A relatively easy 12 mile walk from Bodfari with an excellent finishing section above the Prestatyn coastline to reach the monument on the promenade marking the end of the Offa’s Dyke National Trail

Date walked: 2nd April 2022

Distance:  12 miles

Maps used:  OS Explorer  264: Vale of Clwyd (downloaded onto my phone)

Guide used: Walking Offa’s Dyke Path by Mike Dunn published by Cicerone in 2016

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My last day on the Path and I woke early, quite excited to be finishing this project which I had started nearly 5 years ago. Strange thought.

Breakfast at Llety’r Eos Ucha B&B was served in my room around 8am, and a perfectly good breakfast it was.

I was on the Path before 9, grateful that although it was an overcast day, no rain was forecast.

The Path opened up to give me a murky view of the lower snow-capped hills of Snowdonia as I approached the wonderfully named but other wise unremarkable hamlet of Sodom (Gommorah must have been destroyed).

This was undramatic countryside compared to the last couple of days. Hedgerows peppered with Angelica caught my attention….

…. and a foolishly over-planted woodland edge.

But as I gently climbed, so the views opened up again.

Pant Glas is marked on the map, the eponymous house took my attention for its ribbon of daffs planted alongside its drive.

I bet they dead head them after flowering and probably tie them up

After some some zig zag road walking a wide earth track climbed up the side of Moel Maenefa.

Time for a sheep pic.

This little hill boasted a redundant gate and a fine if misty view to the coast…

…. and should one desire a break (I didn’t) a well placed newish bench from which you could watch the traffic on the A55.

The Path heads straight for the A55 at this point, dropping through fields of gorse.

That’s Great Orme jutting out into the sea- walked with Paul when I did the Wales Coast Path

Next to the M4 I guess the A55 is Wales’ busiest road and its noise accompanied the next couple of miles as the Path approaches it, crosses over it on a footbridge….

… and drops down tom the village of Rhuallt.

Rhuallt has B&Bs and a pub but I didn’t see either, the path turning right, following a road by Brynllichrig Hall…

…..and then turning right to climb steeply up the side of Mynydd y Cwm to return to the Fields with Gorse that was had on the other side of the A55.

The next gentle climbing mile seem to have little to get me pausing for a snap save for a handsome cock Pheasant…

… and a sheep afflicted with erupting fleece  with its stocky lamb.

After a mile on a quiet road by the side of a wood the Path  headed north to the hamlet of Marian Cwm where I sat on a wall, had a cup of coffee and admired the beautifully lichened stone of (now converted) Hebron chapel.

Between here and over Marian Frith the Path was clearly on Limestone, the map indicating a nearby cave but not seen by me.

The Guide describes this area as a 330 million year old barrier reef

I was more or less heading straight for the coast now and out to sea could see the North Hoyle wind turbines (Wales first off shore installation) that has been operating since 2003.

Or this may be part of the Gwynt y Mor installation which has 160 turbines?

The Path descends the hill to a small untidy farm at Tyddyn-y-cyll where I “helloed” a horse…

I got no reply

…. and continues down hill…..

…. crossing  a road and arriving at another farm called Bryn Cnewyllyn. I encountered the farmer here who was out for a stroll with his wife to inspect his sheep. Friendly chap. I inspected them as as well and thought they looked fine.

I don’t know what the sheep thought. Do sheep think?

His slippery farm track led to Marian Hill Farm where an iron mill wheel ….

This is just the metal hub of what was a huge wooden waterwheel.

… and the mill race…

…. form part of  a series of remains of the Marian Mills complex which extend to the village of Dyserth to the West. Just by the mill stood a ewe with a little lamb that was wearing a blanket. The poor little thing was shaking and I feared for its future.

I would have liked to have followed this archaeological trail longer….

…..and from here the Clwydian Way does so, but my path left the valley and headed north again up a narrow lane….

… crosses a ploughed and harrowed field…

… to reach the A 5151 at Ty Newydd.

A few hundred yards later the path opened up on the seaward side……

Turbines galore on the horizon

….and for the next couple of miles the Path sits on top of an escarpment facing the sea with views over Prestatyn.

This dramatic change of scene and the knowledge that I was very close to the end of this journey gave me an energy lift. A slim middle aged man with a dog shot past me as I was approaching a ruined cottage dug into the hillside, and wished me (in Welsh, the actual words elude me now) “Welcome to Prestatyn”. He then translated for me. We had a brief chat about walking the Offa’s Dyke Path (which he had done) and he was encouraging (“only more more decent climb and you’re done”). He then sped off.

I stopped to look at the ruin.

The history of Pant Y Fachwen cottage is extraordinary. Built just 200 years ago, in the census of 1871, this cottage was home to a miner, his wife and nine children aged between 5 months and 19 years’ old. I could see no road or track that a cart could have used to get to it. The hardships that people have endured in times past is simply mind boggling.

True to his word, from the cottage was a steep climb by the side of the Prestatyn Hillside Nature Reserve.

I nearly laughed out loud when I read an explanatory sign that announced that sheep will be used her as part of its restoration.

Suck it up Monbiot

At this stage of the restoration the bracken had been cut down and the area fenced off, leaving some hardy birches.

The Path took a route through the reserve, exiting it by a flight of steps and a new gate.

Below me Prestatyn looked intimidatingly big but I was in good time to reach the end and to meet Ian The Baggage from my last B&B who would be waiting for me with my bag at the station.

And, as they say, it was downhill all the way from here.

As soon as I reached the built up area, signs for the path appeared attached to lampposts to guide me through the town.

The  Path actually passes over the railway line and makes a straight line through the bustling town. I have no idea why a duck was braving the path but I didn’t wait to find out.

Then finally the promenade was in sight and the stainless steel Polo Mint that marks the finish was visible above the wall.

Its an odd feeling when you come to a place marking the start or finish of a Long Distance Path. I remember feeling very underwhelmed by the block of stone that marks the end of the Wales Coast path.

But this monument I liked very much.

I stood there in the warm sun feeling mildly pleased with myself and looked around for a suitable candidate to ask if they would take a pic of me at the sculpture. A man with his own camera appeared. So here we are.

What does one do to celebrate  the completion of  a 177 mile trek? Have an ice cream, of course. A big one. Now I really should have managed a selfie of that shouldn’t I?

I must have walked by this spot on the 15th August 2015 as I was walking East along the Wales Coast Path and my blog post from that day records that  “I must have walked through Preststayn without taking any pictures.” Surprising.

What next? Back to the Cambrian Way! Toodle Pip.