Loggerheads Country Park

Loggerheads Country Park is situated 2.5 miles south of Mold in the Community of Llanferres, and covers 80 acres of the Alyn Valley.  From the centre you travel to Ruthin then follow the A494 signposted to Mold. Loggerheads is on the left hand side before you get into Mold itself. It takes about forty five minutes to get to the park from the centre. There is a pay and display car park on site. Loggerheads Country Park is a tree lined limestone valley with riverside walks & a history of lead mining. The main paths are gentle but you can be more adventurous & explore the steep cliffs with views over the surrounding countryside

The dominant feature of the Park is an imposing limestone cliff, Pen-y-Garreg Wen, which overlooks the Leete Path, a 4 mile walk through mixed woodland to Rhydymwyn.  This walk and the surrounding countryside, have been renowned for their beauty for over 200 years.  In 1985 the Clwydian Range was designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) for its rich landscape. Loggerheads Country Park is a popular visitor destination, attracting over 100,000 visitors every year. The Countryside Centre gives visitors an insight in to the history and life within the Park and provides a wealth of information and an excellent learning opportunity.

Loggerheads Country Park is an established Rural Country Park set in a limestone valley in the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It encompasses a mining and tourism history. The Park is also managed for conservation, with SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) designation and rich and varied natural habitats. The Discovery Trail gets visitors out & about in the park. They can see evidence of the history for themselves, along with abundant wildlife. Visitors also get the chance to become a Trail Detective and collect the secret symbols.  Woodland, riverside and cliff top experiences make this a very good day out for users of the centre.

The history of the country park dates from 1926 when the Crosville Motor Bus Company purchased land at Loggerheads on which they developed Tea Rooms and Gardens for the enjoyment of visitors many of whom travelled on the Company’s bus trips.  Not only was there a Tea House but also a bandstand, boating lake and kiosks selling sweets and ice-cream.  Loggerheads was very popular during the 1920’s and 30’s but its popularity waned after the Second World War, as the use of buses declined.  In 1974, Clwyd County Council purchased the land and the gardens as a Country Park.  In August 1984 the old wooden Tea Room was destroyed by fire.  A new Information Centre, restaurant and visitor facilities were built to continue the tradition of providing for the enjoyment of the many tourists who still come to Loggerheads.  The Park is now owned and managed by Denbighshire County Council.

There is a great café on site Caffi Florence. They have brought a fresh approach to food in Loggerheads Country Park to match the stunning countryside. Much is homemade and seasonal and many of their suppliers and products are local. Their tea, coffee and hot chocolate is fair-trade and their meat is local and eggs and chicken are all free range. The cafe serves morning coffee, homemade soup, lunches, afternoon tea, homemade cakes, ice creams and snacks. When we were there we had the soup of the day and sandwiches which was excellent and the girls had a children’s platter which is lots of chopped vegetables and fruit that went down really well. You can see their website at http://www.caffiflorence.co.uk/

Loggerheads country park is a great place to visit when using the centre for groups with both young people and adults and makes a worthwhile day trip worth considering in you planning.

Plas Y Brenin Taster days

The National Mountain Centre Plas y Brenin in Capel Curig (about 40 minutes from the centre) are offering taster sessions in canoeing, skiing and climbing in the school holidays at either £15 per session or for just £35 for all three activities.

The sessions run in 2011 from May 28^th to June 5^th, July 23^rd to August 29^th and October 24^th to October 28^th being the school holidays for the rest of the year. The sessions are open to people aged from seven upwards and being Plas Y Brenin the instructors who will work with you will be superb.

If you booked the centre for two days with 15 people and went to do these activities for one day with the other day spent doing activities in and around the centre then the cost per person would be £51 each which will give you a superb couple of days away. On top of this you only have transport and food to account for.

Activity sessions need to be booked with Plas Y Brenin (offered on a first come first served basis) and they can be contacted on 01690 720214 with the centre being booked through us and you will need to ensure that both are available at the same time.

Slea Paddlers Use the Centre at Cynwyd

At the beginning of April we had a new group use the centre the Slea paddlers. Charlie Russell, who is a junior member of the club, wrote the following after staying at Yr Hen Felin for the weekend.

‘We arrived at the centre on Friday 1st April. We came to the centre because we were going kayaking on the Saturday and Sunday in Bala & Llangollen.

The centre was brilliant and the beds where warm and cosy. I would recommend the centre to anybody who are looking for a place to stay in North Wales.

The kitchen was perfect for all our needs. There was also a drying room that was brilliant for us to dry our kit out in after a brilliant day paddling!

The only down side was Barry snoring.’

