form the basis for arange of educational material theschool is helping to produce, basedaround the Crawford cine-films andlinking to the National Curriculum.

Headteacher Sian Hilton said: “Theeducational benefits of the project areconsiderable. It is an inter-generationalskills exchange, with the older peoplesupplying the memories and the

younger peoplesupplying thetechnical skills. Thechildren have alsodeveloped theirinvestigative andresearch skills,scripting skills and interviewingtechniques andhave had film-making trainingusing industrystandard digitalediting equipment.”

David Shiel,Countryside Officerfor the ClwydianRange AONB, said:“The films provide aunique window on

life in this area 50 years ago andbeing able to get the older membersof the community to talk to theyoungsters about these times hasbeen fascinating. In making their ownfilms, the children are makingsomething of real value to the schooland the community and contributingto the mantle of William Crawford byadding to the film archive of the area.”

Emma, a Year 6 pupil, said: “I reallyenjoyed learning about our village. Iloved hearing about all the naughtythings they did at school and whatthey got up to in the holidays !”

Denbighshire Countryside Serviceand the Clwydian Range Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty haveworked with Mr Crawford’s family tosafeguard these films and ensurethey are available for futuregenerations.

With its rolling beachesand views of the IrishSea, Prestatyn is well

known as a Victorian seasideresort and a mecca forholidaymakers, year after year.

But take a look inland and,within a mile of the sea, youwill be pleasantly surprised tofind the northern end of theClwydian Range Area ofOutstanding Natural Beauty.This is the gateway to miles ofrolling hills straddling theborders of Denbighshire andFlintshire and a must for keenwalkers and countryside loverswanting to samplebreathtaking scenery.

Offa’s Dyke National Trailfollows part of an ancientborder that seperates Walesfrom England. The trail startsat Prestatyn and ends inChepstow. But you don’t needto walk the whole 177 miles ofthe path to sample somefascinating countrysidesteeped in history, and only astone’s throw from the coast.

Take a walk from the sea upPrestatyn High Street wherethere is a wealth of shops,places for refreshments andlocal sites of interest beforeyou venture up to the hills.

Prestatyn Hillside, which offerssuperb views out to sea andacross the Vale of Clwyd, isdesignated as a Site of SpecialScientific Interest, inrecognition of its rich plant lifeand oak woodland.Wildflowers like harebell, wildthyme and knapweed thrive onthe grassy upper slopes. Rarejuniper plants are also foundon the hillside, one of only

three conifers native to Britain.The ancient oak woodland ofBishop’s Wood, Coed yrEsgob survived tree clearingas the slopes were too steepfor cultivation. Many trees andshrubs grow here and clumpsof ferns thrive in the dampwoodland. During the 19thand early 20th centuries, thehillside was mined for leadand calcite and quarried forlimestone. Nature hasreclaimed the slopes, butevidence of its industrial pastcan still be found.

The Prestatyn - Dyserth Wayis an old disused railway linethat runs along the base ofPrestatyn Hillside. The railwaylinked Dyserth and Melidenwith the Chester to Holyheadline at Prestatyn and wasused to transport limestoneand lead products from 1869until the mid 20th century. It isnow a flat surfaced pathsuitable for use by familieswith pushchairs andwheelchairs, as well ascyclists and walkers.

Where themountains

meet the sea

For more information about walking the Offa’s Dyke National Trail, including maps and guide books, visit the Countryside Centre at Loggerheads CountryPark 01352 810586 (weekends and holidays) and 01352 810614 (office hours off season),

or visit www.nationaltrail.co.uk‘Explore Prestatyn’s Countryside’ leaflet is available from Loggerheads Country Park

free of charge. Or visit prestatyn.org.uk


protecting the water vole...definitive guide for those looking to learn more about the history,...

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