Clywedog Valley Trail (Country Parks Walk Leaflet)
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Country Parks Walk Leaflet Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service Clywedog Valley Trail Clywedog Valley Trail Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service ww w.wrexham.gov.uk / ww w.wrecsam.gov.uk Clywedog Valley Trail The Clywedog Valley Trail runs from Minera Lead Mines located around 5 miles to the west of Wrexham and finishes at King’s Mill approximately 1 mile to the south-east of the town centre. It is an easy to follow waymarked path along the river helping you to enjoy the natural beauty of this peaceful valley and uncover its rich history. The Clywedog Trail is approximately 5.5 miles from start to finish and can also be enjoyed in shorter sections. The trail contains a number of stiles and gates. The final section of the walk after crossing Sontley Rd towards Kings Mill can be very muddy during winter or wet weather. An alternative is to finish the walk at Sontley Road at stage 12 on the guide. Parking is available at Minera Lead Mines (LL11 3DU) and Nant Mill (LL11 3BT). There is also on road parking at Bersham and King’s Mill For more information on the trail please go to: www.wrexham.gov.uk/countryside Or contact Tel: 01978 763140 Email: [email protected] For information on local buses please contact: Traveline Cymru: 0871 200 22 33 This leaflet has been produced by the Parks, Countryside and Rights of Way Service. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, Wrexham County Borough Council cannot accept responsibility for any consequences of any errors in this publication. Clywedog Valley Trail Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service Introduction Clywedog Valley Trail The River Clywedog has always been the lifeblood of the valley, watering crops and livestock since early times, powering corn mills and driving industrial machinery. The trail allows you to explore the industrial past and varied bio-diversity of the valley. During the 18th and early 19th centuries the river was the powerhouse of the area, running 17 mills along its length – fulling mills to prepare cloth, corn mills for grinding wheat and barley, and paper mills. Huge waterwheels powered the bellows blasting air into the iron furnaces at Bersham. The population grew dramatically as the industrial revolution drew workers to the Wrexham area, serving the rapidly developing coalmines, lead mines, limestone quarries, ironworks and lead smelting works. There was a never-ending demand for food to feed the rapidly increasing workforce. The fertile Clywedog floodplains had always provided rich pasture and corn but, to meet the increased demand, new corn mills were built and additional areas of woodland were cleared for growing crops. When steam power took over in the 19th century new industries no longer needed to be sited close to the river. New technology and competition from overseas in the 20th century started the demise of the Clywedog industries. Today the Clywedog valley has returned to nature but the industrial heritage still plays an important part in the life of the valley. Walking is relaxing and good for your health, so why not enjoy a walk exploring the beautiful Clywedog Valley. Clywedog Valley Trail Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service Clywedog Valleys Biodiversity Limestone flora Wildflowers flourish on the thin limestone soils near the lead mines at Minera. Look for the array of orchids in early summer and flowers such as Knapweed with its purple thistle-like flowers and Creeping Yellow Birds Foot Trefoil. The variety of flowers play host to a range of butterflies including the Common Blue. Riverside wildlife The river has its own specialised plants and animals. Watch for dark brown and white Dippers and graceful Grey Wagtails along the river, attracted by the wealth of insects and other tiny creatures that live in the water. Trout thrive in the river below Big Weir near Bersham, along with Eels and small Bullhead fish, that hide in the gaps between stones. If you are lucky you may see Heron and Kingfisher feeding along the river. Bats Nant Mill is home to many bats. Lesser Horseshoe Bats use the tunnel under the road that drained water from the wheelpit into the river and smaller Pipistrelle Bats roost in the roof. At dusk on summer evenings you can see them emerging from their daytime roosts to hunt for insects. The caves at Minera also provide a habitat for bats along with the many ivy-clad trees along the route. Clywedog Valley Trail Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service Woodland The woodlands along the trail consist of both conifer plantations and broadleaved