Upland Dee Valley Way from Carrog to Llangollen
- daveatkinnerton
- Dec 18, 2023
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 30
Walk: Carrog to Llangollen using the Upland Dee Valley Way footpath
Distance: 10 miles (with some ups and downs)
Parking: In Llangollen, Roadside not far from The Pavillion on the road out to the Horseshoe Pass
Bus route: T3 TrawsCymru Parade Street Llangollen (direction Corwen)
A classic BusPassNBoots trip involving a 15 minute busride and a 9.5 mile walk back East to West over hills, through pretty hamlets and along canals. Given that we did this in mid-December, the route is remarkably dry. Even Rosie the swamp hound (spaniel) got back to the car clean (ish). The Dee Valley Way trail is relatively easy to follow, though it's marked route has been altered (improved) over that shown on my ordinance survey map. Derek, the Weather Man, did this walk, in this direction, as part of his TV series Weather Man Walks.
It stays high affording really quite beautiful views, particularly south to the wooded Berwens and East to mystical Castell Dinas Bran which watches imposingly over the open vale between the limestone escarpments of Eglwseg Mountain to its north and the forested slopes to its south. A good walk for any time of the year.
There are a few stiles that may put off anyone towing (or, like me, being towed by) a dog who can't easily be coaxed or lifted over.
Out of summer season, free parking can generally be found roadside, on the A542 - heading out of Llangollen toward the Horseshoe Pass. If it can't, there are several pay and display long-stay carparks tending to the needs of the many tourists that visit this pretty, historic town, through which tumble the white waters of this section of the River Dee.
The bus stop we are aiming for is in Parade Street. This is in the town centre, on the right hand side as you walk up from the river. There is a long, covered bus shelter and a helpful digital display.
We caught the 9:40 T3 Bus Service which heads to Corwen along the south side of the river on the A5. The nearest stop to Carrog is at Llidiart y Parc, once home of Owain Glyndwr's fortified manor house. If you are wondering when to press the magic-button (the one that causes the bus driver to stop to let you off), the bus stop you get off at is on the far (Corwen) side of the village of Llidiart y Parc.
To get to Carrog, walk back up the hill and turn left down the lane (signposted Carrog) to the stone bridge that crosses the River Dee. It's one of those historic bridges that has triangular step-ins where pedestrians could get out of the way of hooves, paws and boots as they rumbled, pattered, and clumped (respectively) to and from market back in the day. Cross the bridge and turn right (downstream) proceeding along the lane that parallels the river. Look out for the stile and footpath (in 500m) that cuts up diagonally to the left heading across a field toward some woods above. The photo below shows the marker point and the faint line of the path making its way up diagonally.
At the top of this field is another stile followed by a steep bank to access a track that continues less steeply through the woods. After several hundred meters, this track eventually breaks out onto the sheep-manicured high heathland that is a comforting feature of this landscape for the majority of this walk.
The next significant waypoint is Bwlch y Groes. I say significant, but nowadays it is simply a point on the map where several paths cross, notably the west-east Dee Valley Way and the highpoint of a bridle path that goes more north-south joining the valley to the north with the Dee Valley to the south.
The only physical marker of significance here is the horse-friendly gate in the fence (with a bridle path marker). The photo here is looking back toward the gate. The fence acts as the border between predominantly pasture land (south of the fence) and predominantly heath (north of the fence). We actually came along this bridle path part as it seemed more natural than taking the dogleg that takes you earlier onto the heath side of the fence (and the more obvious footpath (on this photo at least)) which is the official Dee Valley Footpath.
From Bwlch Y Groes, head slightly up to the more modern feature of the tarmac lane that now joins the valleys. Turn right (south), going downhill back toward the Dee Valley. About 400m down the lane you will find a marker for the Dee Valley Way that steers you left (east) off the lane. (Hint: there is a track going off left 100m before this that ends up on the same path and cuts a corner off. There are no fences or anything but, like the previous dogleg, I guess it's just not the official way).
The views now really hot up (in my opinion) as Dinas Bran and the surrounding escarpments become the predominant focus in the direction you are heading.
The next waypoint is the small village of Rhewl with its cosy 14th century Drovers Inn, The Sun. To get there, you follow the track. Where it forks, the official Dee Valley Way keeps high (the left fork), then, a little later on, turns steeply down by a fence. The path crosses over the fence and after a zig zag, heads more directly for the valley below. Turn left (east) down the valley. This section definitely has the feel of an ancient drovers route from the high point of Bwlch y Groes, heading finally to rest and perhaps some refreshments at The Sun. Although we didn't stop this time, it really does look a very pleasant hostelry and is dog friendly.
On the way down, the grassy path becomes more wooded. In the middle of the route, you come across this 'Henry-Moore-esque' natural sculpture. If this was an oak tree, and if it is true that oak trees take 300 years to mature, 300 years to thrive and 300 years to die, it is easy to envisage that this oak witnessed the passing of thousands of drover's herds over the changing times. Perhaps even the Big Man himself (Owain Glyndwr I mean, not Derek the Weather Man), who could easily have passed this landmark tree on his way back to his fortified manor house after a few pints with his mates from Rhewl.
The valley path eventually tips you into a narrow lane that heads down to relative civilisation. Unlike the 'Weather Man Walks' guy, we didn't, accidentally or otherwise, meet anyone on the hilly part of the route.
From The Sun, continue out of the village on the same heading as you entered it, aiming toward the pretty looking collection of stone cottages surrounding a white ex-chapel on the hillside opposite (Llandynan). To get there, once out of Rhewl, look for a set of brick steps leading to a footpath across and up the field on the left. Climb diagonally, crossing a small stream on a wooden bridge, heading more or less toward a flag erected in the garden of one of the first cottages. This gives access to the lane that goes between the cottages (with the white ex-chapel being to the right).
MMM (My Mate Martin) joined Rosie and I on this outing and, as a Civil Engineer, got speaking to a couple who were renovating one of the cottages (and doing a fine job of it too). Half an hour later, we were still chatting. So interesting. The Weather Man Walking really missed out there. Plus, they were actually in the pub in Rhewl, when Derek 'popped-in unannounced' for a pint (with the cameraman of course).
The lane drops toward a busier lane heading to the church of St Tysilio and the Horseshoe falls but, before it gets there, there are Dee Valley Way Markers that take you behind the houses on the north side. This first one (see photograph), really isn't worth taking as it goes up then comes straight back down to the lane 50m further on. The path that climbs again from that point however is well worth it, if only to admire the back gardens of those lucky enough to live here - as well as keeping off the lane of course.
Eventually however you do have to join the lane. Follow this downhill for about half a mile and turn right onto the footpath that takes you alongside the Church of St Tysilio, coming out on the riverside path at the Horseshoe falls. If it is your first time here, it's interesting to read how this was engineered by Thomas Telford to feed the canal system and also to watch any rafters or kayakers entering the waters beneath the falls to access the white waters below. Thomas Telford was a dude. He was way better than average! Otherwise continue along the canal, past the pedestrian chainbridge that crosses the Dee (the topic of much of the conversation with the couple previously) and the co-named hotel (from which the bridge can be accessed - also worth a look if you haven't been here before).
The final stretch of the walk follows the quiet towpath along the canal into Llangollen. We exited the towpath at the Pavillion carpark to pick up the car from the road below and head home. The total walk time - including a stop for butties and chatting about engineering projects was about 5 1/2 hours - we weren't rushing. 10 miles if you factor in the 1/2 mile to the bus stop at the beginning.
Comments