Llangollen 2011

A tour of the Dee Valley and Clwydian Range.

Llangollen is a popular tourist destination in northeast Wales, close to Wrexham. It sits in the Dee valley, dividing the Berwyn mountains, Llantysilio Mountain and the Ruabon Moors, just south of the Clwydian Range. Most of the tourists appear to be from Liverpool, as the local mountains are the closest mountains that can be seen from Liverpool. It's so popular, in fact, that you are more likely to hear a Liverpudlian accent than a North Walian one. Although most of the area deserves to be in a national park, only the Clwydian Range is covered by the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - nearly a national park, but not quite. A large part of the Clwydian Range is also covered by the Moel Famau Country Park, extending roughly from the north edge of Moel Arthur to the south edge of Foel Fenlli, and from the west edge of the hills to the Alyn Gorge and Loggerheads Country Park.

The images in this gallery are presented completely out of sequence to produce a logical progression through the gallery. If you really care (you don't), the original order was: journey up, waterfalls, Eglwyseg, kayaks, canal trip, aquaduct revisit, horseshoe pass, Clwydian Range, Alyn, railway trip, journey back. Maybe that will help you make sense of the changing light conditions.

• Gateway to the Wye valley at Newbridge-on-Wye. On the left is Gorllwyn (613 metres) peering over the ridge, followed by Drum Ddu (538 metres) and Trembyd (475 metres) on the left side of the Wye. Inside the valley are Garn Cafallt (466 metres) and Crugyn Ci (533 metres). On the right are Dôl-y-fan Hill (380 metres), Rhiw Gwraidd (442 metres), Camlo Hill (509 metres), Cwm Cringlyn Bank (423 metres) and Ysgŵd-ffordd (440 metres).
• Gaer (417 metres) over Llanddewi Ystradenni, topped by a hill fort. Yes, a number of the following pictures are taken from a moving car, with varying degrees of motion blur and obstructions.
• The various tops of Ysgŵd-ffordd.
• Multiple tops of Glog (483 metres).
• View over the Mochdre and Severn valleys at Newtown. On the left are the slopes of Yr Allt (516 metres) and the masted top of Bryn Gwyn/Moel Lart (457 metres), then Ddifed (412 metres) and the multiple-named Bryn y Fawnog (443 metres at Mynydd Cerrigllwydion).
• The iconic volcanic hills of Breidden Hill (365 metres), New Pieces (322 metres) and Moel y Golfa (403 metres), which form the border with England. Breidden Hill is topped by Rodney's Pillar, a distinctive tower, visible for many miles.
• Ripped apart by Criggion Quarry.
• Llanymynech Hill (226 metres). The Welsh border extends carefully around this hill, making sure to include all of the quarries.
• Cefn Viaduct at Cefn Bychan in the Dee Valley, marking the start of the Vale of Llangollen. The viaduct is 45 metres high, built in 1848, and is a sign of the industrial heritage of the Wrexham area.
• The Llangollen Canal (originally the Ellesmere Canal) at Froncysyllte, one of the area's major industrial attractions. This part was built around 1805, though the canal's construction began 10 years earlier.
• Pontcysyllte, where the canal crosses the Dee. It is a UNESCO World heritage site, built in 1805 to join the two sides of the valley, upto 38 metres high, and 307 metres long. The 200 year old construction is quite visible here, with a trough made from extremely thin cast iron, just a couple of cm thick. The towpath walkway hangs over the trough, with the space under it being used to allow the water to wash around moving boats. The arches under the trough are just some thin sheets and struts of iron.
• A boat's eye view.
• The highest point, passing over the Dee.
• The boats pass over that drop with nothing to protect them from it. At least the towpath has a fence.
• But then, the fence would not pass current health and safety requirements, since the gaps between the uprights are big enough for me to squeeze through, and a child could easily fit through them. If you need to be protected any better, then you shouldn't be walking on a 200 year old piece of engineering.
• Cascades spilling into the Dee.
• The Vale of Llangollen, upstream of the aquaduct. The hill on the left is Craig-y-dduallt (400 metres) above Llangollen, at the edge of the Berwyn range.
• Boats at the Trevor basin.