Charlie Russell Junior Member Of Slea Paddlers (BCU 3 STAR)

The team from Slea Paddlers were so impressed by the centre they have booked another weekend later in the year and we are pleased to have been able to welcome them to Cynwyd. If other groups would like to write about their stay at Cynwyd we would be pleased to hear from you.

If you are interested in knowing more about the Slea Paddlers group see their website http://www.slea-paddlers.co.uk/

Montane Sabretooth Soft Shell Jacket

It was my birthday in January and as usual I was struggling to think of something suitable to have from Kay. I had been looking at two things being a Rab Vapour Rise pull on top but must confess that I already have one of these (which is great) so although this is quite old and they have been revamped it was not top of the list. The other item I had been looking at was the Montane Sabretooth Soft Shell Jacket. Since getting my Millet soft shell jacket over three years ago this has been my favorite jacket and it has been used extensively in all weathers and on many different activities. This is a fantastic piece of kit which is really lightweight, very wind resistant and has proved a great asset to be carried at the bottom of a rucksack. Its only disadvantage is that the hood is not that big and the pockets are limited in size hence why I had been looking at the Montane jacket. This jacket is described as a highly technical soft shell mountain jacket which had received Trail Magazine 2010 soft shell award BEST IN TEST. Their verdict was that it was "An excellent soft shell for wearing in typically mixed mountain weather."

The Trail magazine test said:

The real hero is the fabric. Polartec Powershield is a truly exceptional fabric. 90% of the time that you are outside this Powershield is probably the most comfortable and effective outerwear for the majority of mountain activities. Blocking 98% of the wind, highly breathable, water repellent and extremely abrasion resistant the Sabretooth has phenomenal potential. The advantages of a softshell are obvious, stretch for active comfort, less noise than a hard shell, warmth without weight and weather protective. Featuring the classic alpine features, adjustable hood, venting pockets and active tailored fit, the Sabretooth is the outerwear that gets worn, not carried.

In the past few years the Trail magazine tests have proved to be a very, very good way of deciding which kit to buy and generally I do refer to them before buying any equipment. With this in mind I decided the Montane jacket was what I wanted to have from Kay and although she pointed out how many jackets I already had it was ordered. Unfortunately we were out of luck and although I could have got one in January the cheapest place I found it said they would be out of stock until the end of March. Finally last week the jacket arrived and its first outing will be over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend when I am assessing two D of E expeditions who are using the centre. First impressions of the Montane Sabretooth jacket are that although it is not as lightweight and compactable as the Millet Jacket it would appear to be harder wearing and all four of the pockets are large enough for map, compass hat and gloves (all in separate pockets if you choose to use them). The hood is large enough for a helmet to easily fit under it and the construction may indeed be more weather resistant than other soft shell jackets.

The jacket had its first real test out on Easter Saturday when I was out assessing both a bronze and silver D of E Group. On the Saturday the weather was mild but the mist descended to a level of 300 metres and it was quite cold out on the Clwydian range of hills. Although I started in just a base layer as it was quite warm first thing in the morning by mid morning it had clouded over and so I put on the new Montane jacket. Initial impression was that the cut is quite short but that is not really a criticism just a comment as the short cut easily allowed access to trouser pockets. The jacket work superbly well and I kept it on all day. The pockets are large enough to carry a map and compass with room to spare and this in itself is a bonus. The jacket was good at keeping the wind off and even when I was moving quickly uphill through heather (therefore lots of moisture) the jacket was able to deal with this and wicked it away with no effort at all. 

I used the jacket throughout the three days of assessing the silver expedition and it proved to be excellent at keeping me warm, free from condensation and dry from a light shower. All in all I would highly recommend this jacket and as it is considerably cheaper than my Millet jacket it is superb value for money. Well done to Montane on producing yet more excellent kit.

Since getting the jacket I have now used it extensively in various weathers and it has already become a favourite bit of kit. In the October 2011 Trail magazine they again ran their test on Soft Shells and the Montane Sabretooth came out as Trail Magazine Best Value and Trail Magazine Best in Test. It was the only jacket that got five stars in all the categories and the only jacket to come close was the Rab Vapour Rise Guide Jacket which is heavier, has less pockets and lost one star on performance. the only thing it does have is pit zips which can be useful so for seriously fast moving people this jacket may be a good option and Rab always make excellent kit so worth comparing.

The following technical information has been taken from the Montane Website:

The Montane Sabretooth Jacket is perfect for a range of outdoor activities, utilising Polartec Power Shield fabric for highly breathable water and windproof protection in a stretch fit for maximum comfort. This walking jacket also features a roll-away helmet hood with a wired peak and volume adjuster combined with a full length, reversed two way zip for additional protection.

