Strenuous Leader: Carole Distance : 9 miles
We leave Llangollen crossing the R. Dee and Llangollen canal and climb up to Castell Dinas Bran (320m/1050ft). Descending to Offas Dyke Path, going east and climbing up to the Panorama Mountain Walk. We then go west along the top of Trevor Rocks passing the Eglwyseg Plantation (highest point 445m/just under 1500ft) before descending steeply to Rock Farm where we go north to join the Clwydian Way taking us south to Abbey Cottage. Here we take a path passing Valle Crucis Abbey to join and follow the Llangollen Canal back to Llangollen.
Note this walk has steep ascents and descents.
Moderate Leader: Joan Distance : 8 miles
We start our walk along the canal. As we come to the first bridge, we turn off towards Llandyn Hall. We carry on in the direction of the castle. Staying in view of the castle we head towards Offas Dyke Path. Turning off the path before we get to Garth Wood and make our way to Dinbreth wood. Having passed the wood, we head in the direction of town. Hopefully, with plenty of time to enjoy a nice cuppa/pint before we head home
Easy Leader: Jackie Distance: 5 miles
We leave Llangollen with a short steep climb to reach the Llangollen Canal. Which we follow eastwards for just over a mile. We then climb steadily on a short stretch of quiet lane to Llandyn Hall where we join a footpath winding round westwards beneath the towering hill of Castel Dinas Bran to reach a lane at Geufron. From here it is lanes until we rejoin the canal for a flat walk back to Llangollen. Canal towpath, quiet lanes and tracks. Should be okay underfoot. Two stretches of uphill (with plenty of time) one steep downhill bit on lane.
NOTES ON THE AREA
Llangollentakes its name from the Welsh llan meaning “a religious settlement” and Saint Collen, a 7th-century monk who founded a church beside the river. St Collen is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle. St Collen’s Church is the only church in Wales dedicated to St Collen, and he may have had connections with Colan in Cornwall and with Langolen in Brittany.
Above the town to the north is Castell Dinas Brân, a stronghold of the Princes of Powys. Beyond the castle is the impressive Lower Carboniferous limestone escarpment known as the Eglwyseg Rocks. The outcrop continues north to World’s End in Wrexham. The single track road north of the castle forms the Panorama Walk, and a monument to poet I. D. Hooson from the village of Rhosllannerchrugog is located near its easternmost end.
The ancient parish of Llangollen was divided into three traeanau (traean being the Welsh for “a third”): Llangollen Traean, Trefor Traean, and Glyn Traean.
The bridge at Llangollen was built across the Dee in the 16th century to replace a previous bridge built in about 1345 by John Trevor, of Trevor Hall (later Bishop of St Asaph), which replaced an even earlier bridge built in the reign of King Henry I. In the 1860s the present bridge was extended by adding an extra arch (to cross the new railway) and a two-storey stone tower with a castellated parapet. This became a café before being demolished in the 1930s to improve traffic flow. The bridge was also widened in 1873 and again in 1968, using masonry which blended in with the older structure. It is a Grade I listed structure and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
Plas Newydd (“New Mansion” or “New Place”) on the outskirts of the town, was from 1780 the home of the Ladies of Llangollen; the Honourable Sarah Ponsonby, Lady Eleanor Butler and their maid Mary Carryl. They share the same grave memorial in the church.
The Pillar of Eliseg is another ancient monument located 400m NNW of Valle Crucis Abbey.