• Bridge at Trevor.
• And flimsy footbridge.
• Geraint (aka. Barber's Hill, 340 metres), above Llangollen.
• Castell Dinas Bran, the remains of a castle overlooking Llangollen.
• Tall trees by the canal; oak, sycamore, ash and imported redwood.
• Cantilever bridge.
• The Narrows, several hundred metres of canal with no passing spaces, where working barges would travel, towing others behind them. Helpers would have to be sent forwards on foot to ensure it was clear. The barges would take the limestone from the Eglwyseg quarries to industry and farms near Wrexham.
• The Dee at Llangollen, seen from its 666 year old bridge (not as spectacular as it is usually given credit for).
• Taking a good line down the Town Falls rapids.
• And a bad line.
• View animation.
• After a failed attempt to right the kayak, he made it down the next step still inside it, before finally bailing out.
• Foxcote Manor at Llangollen's station.
• The 420 metre buttress of Maesyrychen Mountain and Moel y Faen (548 metres).
• King's Bridge, upstream of Llangollen, where two arched bridges pass over each other.
• Horseshoe Falls, a wide weir spanning the Dee, used to maintain the water level in the Llangollen Canal, which starts here.
• Llantysilio Mountain, the mountain range on the northwest side of Llangollen. From left to right are Moel Morfydd (550 metres), Moel y Gaer (504 metres, with a hill fort), Moel y Gamelin (577 metres) and the quarried top of the 455 metre Maesyrychen Mountain ridge.
• Panorama of the Llantysilio Mountain range; obscuring the view is Mynydd-bychan (365 metres). Behind it are the same hills as before; the ridge and top of Moel Morfydd, Moel y Gaer, Moel y Gamelin and the Maesyrychen Mountain ridge. On the right is a 335 metre forested lump in the Berwyn.
• Moel Morfydd and Mynydd-bychan.
• Craig y Rhos (299 metres).
• The tip of Llantysilio Mountain at Carrog.
• Pen y Grôg buttress at Carrog.
• Suggestive adverts for ... cattle feed?!
• Coed Pen-y-pigyn, overlooking Corwen, where I had been told there could be a good waterfall, which may have been an old attraction.
• Corwen Manor. The access lane is to the right of this.
• Nant y Pigyn. The name means "stream of the prickles", and that's quite appropriate, since the area is filled with brambles.
• This is the "waterfall" I had been sent to see. Less than 1 metre of sloping rockface. This is not a waterfall. Even in supreme flood, this would not be a waterfall. OS maps lie. Perhaps the forestry obliterated it.
• The map showed the stream dropping over a number of contours at once upstream, so I headed up to check it out.
• Nope, just a bunch of fallen trees. Why am I scratching my way through brambles for this?
• Oh well, at least there's a reasonable view over Corwen. On the left is Mynydd Rhŷd ddu (389 metres), in the distance is Boncyn Foel-bâch (408 metres) in the Mynydd Hiraethog range, and on the right are Mynydd Llanelidan (330 metres) and Coed Mawr (314 metres).
• Some distance up the A5, beyond Druid and just after Dinmael, a deep new cutting takes it through the side of a hill. Just after this, a turning on the left reaches the abandoned old route of the A5, just before the road crosses a narrow bridge. The old A5 offers a small parking space before its locked gate, but walkers can continue along the Glyn Diffwys gorge.
• In winter, a powerful waterfall can be viewed down through the trees at the first bend in the road. In summer, it cannot be seen properly from here. A viewing alcove beyond is too overgrown to be of use.
• The waterfall was once the highlight of the Glyn Diffwys gorge, which was a major attraction in the nineteenth century. This drop is about 6 metres tall. It is possible for experienced walkers to reach this by clambering over the wall at the start of the old A5 (near the bridge), and very carefully descending the steep slope to the river.
• The waterfall is spanned by the impressive Pont Glyn-diffwys - the narrow bridge mentioned previously. In 1887, this was the scene of an uprising against the tithe taxes, where the collector serving Llangwm was held by his ankles over the side of this bridge, and forced to sign an agreement not to collect in future (search the Web for the "Tithe Martyrs of Llangwm").