Fabric: POLARTEC® Powershield®

Colour: Black / alpine red (zips)

Weight: 545g / 19.2oz (Size Medium)

RRP: £150.00

The Brenig Way

The Brenig way is a 32 mile route for walkers that goes from Corwen to Llyn Brenig. On leaving Corwen the route comes right through Cynwyd and is therefore very accessible from the centre and cottage.

The route has only just opened and takes walkers into some of the quietest parts of Denbighshire, where peaceful paths snake though natural woodlands and along steep sided river valleys.  It follows ancient drovers roads and passes even more ancient cairns, navigating its way through the Clocaenog Forest to reveal stunning views of the Clwydian range at Pincyn Llys and around Cyffylliog. It culminates in a steady, but isolated, climb along the Afon Clywedog, passing just a handful of houses, to reach Llyn Brenig at the Archaeological Trail.  This is the site of a Bronze Age burial ground, with several ritual cairns creating a sense of solitude against the stunning backdrop of Hiraethog and Snowdonia. A gentle walk around the lake is completed by walking across the Brenig dam to finish the walk at the Visitors Centre for a well-earned treat.

The route of the Brenig Way has been marked with distinctive waymarkers based on the stone cairns found along the way. It has been designed to be walked over two or three days in either direction.

By staying in the centre or cottage you would be able to complete the whole route over a couple of days and could do this with two vehicles. Due to the nature of the walk it is an  ideal route for both young people and adults. More information on the route can be found at  http://www.denbighshirecountryside.org.uk/brenig-way/. If you get round to walking the route why not send us some photos or feedback so we can include it within the blog.

Llyn Brenig

Last time we were up at the centre we spent the afternoon visiting Llyn Brenig which is about ten miles from Cynwyd. Llyn Brenig is a large lake, surrounded by heather moorland and spruce forests. Most of the moorland around Brenig is in the Mynydd Hiraethog Site of Special Scientific Interest. The moorland management scheme within the area is regenerating black grouse.

At Llyn Brenig there is a large pay and display parking area and a visitors centre, shop and café which are open seven days a week in season and the café offers panoramic views of the lake. Within the visitors centre there is an audio visual programme that tells the story of Llyn Brenig which is steeped in history. Bronze age man used Brenig as a burial ground constructing cairn fields. Foundations of a 16th century farmhouses also form part of the site’s archaeological trail which is 2 miles long.

The sites two nature trails offers glimpses of Llyn Brenig’s wildlife and there is a walk that goes the whole way around the lake which is 10 ½ miles long and takes about four hours to complete. Bryn Maen has outstanding views of Snowdonia and the Berwyns, and there is a stream side picnic site at Pont y Brenig.

Bird hides offer the chance to see Mallard, teal, goldeneye with goosander seen in October and November. Also, hen harrier, merlin and peregrine can be seen from the hides.

There is a great outdoor play area which is free of charge.

Llyn Brenig is well worth a visit if staying at the centre and can be found by going back to the A5 and heading towards Betws Y Coed. After about 9 ½ miles you get to the right hand turn to Cerrigydrudion and you will see the brown tourist signs showing Llyn Brenig which you can follow right to the lake.

Pistyll Rhaeadr

The waterfall Pistyll Rhaeadr is one of the seven wonders of Wales and is well worth the visit. The waterfall itself has an 80 metre drop and is very impressive even in the summer. From the centre you can get to it by taking the road to Bala then turning left towards Llangynog. This road takes you around the other side of the Berwyn ridge. Once through Llangynog travel on to Penybontfawr and from here take the left hand turn to Llanrhaeadr-Ym-Mochnant. Once into this village the small side road on the left takes you up to the waterfall, this is signposted. Once at the falls itself there is some parking on the road or you can park in the main car park which is just £2.00. You can walk to the bottom of the waterfall where there is a bridge that crosses the river and you can walk from the car park up into open country and stand at the top of the waterfall. If you do this with young people you need to be very aware that it is a sheer drop and looking over the edge has the risk of falling. There is a café in the main car park and you can easily spend an hour or two at the waterfall and in the surrounding area. I have been to the café with a group of adults who all had a cream tea before trekking off to tackle the main peaks of the Berwyn ridge and then the walk back into Cynwyd.

For me the best way of getting to the waterfall is by walking in from Llangynog. This is a great walk that can be done with people who are fairly young although with younger ones it would be better to be met in the car park of the waterfall so you do not have to walk back to Llangynog. Details of this walk can be e-mailed to centre users. There is a free car park at Llangynog and you get into open country very quickly giving a complete sense of isolation but in reality you are never very far from a road.

The waterfall is well worth visiting and gives an enjoyable half day trip as part of your programme of activities whilst staying at the centre or cottage.