12 March 2024
Mine was the sole car parked in an enormous car park at Trevor. Unlike most people visiting the area, I was there primarily to complete a circular walk on the moors rather than to look at the World Heritage Site aqueduct and canal.
The route started by climbing a steep hill, initially along a quiet lane and then on a track. I reached the open moor. The main path and my route contoured round the mountain. I decided to divert to try to reach the Ruabon Mountain summit along a minor path. I climbed steadily uphill rewarded with views over the Vale towards Snowdonia but unfortunately would have needed to walk some distance across rough tussocks and deep heather to reach the summit. I was concerned about the risk of disturbing ground nesting birds as well as the risk to my ankles on such terrain so I gave up on that plan and returned all the way to the main path. The path was waterlogged, so the diversion took me well over an hour in total.
After returning to the main path, I passed some derelict buildings and a large cross made up of stones and boulders on the ground. It may be a memorial to Spitfire X4713 which crashed in November 1941 with the loss of the pilot.
I climbed over a stile and descended through woodland into a narrow limestone cliff-enclosed valley with a river ford.
The grassy area near the river was a beautiful stop for lunch and would have made an amazing campsite. However on arriving at the road, there was a reminder sign that camping isn’t permitted.
It was just a few yards on the road before I reached a wonderful path, part of the Offa’s Dyke National Trail, along the edge of a spectacular limestone escarpment.
The route continued to follow the escarpment once I reached the quiet road, named the Panorama Walk, complete with more views over the vale of Llangollen. I also spotted the ruins of Castell Dinas high on a hilltop, but decided not to climb up to it.
Eventually I descended through woods on a path emerging at the gates of Trevor Hall. I reached the canal and followed the tow path. Of course, I couldn’t visit Trevor without taking a look at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. It’s the longest aqueduct in Great Britain as well as the highest canal aqueduct in the World, was designed by Thomas Telford, built 1795-1805 at a cost of £47,000. It is a masterpiece of engineering. Usually it would have been possible to walk over the 307m long aqueduct on the towpath but it was closed until March 16 for a regular inspection and maintenance work which is carried out every twenty years.
Despite intermittent drizzle and some footpaths of deep and slippery mud, this had been a brilliant walk overall with highlights being the World’s End Valley, the picturesque limestone escarpment and the magnificent aqueduct.
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My part of the world. Love your blogs 😊😊😊
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