• There are another 4 metres of cascades below, which should look incredible in winter flood. However, to get into position to see them, I had to carefully skirt the slippery edges of the plunge pool, which would be impossible with winter water levels. I do not recommend trying to get here in any conditions.
• Downstream of the waterfall, the gorge gets much deeper, with cliffs of 30 metres or more. It is very important not to descend the banks too far along the old A5.
• A few bends further along the old A5 is an old parking area with another viewing alcove, offering this view over the gorge. This was the viewpoint written about by George Borrow in 1854, described as "one of the wildest and most beautiful scenes imaginable". Sadly, it is now so heavily overgrown with trees that the old view is completely lost.
• The view from our tent, just north of Llangollen, of Valle Crucis Abbey, and sunset light on Fron Fawr (378 metres).
• Sunset over Coed Hyrddyn(230 metres).
• The superb Eglwyseg escarpment (511 metres), the largest limestone escarpment in North Wales, and highlight of the Ruabon Moors (pronounce Ruabon as if it were English). The buttress on the left is Craig Arthur, and the other three are collectively known as Creigiau Eglwyseg. The highest are as much as 300 metres above the valley.
• View back past Craig Arthur towards the Berwyn. The distant tops are Cadair Berwyn New Top (830 metres), Cadair Berwyn (827 metres) and Cadair Bronwen (785 metres). In front of them are Y Foel (522 metres), Vivod Mountain (about 550 metres) and Moel Fferna (630 metres). On the right are various slopes of the Ruabon Moors.
• Looking over World's End towards Craig yr Adar and Craig Arthur.
• On the mountain road over Esclusham Mountain looking towards Minera, with Cefn y Cist (490 metres) on the right and the main Esclusham Mountain (458 metres) on the distant right. In the distance are Pen-Lan-y-gŵr (378 metres) and Hope Mountain (330 metres).
• Heather on Esclusham Mountain. Energy sapping, beautiful heather.
• Looking over Pentre Dwfr towards Cyrn-y-Brain (565 metres), the highest of the Ruabon Moors. From this direction, it's also known as part of Maesyrychen Mountain, a strange name which spans parts of both Llantysilio Mountain and the Ruabon Moors, which are separated by the pass at the head of this valley. On the right is the Foel Plantation (433 metres).
• Horseshoe Pass, a local attraction. The large ridge is Maesyrychen Mountain's main ridge, topped by the Berwyn Quarry (which is not in the Berwyn). The hill on the right is Moel y Gamelin, tallest of the Llantysilio Mountain range, and highest point on this side of Wales, North of the Berwyn.
• Looking over the Eglwyseg valleys. On the left is the Foel Plantation, followed by the distinctive cliff of Eglwyseg, Fron Fawr and the Maesyrychen Mountain ridge. In the distance is Y Foel above Llangollen.
• Piles of discarded slate in the Horseshoe Pass below Berwyn Quarry. This area evidently has some volcanic history, as well as the limestone reefs.
• Cyrn-y-Brain from the pass.
• The pass also gives the first view of the Clwydian Range, and shows how it is clearly separated from the Llantysilio Mountain and Ruabon Moors by the upper Alyn valley. However, the gap is almost closed by a spur of the Ruabon Moors on the right, where the highest point is Moel Garegog (413 metres).
• Outcrop of limestone at the edge of Moel yr Accre (410 metres), at the southern tip of the Clwydian Range.
• Nant y Garth Pass, very reminiscent of the smaller Medip Hills gorges.
• Moel y Waun (412 metres) and Moel yr Accre.
• Most of the central portion of the Clwydian Range; Moel Dywyll (475 metres), Moel Famau (554 metres), an unnamed bump (474 metres), Foel Fenlli (511 metres, with a hill fort), Moel Eithinen (434 metres), Gyrn (384 metres), Moel Gyw (467 metres), Moel Llanfair (447 metres) and Moel y Plâs (440 metres).
• Beyond the main ridge is a large outcrop of limestone at Bryn Alyn (408 metres). Most of the other mountains in the area are covered by a caprock of mudstone.
• Bryn Alyn.
