Whitford Circular Walk: – Flintshire.
(including The Pharos & Maen Achwyfan)
Height:
803 feet or 245 metres
Distance of circular walk:
3.2 miles or 5.2 kms
Time of circular walk
1.5 hours
Difficulty:
Easy: all the inclines have a gradual gradient.
Getting there:
Follow the A55 from the direction of Chester to Conwy. Leave at junction 31 and take the A5151 (signposted Prestatyn) turn right at the top of the off ramp and cross over the A55. At the second roundabout, go straight on (signed to Whitford) and take the right turn (again signposted Whitford).
Parking:
There is no recognised car park in the village so please park considerately where it is safe.
Directions.
Where ever you have chosen to park, you must take the road from the village which is signposted Tre Mostyn one and a half miles. Walk up the road past St Buenos and St Mary church until you see a small road to your left.
This has a signpost marking a cycle way and bears the number 5. Take this road and continue for some time passing Bryn Coch farm on your right. You will see a tower on the hill to your left.
Walk until you reach a road junction and cross over to the grass verge on the other side. Turn right and at the end of the hedge is a gate leading into a field (next to an information board). This is Maen Achwyfan.
Take time to explore the stone and read up on its history.
Retrace your steps and take the road leading back to Whitford (signpost cycle track number 5). On your right is a stone stile. Cross the stile and bear left up the slope in the general direction of the tower.
Cross the wooden stile in the field and continue up the slope. Eventually you will see a gate and stile at the corner of the woods. Cross the stile and take the left hand path up to the tower.
At the tower.
Hopefully, you will have clear views of Point of Ayr, HilbreIsland, The Wirral and the ClwydianRange.
The tower was originally built by the Romans and there is some doubt over its purpose. The most like explanation is that is an observation point watching out for pirates.
To continue your walk, retrace your steps to the gate and stile. Take the left path keeping the tower to your left and the woods to your right. Walk until you reach the woods and cross the stile.
As you leave the woods, take the right hand path. Crossing the front of Garreg Uchaf continue following the lane until you reach a track running left to right.
At this point turn left and follow the track down until you reach a gate marked “Mannog Appaloosa Stud”. Take the path down to the right (bridle way) marked with a blue disc on a post. Go through the gate at the bottom into a field.
Here the actual path is overgrown, so keep to the left in the field and drop down to a black gate in the left hand corner. Go through the gate and take the path that leads down through the farm buildings (Garreg farm).
Cross the open yard and follow the path directly opposite you. Take care as the path has been recently opened up and (at the time of writing – March 2009) large stones have been laid as a foundation for a farm track.
After about 100 yards, the lane ends so open the black gate on your right hand, enter the field and drop down to the bottom of the field passing a large tree and earth bank on your left. Bear left and after 50 yards, you will see below you a metal gate leading into a sunken path (this is the bridle way). Parts of this path can be quite muddy at times, so take care.
Continue along this path, crossing a stream and through three metal gates until you reach a gate which lets out onto a tarmac lane.
Turn right and right again at the end. Then follow the road back into Whitford.
Here are some questions for you:
What year was Thomas Pennant born (look near the school opposite the church)?
In what year was Maen Achwyfan erected?
The RomanTower (Pharos) was rebuilt to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Anniversary in 1897. Who was responsible for this?
Refreshments.
The nearest cafes etc are at junction 31 on the A55. There are places to eat in Holywell which is about 3 miles away.