Date walked: 16th August 2015

Map used: OS Explorer 265 – Clwydian Range

Distance: 14 miles

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Breakfast at the Linegar Inn was a mixture of self-service (from a very restricted range of cereals, no fresh fruit, no pastries and instant coffee) and a served-to-order cooked breakfast. The cooked bit was fine but not to have any marmalade was unforgivable!

The path continues alongside the busy A548 for about two miles. There was an “official” alternative route inland, which would have avoided this at the addition of about a mile; it was a longish day anyway, so I opted for the road.

Not looking so busy in this pic

It was pretty uninteresting couple of miles, although I thought the (ex) Mostyn Railway Station was quite jolly.

It closed in 1966

Having exhausted Mostyn‘s jollity, the path then leaves the road, crosses the railway line by a footbridge and takes a route alongside the estuary. Looking back I could see that the path had avoided Mostyn Dock and its associated works, which was something of a disappointment (really).

Do read the link- the dock will come up in my last post of the walk

The next mile was uneventful; a couple of guys fishing enjoying the peace and relative quiet.

Fishermen don’t like life too exciting

Then it got very interesting, as up ahead was a great big ship in a great big mess.

This is a first!

The Duke of Lancaster was a passenger ship that operated in Europe between 1956 and 1979. The intention of the current owners was to transform it into a docked “fun ship”. Do read the link- its a great and continuing saga.

Kinda spooky, isn’t it?

 According to the (disputed) Wikipedia entry, the plan is to open it again as an art gallery and in 2012 and 2013 several mural artists were commissioned to decorate its exterior. Plans seems to have stalled at this point.

And maybe beautiful?

I suspect that it will quietly rot away over the next few decades – or perhaps it will get salvaged and disappear.

But certainly very weird

Whatever it’s future it made my day.

Perhaps everything might feel a little dull after this

The next couple of miles were fairly dull. On the roadside there were some industrial units.

I seem to remember they were quite noisy

The estuary was mostly hidden by a sea-wall of large boulders….

….many of which were quite attractive in their own right.

Rocks can always be interesting

The next point of interest was Greenfield dock, where a crouched figure carved in wood has been put on a tall post. The excellent leaflet I had picked up produced by Flintshire’s Countryside Service informed me that it is called “The Boy” and was made by Mike Owens.

I didn’t notice all the flies when I took the pic

There were a few little boats in the quiet dock that was once important port.

All a bit sleepy

 There wasn’t much traffic on the estuary – just a few tiny trawlers that were slowly phut phutting up and down.

Or possibly, chug chugging

Just after passing a recycling centre there was a mysterious channel into the estuary with no explanatory board, so I can’t enlighten you as to its origins.

All suggestions welcome

The next settlement I passed by – still separated from the coast by the road and railway line – was Bagillt. In the late C18th  Bagillt had become a centre of raw-mineral extraction and manufacture in North-East Wales. Hundreds of men laboured in 11 collieries that surrounded the village. Who’d have thought it?

The wide inlet of Station Gutter is what remains of the dock and quay that was used to ship materials out.

Another example of the dramatic change that has taken place in the coast over the last two or three centuries

At its mouth a few fishermen were sorting out their little boats.

After this hive of activity, the path returned to its more pastoral character, now on top of grassed over sea-defences.

A very pleasant stroll

Flint Marsh has been colonised by a birch wood, which made a brief change from the open scenery.

Approaching Flint the path meets another channel from the estuary that reaches into the town. This was Flint Dock.

The path goes to the top of the dock and then skirts a wood and an industrial estate on the other side to reach the castle.

I took this later; Flint Castle was the first of Edward I’s ring of castles around North Wales

Unsure of the location of The Ship Hotel, where I was staying, I put it into my phone and followed the directions though the industrial estate to the main street. It was a pretty dull street, but the hotel is a big place, so easy to find.

When I walked in I was assaulted by the noise of music playing in a near empty, but quite attractive and large bar. I could see that there were several decent pints on (Good) and no where to escape from the music (Bad). Checking in was a novelty. I had to provide a thumb print onto a scanner which my perfectly genial host explained would allow me (by a sensor plate) to access the upper floor. That’s a  first.

The room was pretty shabby, the carpet needed hoovering and the shower had mould in it and it wasn’t en-suite but I had been in worse on this trip. I couldn’t stand the idea of eating in the bar, though, so after showering and changing I wandered into the very dull town and had a take-way kebab. Nice.  Breakfast was not included for my £35 so I then popped into the Tesco Metro for some pastries for the morning and a big bar of chocolate to scoff in front of the telly. A day ending with chocolate is always a good day.