Local Walks
Gwaenysgor is proud of the fact that it was the first parish in the Clwydian Range AONB to have all its footpaths open.
This was achieved by the work of the AONB working together with the Gwaenysgor Conservation Group. The footpaths are important historical markers in the landscape and represent rights of way which have been established over the centuries.
They were originally the routes between various villages, hamlets and farms, paths to water sources, to common grazing, to the open field systems of the Middle Ages, to the lead mines, to the quarries, to the church and to neighbours. While their origins are mostly forgotten, they continue to be used by walkers following in the footsteps of their forebears for recreation.
Kissing Gate
About the Millenium Trail
The Trelawnyd and Gwaenysgor Millennium Trail was launched to celebrate the Millennium in a tangible way by improving access to the beautiful countryside of the two parishes for everyone who enjoys walking and who has an interest in the rich history of the area.
The work undertaken in this project has included replacing stiles with kissing gates along the whole length of the main trail between the two villages, putting in new stiles and some kissing gates on other routes, building steps on steep banks, and way marking throughout.
Walking with HistoryWalking with History by Roger Hadley with Ken Davies
This guide has full details of the seven walks within the network of paths covered by the Millenium Trail, and also describes their historical associations – for a copy of the guide, which costs £5.00, ring Dave Smith on (01745) 571085.
This guide was produced by the responsibility of a sub-committee of the Trelawnyd and Gwaenysgor Community Council. The main tasks in overseeing the day to day organisation of the work were shared by the committee’s chairman, Dave Smith, and secretary, the late Roger Hadley. The initiative was supported by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the work of New Deals teams managed by Scout Enterprises. It received help and advice from Flintshire county Council Highways department and officers of the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the practical assistance of numerous individual volunteers.
Its success has also depended on generous co-operation of landowners and tenants in both parishes. Any profit made from the sale of the guide will be used for the maintenance and improvement of the paths covered by the project.
Want to try it? Visit the Millenium Walk page!
Offa’s Dyke Footpath
In 1971 the Offa’s Dyke National Footpath, in the north and west of the parish, was officially opened. Offa, Anglo-Saxon king of Mercia (757-796), had the dyke built along the then border between England and Wales to keep the Welsh out of what is now England. The path follows the putative route of Offa’s Dyke from the North Wales coast at Prestatyn to the South Wales Coast at Chepstow.
