The North Wales Borderlands

Bangor on Dee racecourse

Set in stunning countryside on the banks of the River Dee, this is a great place to visit for a day out. Meetings occur throughout the year with steeple-chasing’s big names as well as up and coming stars present. It has a unique character not least because it’s the only racecourse in the country without a grandstand.

Chirk

Welcome to the Little Switzerland of Wales – as it is sometimes known. Chirk is an attractive little border town set in rolling hills that guards the entrance to the Ceiriog Valley. It is also home to the impressive Chirk Castle where early 15th century Welsh hero Owain Glyndwr was raised.

Llangollen Canal

Thomas Telford, the legendary Scottish industrial engineer, has provided Wales with some its most dramatic sights. None more so that than the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal. Built at the start of the 19th century as part of the Shropshire Union Canal, it was recognised as one of the most innovative designs of its era even before it had been completed.

Wrexham

The biggest town in North Wales, with a rich history dating back to the Bronze Age. One of its most famous buildings is the Church of St Giles, built in the 14th century, it is popular with American visitors as it is the final resting place of Elihu Yale, the founder of Yale University. Also worth a visit is the 2,000 acre Erdigg estate and stately home and Wrexham County Borough Museum.

Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod

A picturesque small town of only 3,000 people, perched on the banks of the River Dee, Llangollen has a big international reputation. This is in part due to the International Music Eisteddford held annually in the second week in July. Not just a celebration of Welsh musical tradition, it attracts over 12,000 performers and a further 150,000 visitors.

Bersham Heritage Centre and Ironworks

Wales’ industrial history is writ large in Bersham. Not only was it home to the two Davis brothers, but also to John ‘Iron Mad’ Wilkinson, one of the greatest innovators of the Industrial Revolution. This past is celebrated at the Ironworks and Heritage centre.

Berwyn Mountains

Just outside the Snowdonia National park, you’ll find the Berwyns. It’s an area of rugged beauty with high moorland and deep valleys that is popular with mountain bikers and hikers alike. Amid the lush greenery, you’ll also find Pistyll Rhaedr, Wales’ highest waterfall.

Clwydian Range

These dramatic limestone mountains are to be found straddling the counties of Flintshire and Denbighshire. Designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the highest point in the range is Moel Fammau which rises to 1,820 feet above sea level. It’s also a great area for outdoor activities – the mountain biking and horse riding trails are fantastic.

Flint

Technically, this is the first town in Wales: after all it was the first to receive a Royal Charter in 1284. And it has a history to match. Flint Castle was not only the first castle in Edward I’s Ring of Steel, but also the place where Richard II was captured and imprisoned in the 14th century.

Dee Estuary

The flat, salt-soaked fields of Deeside support a wide variety of birdlife. Waders and wildfowl come to feed on the mudflats. Plovers, oystercatchers and pintails winter here so dedicated ornithologists should head to the RSPB sanctuary at Point of Ayr.

Rhuddlan Castle

On the banks of the tidal reach of the Clwyd River, lie the ruins of Rhuddlan Castle. Although not as famous as its near neighbours, Caernarfon and Conwy, it was part of Edward I’s initial phase of castle building. Its ruins still remain an impressive sight with its concentric rings and towers.

Find out more about Rhuddlan Castle