“Come and visit the Vale of Clwyd and enjoy an unforgettable holiday experience, with the splendid landscapes of the Clwydian Range, designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to the green fields of the Vale. Amidst the fertile pastures that stretch to the blue sea of the coast, lie the three market towns of Ruthin, Denbigh and St Asaph.”

Ruthin Noted as “The grandest market town inall the Vale, full of inhabitants and well replenishedwith buildings”this description is still fitting to the present town of Ruthin. Noted for its picturesque “St Peters Square”, its red stone castle, medieval themes and architecturally varied buildings, this town is well worth a visit when exploring the Vale of Clwyd. It boasts unique shops and a contemporary collection of fine crafts in Ruthin Craft Centre. The town hosts a music festival in the summer, a WI market from February til December, and a monthly Farmer’s market. The historic Ruthin Gaol was reopened recently and offers a grueling experience.

Denbigh The town of Denbigh has one of the largest and most spectacular of all Edwardian castles (1282) in Wales. A large stretch of the town walls remains as does the strong twin towered Burgess Gate entrance to the mediaeval town. This active town boasts a wide variety of events from its well supported Festival Week to its weekly market, WI market well known for its home made cakes, jams, biscuits and local crafts, the monthly Farmers Market, and the Flint and Denbigh Agricultural County Show in August. On Boxing Day Denbigh hosts the famous Roll The Barrel competition, with races for men, ladies, and youngsters. On the same day the Denbigh and Flint Hunt meets in the square.

St Asaph This pretty town is home to Wales’ smallest cathedral standing dominant over the town. It is also ideally located by the main gateway road into North Wales, the A55, which provides a great base for travelling around North Wales. It is also near the coastal towns of Rhyl and Prestatyn, active seaside resorts. In September, the Music Festival is held in St Asaph Cathedral.

Offa’s Dyke For the keen walkers the Vale offers an historical boundary between the Celts and the Anglo Saxons. Identifiable by an earth bank up to eight metres high in some places and a ditch alongside, this boundary was built by Offa, King of Mercia (the English midlands) and is well worth exploring.

Villages For the traveller who wants to enjoy exploring the rural villages of the Vale, there is a network of interpretation boards which highlight individual attractions and history, giving visitors the chance to experience the rich culture and uniqueness of Welsh village life.

Activities To explore the Clwydian Range, its cycle routes and walks, call in first at Loggerheads Country Park; a base and central information point about this Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Or visit Llyn Brenig Visitor Centre, the largest reservoir supplying water in Wales. The centre is renowned for its fly fishing resources and also offers various water activities for the active traveller.

Recreation For more recreational activity, explore the 5,500 hectare coniferous Clocaenog Forest which offers adventurous and leisurely walks or is an ideal site for bird watching. Observe the wildlife of the forest and the largest population of red squirrels in Britain, near the visitor site of ‘Bod Petrual’. Also worth a visit is the Butterfly Sanctuary near Ruthin Town Centre, which receives visitors from all around the world.

All images used here are subject to copyright. © Crown copyright (2007) Visit Wales.

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