• The view from Bwlch Penbarra, between Foel Fenlli and the unnamed bump, towards Ruthin in the Vale of Clwyd. The hills on the far side are the Mynydd Hiraethog range. The distant mountains at each end are the various parts of Snowdonia.
• Soaring buzzards.
• Rabbit. Or maybe a hare.
• Looking back towards Moel Llanfair and Moel y Plâs in the Clwydian Range, then Moel y Faen, Moel y Gamelin, Moel y Gaer and Moel Morfydd in Llantysilio Mountain.
• Meadows on the western side of the Clwydian Range - to be honest, it's nice to see something other than heather. The green slope on the left has no name. The grassy buttress on the other side of the little valley is the hill fort of Moel y Gaer (339 metres). Heading into the distance on the right are the slopes of Moel Famau, then the tops of Moel Dywyll, Penycloddiau (440 metres, with a hill fort), and the distant Mynydd y Cwm (305 metres). The visible coastline is at Rhyl.
• Kestrel hunting on the moors.
• Moel Famau, highest of the Clwydian range.
• The heather in this range is routinely cut away in patches, to encourage new and more diverse plant growth for grazing, and providing a different habitat for various birds. However, it looks like a stupid patchwork quilt; ugly, and highly unnatural. I guess they do not know the meaning of "wild" up here.
• Iconic remains of the 1810 Jubilee Tower on the summit. This originally had four short towers on the corners and one 35 metre tall central tower, but was demolished after a storm destroyed it in 1862. Note that although the accepted height of the hill is 554 metres at the trig point, the map clearly shows a 555 metre contour outside the tower. Not that it makes much difference.
• The Moel y Gaer hill fort.
• The northern part of the Clwydian Range. On the lit ridge are Moel Dywyll and Moel Llys-y-coed (465 metres). Behind them are Moel Arthur (456 metres, with yet another hill fort) and Moel Play-yw (420 metres). Behind them are Penycloddiau, Moel y Parc (398 metres) and Mynydd y Cwm.
• View towards England. In the smoggy distance over the Dee estuary is Liverpool. On the right side, straddling the estuary and the border, is Chester. The green valley is the end of the Alyn Gorge, with the very low Halkyn Mountain on its left side.
• View over Cwm-llydan towards the sunlit Alyn valley. Mold and Wrexham lie just beyond.
• View towards the green ridge of Fron Hen (458 metres) and Foel Fenlli. In front of it is the 474 metre unnamed bump, and beyond it are the distant Ruabon Moors and Llantysilio Mountain.
• Emperor moth caterpillar near the summit.
• The eastern side of the Clwydian Range is often obscured by smaller hills, but occasionally can be seen as here; Moel Famau and Moel Llys-y-coed.
• Where the main road (A494) crosses the Alyn valley is the village of Loggerheads, and the start of the Alyn Gorge. The first half of the gorge (the part that is also inside the AONB) is covered by the Loggerheads Country Park.
• This is the part of it with the largest natural limestone cliffs.
• At this point, there is water in the River Alyn.
• Cliffs of the Alyn Gorge at Loggerheads.
• Watermill at Loggerheads.
• Being on limestone, the river sinks into its bed not far from Loggerheads, and the surrounding limestone hills also lost their streams the same way.
• A series of underwater caves then brought the water back to the surface in the lower gorge or on the far side of Halkyn Mountain. This area was very extensively mined for lead, limestone and coal (eg. the Halkyn Mines, Minera Mines and Wrexham coal mines), and drainage problems in the mines eventually prompted the drilling of the 16 km long Milwr/Sea-Level Tunnel between 1897 and 1957, extending 13 km from the sea at Bagillt near Holywell to Cadole near Loggerheads.
• The tunnel connected many of the mines to create the longest mine system in the UK at 100 km. In the process, it drained not only the mines, but also the caves, leaving the river largely dry. The Alyn River caves (such as Ogof Hesp Alyn) lie just beyond this picture, and are a rare example of an active phreatic resurgence that can be seen without its water.
• Time to head back through the Brecon Beacons towards home. This is the light of sunset catching Fan Fawr (734 metres) in Forest Fawr.
• And the last light on the Tyle Brith slopes.

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