Nearby Ruthin

Moel Famau, which means mother of mountains, stands 1,821ft at its peak and is only seven miles from Ruthin so is easily reachable from the town. It’s not quite high enough to be officially classed as mountain but it still presents a decent challenge for most keen walkers.

The hill gives its name to the country park surrounding it and sits right in the middle of an area of outstanding natural beauty, and the views from the top are spectacular and well-worth making the effort for. On a clear day, you can see the Isle of Man, Liverpool and the Wirral, parts of Cumbria, Blackpool Tower and the River Dee, as well as the local towns in North Wales including, of course, Ruthin.

The coast around North Wales near to Ruthin is renowned as some of the best in the country. Rhyl, Prestatyn and Colwyn Bay have vast sandy beaches and sea that sparkles in the sunlight, while a little further afield Llandudno, with its cable car rides up the Great Orme, is a wonderful Victorian seaside resort. Further up the coast again is the island of Anglesey where the pace of life of slower.

Walkers are also well catered for around the coast and can explore both the Little and Great Orme with their scenic views over the Menai Strait and the Great Orme’s resident goats! There are coastal paths to explore on Conwy Mountain and between Talacre Bay and Prestatyn.

Covering 823 square miles of diverse landscapes, Snowdonia National Park is a living working area, home to over 26,000 people. As well as being the largest National Park in Wales, Snowdonia boasts the highest mountain in England and Wales, and the largest natural lake in Wales, as well as a wealth of picturesque villages like Betws y Coed and Beddgelert. Snowdonia is an area steeped in culture and local history, where more than half its population speak Welsh.

Snowdonia attracts thousands of visitors each year who enjoy its amazing landscapes and the wealth of outdoor activities on offer.

For more information see visitsnowdonia.info

The idea behind its collection of brightly coloured houses and shops clustered around the Dwyryd estuary was to build somewhere that could enjoyed for what it is and where people would think about the relationship between buildings and their landscape.

Today, the village is a tourist attraction owned by a charitable trust. At its centre is Castell Deudraeth which now operates as a hotel and uses several of the surrounding buildings as additional rooms and shops.

Visit portmeirion-village.com for more information and ticket prices.

The dyke was built during the reign of King Offa, a powerful Saxon king and who the dyke is named after. Today there is a 177 mile long path running from Prestatyn to Sedbury Cliffs on the Severn Estuary along Offa’s Dyke which take in many of North Wales’ finest castles and ruins and is very popular with walkers.

Saint Kentigern built his Church here in AD560. When he returned to Strathclyde in AD573 he left Asaph as his successor. Since that time the Cathedral has been dedicated to Saint Asaph and the Diocese bears his name. The present building was begun in the thirteenth century and is reputed to be the smallest ancient cathedral in Great Britain. Entrance is free but donations are welcome.

St Asaph Cathedral, High Street, St Asaph, LL17 0RD
01745 582245
stasaphcathedral@churchinwales.org.uk

The castle is concentric in design, consisting of a very strongly defended inner ward, of symmetrical plan, completely surrounded by a slighter outer ward.

Various buildings, including a great hall, kitchens, private apartments, and a chapel, stood in the inner ward against the curtain wall; some traces remain of their foundations. The outer ward too included a granary, stables, a smithy, the treasury and a goldsmith’s workshop, but little can be seen of these buildings today.

Rhuddlan Castle – Opening hours are 10.00-17.00 April to October. It is closed in winter. Admission rates are £3.40 for adults with concessions at £2.55. Family tickets cost £10.20 for two adults and three children under 16

It is multivallate (with multiple concentric ditches) with extensive ramparts to the north and north-west. The historic county boundary between Denbighshire and Flintshire follows much of the western rampart.

There are two original inturned entrances, one to the south and the other midway along the eastern rampart. Evidence suggests that houses were built around the edge of the fort to make use of the shelter from the large banks and the large wooden fence that would have topped it. Ponds in the centre of the fort may have provided the inhabitants with water.

People may have been using this site even before the Iron Age as there is evidence of a Bronze Age burial mound at the northern end of the hill.

The abbey was remarkably self-sufficient thanks to the lay brethren. They were happy to leave the choir monks to their prayers while they got on with the job of tending the land. All friends together? Not quite. The monks observed their daily offices in the choir, separated by a screen from the lay brethren who worshipped in the nave of the abbey church.

Far from an easy life, Valle Crucis Abbey suffered a serious fire and numerous attacks but went on to earn a reputation for its appreciation of the literary arts. In 1535 it was ranked the second richest Cistercian monastery after Tintern. By this time, the Cistercians had relaxed their orthodox austerity. A comfortable heated suite was created for the abbot. This new found wealth and hospitality didn’t last long. Valle Crucis was duly dissolved by royal decree in 1537.

Denbigh is a historic market town. It is the home of princes and earls, rebels and revolutionaries where layer upon layer of history have shaped the architecture of the town and the character of the people.

You can relax in one of the town’s traditional pubs where people have been enjoying real food and conversation for over 500 years, or explore the Castle and walk the walls that have protected the town for nine centuries.

With its secret gardens and more listed buildings than any other town in Wales, you’re likely to stumble upon a hidden gem around every corner – but Denbigh is a working community living very much in the present with a lively art scene and a fine range of independent shops, cafés, pubs and restaurants.

Renowned for the surrounding hills and the River Dee, Llangollen has something for every visitor. Llangollen has an astonishing range of cafés, bars, hotels, restaurants, guest houses, B&Bs, cottages and campsites to suit every pocket. This small town also has a wealth of independent shops to browse and interesting places to visit. Take a stroll along the Victoria Promenade, picnic in the Riverside Park or watch the river tumble down beneath the bridge. For the more energetic there is a whole range of outdoor activities.

If you visit during the summer be sure to check out the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, one of the world’s most colourful festivals. Each day the festival field is a hive of activity with main stage competitions, performances, workshops, and impromptu singing and dancing from every corner of the world.