Llangollen
Been to Snowdonia? Chances are you’ve zoomed through Llangollen without stopping. But the town bordering Wales’ Berwyn mountain range is full of hidden surprises.
5 great reasons to head there
For wild escapades
What the berwyn range lacks in gnarly peaks it makes up for in quiet wilderness. away from the crowds and reaching above 800m, there’s lots to explore, with waterfalls, llyns, edges and lofty peaks. kate Worthington starts us off in route 3 (p99), taking in some of the very best bits.
For adventures of every kind
immerse yourself in the landscape and learn some new survival skills at the same time with the Wild bush Craft Company just down the road near Corwen. Or try your hand at white water rafting. Castell Dinas Bran, Llangollen. and if that sounds too tame, test your balance with the latest craze of stand-up white-water paddle boarding! While it might be chilly this time of year, you can find some 2-4 grade whitewater and 3km of continuous rapids! it doesn’t end there – head over the scenic Horseshoe Pass from llangollen to llandegla forest Park for some seriously awesome mountain bike trails.
For top pubs and grub
after blitzing the hills and mastering the white waters locally, llangollen is a charming place to relax. built around the banks of the river Dee, the town has kept a certain ambiance – and exemplifying its riverside class is the Corn mill pub (above right), which serves gastropub-style food. Commended by The Good Pub Guide, this popular establishment is housed in an old mill, which ground corn for 700 years until 1974 then was eventually renovated and reopened in its current guise in 2000.
For a good night’s sleep
from hostels to cottages, inns to hotels, there’s a great range of accommodation to choose from in and around llangollen. try the quirky converted chapel, Capel Pennant, in the grounds of Chirk Castle estate for a night under vaulted ceilings and stone arches. Or enjoy seclusion beside the river Dee in the glassfronted Canadian-style niagra lodge.
For a slice of history
take the 6-mile llangollen history trail, climbing up to the remains of the castle on a hill – Castell Dinas bran, thought to date back to the 1260s, and which replaced an iron age hillfort. back in town, a steam train can transport you through the Denbighshire countryside to Corwen, following the path of the river Dee from the station by the Dee bridge, built in 1345.