woodland, including beech, ash, oak and hazel. In the spring the smell of wild garlic wafts through the broadleaved woodland, and the floor is carpeted with its thick green leaves. In Coed y Glyn on the edge of the Erddig Estate there are many old trees, mainly oak and beech but also more unusual species including hornbeam and field maple. This variety of trees, and the shrubs, ferns and flowers growing beneath them, provide homes for many birds and animals. The supply of nuts, seeds and berries attract many insects, mice, voles and birds – a plentiful supply of food for the foxes, badgers, owls and kestrels that also live here. The woodland between Sontley Road car park and King’s Mills is boggier and the woodland floor is carpeted with clumps of ferns, wood rush and huge horsetails that thrive in the damp conditions. Clywedog Valley Trail Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service Start Minera Lead AA Mines Car Park BB CC Nant Mill Car Park DD Watch out for the feeding Dippers and EE Wagtails along the river. FF G H J K I L Minera to Bersham Distance: 5 km/3 miles Start: Minera Lead Mines Country1 km Park ScaleMap 1 Parking: On site car park at the½ leadmile mines © Crown Copyright. All rightsTime: reserved.2 hours Wrexham County Borough Council 200514 Licence No. 0100023429 Clywedog Valley Trail Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service A. Minera Lead MinesKey midlands – to define and B. City Engine House – The City protect his border with Wales. Engine House was used to The Clywedog was once frontier pump water from the mines country and the dyke is clearly A into the Deep Day Level visible close to the path. C. This section of the Trail may be H. Big Wood Weir was probably part of an old waggonway used built by the Wilkinsons of to transport limestone from Bersham to supply water to a Minera to Bersham Ironworks small coal mine on the other B D. Deep Day Level – This drained side of the road. water from the mines upstream I. The leete, now dry, runs beside C at Minera. The water is orange the path. Look also for sluice coloured due to the iron gates that diverted water from deposits in the rocks it has the works when needed or to passed through. prevent a flood. Nant Mill E. Nant Mill – The series of holes J. Caeau Weir – was used during Car Park in the right side of the mill the 19th century to provide a supported the overhead channel steady flow of water to D that brought water from the Bersham Ironworks. leete to turn the waterwheels. K. Cannon were possibly cast in E F. 19th century gothic bridge the octagonal building G. Offa’s Dyke – An earthen ditch L. Bersham Mill was built as and bank stretching from North an ironworks foundry but to South Wales, was built by converted to a corn mill when F King Offa of Mercia – now the the ironworks closed. GG HH JJ Bersham on road Herons and Kingfishers parking only are often spotted KK feeding along the river. II LL 1 km Scale ½ mile © Crown Copyright. All rights reserved. Wrexham County Borough Council 200514 Licence No. 0100023429 Clywedog Valley TrailTrail Wrexham Parks, Countryside & Rights of Way Service The Trail – Please refer to Map 1 Although well marked, the following guide will help you navigate the trail from Minera to King’s Mill with the help of the enclosed maps. The maps break the trail down into two sections. 1. From the main car park at Minera Lead Mines head up the path towards the mine workings. At the top of this path turn left down the hill towards the wooden gate. Mining dominated this stretch of the trail as the underlying limestone around Minera is rich in metal ores, particularly lead and zinc. This is the site of the deepest shaft and once one of the busiest mining centres (Map Point A&B). Between 1819 and 1914, over 30 different companies prospected for lead nearby, digging 50 shafts and extracting lead ore worth over £4 million! The biggest hazard in the mines was the risk of flooding, particularly as the shafts deepened. Drainage channels were dug and the deepest of these, known as the Deep Day Level emerges beside the Clywedog near Nant Mill. The Romans were probably the first to mine the lead – the name ‘Minera’ comes from the Latin word for ore. Mining continued throughout the Middle Ages and, by the 14th century, lead was such an important commodity that the miners received special privileges such as exemptions from taxes. 2. Through the wooden gate, head to the road and turn right. Follow the road for a short distance until you reach the next way marker on the opposite side by farm buildings. Follow this track to the stile and then once over you we need to head over 2 more stiles, then the path is easy to follow between the fences.