Wales is awesome. And Llangollen is a great place to visit, nestled amongst the hills and with…read morebustling river running through the centre of town. The wharf sits above the main town and has views over towards the hills. You can come for a cup of tea (sit outside if the sun is shining) and a scone or a light lunch. The scone was a bit crumbly but tasted like someone had made it by hand - always good. Even the coffee was decent. The main joy of Llangollen Wharf is the canal and the horse drawn canal boat rides. You can choose between the 45 minute or 2 hour rides and cruise down the canal at one-horse power. It is a very enjoyable afternoon activity for young and old. Highly recommended.

A visit to Llangollen is not complete without a stroll up to the canal, and once there you will…read morefind the Wharf, with the original canalside buildings. These house a lovely cafe and gift shop, as well as toilets. But if you go further along the buildings, you might be taken by surprise to hear a shrill neighing or hurrumphing. Stabled there during the day are the sturdy horses who pull passenger barges along the canal, an idyllic way to pass the time, particularly in the summer (take warm clothing in the winter, as the boats are open). Or head the other way along the canal in a motorised enclosed boat, to chug across Telford's aquaduct on their Stream in the Sky cruise. And let your troubles slip away..........

Chirk Aqueduct (just outside Chirk) is a breathtaking - and dizzyingly 70ft high and 710ft long -…read moreaqueduct, carrying the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley. Designed by the great engineer Thomas Telford, and completed in 1801, it is one of the major landmarks in North Wales. If you're daring enough, you can walk along its length as the narrowboats glide past, but if at all squeamish about heights, don't look down. Less well known, but well worth seeing, when you reach the centre of Chirk, turn left or right (depending which direction you're coming from) at the 'Hand Hotel' and head up towards Chirk Castle (you'll know you're going the right way, as you'll see a huge Cadbury's factory on your right). Park up at the railway station car park, and wander down onto the canal tow-path on the right hand side. This is the entrance to the famous 421 metre long Chirk Tunnel, which (if you're equipped with a reliable torch) you can walk the full length of, reaching the picturesque narrowboats tied up at the other end. Watch your step - and think twice before allowing any small children to accompany you - but for the experience of reaching the mid-point of the tunnel, and seeing the daylight reduced to a dot of light at either end, it's truly unmissable. And while you're at it, imagine what it was like for the workmen laying the original bricks. Also, if you're staying in the area for the day, don't miss the equally splendid Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, outside Llangollen.

Erddig hall is stunning and the ground are great for a picnic…read more It is expensive to get in as are all national trust properties but they are all so well maintained that you dont really mind paying. The national trust cafe is lovely with gorgeous cakes, but is also quite dear. The grouns have several intersting details such as the cup and saucer where kids like to have a splash around in the summer.

This is a popular, historial site just outside wrexhama favourite with children on school trips it…read morealso is a great family day out with extensive grounds and th hall itself to look around. Trips are available here and events are held in the grounds throughout the summer months. All ages can enjoy something here .

What a beautiful aqueduct! Andrew really wanted to see this on our drive from Edinburgh to Cardiff…read moreso we found a nearby hotel and stopped for one night to see this in the morning and I am so glad we did! I was not excited to see it and it was well worth the stop! There is a small shop for a soda and souvenirs and to rent boats but they are not very helpful, we had some questions but they were to busy to be bothered. The aqueduct is fascinating and watching the boats cross if fun. There are several paths and you can hike down to get a view from the bottom as well as cross at the top. It is high and scary! But awesome! There is a car park and signs with information and the trail is moderate. We went right in the morning and the sun coming up was beautiful around the aqueduct. We stayed nearby in Llangollen and it was only a 15 minute drive.

We were on our way north and stopped here for a lunch break and a walk on the castles estate…read more There's a good sized parking lot, even with some spaces providing a bit of shade from the trees. Great for a hot summer day (like it was on our visit). We traveled with our Bulldog, so we just came to enjoy the castle from the outside and to have a walk around the estates parkland. Staff we've met were all very friendly and welcoming. It was built in 1295 as part of Edward I's chain of fortresses across the north of Wales. It was later on demolished in the English Civil War, but then rebuilt. Since 1981 it belongs to the National Trust. And it's a beautiful castle. It's really in a fantastic condition and the land and park surrounding it are well taken care of. There are some small trails around the the meadow and castle and some longer trails to enjoy a bit more of the parkland. Some tables and benches in front of the castle to enjoy a picnic with these wonderful views all around. For another time it's surely worth a re-visit to see the gardens and the inside. It's just really a wonderful place to see and to be. We really enjoyed it.

This pandemic has gotten me too nostalgic as I recently took a walk down memory lane. About this…read moretime last year, I was enjoying a lovely vacay in the UK. Chirk Castle was on the list of sites that I remembered as if it were yesterday. This historical castle sits in a little town with green pastures. Upon entering, there was a knight wearing full metal gear from head to toe for photo opps. He was actually pretty funny telling historical jokes and such. The inside of the castle was as beautiful as the outside. I caught myself trailing along with a tour group and hearing about various artwork. There's even a dark dungeon that you can check out! I spent the most time outside in the large garden in the back of the castle looking at each plant and flower. There's a little cart that sold cold treats in the garden, which was perfect. Someone please teleport me back to this trip... #9/2020