Flint to Ffynnongroyw – Wales Coast Path

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An appalling national weather forecast doesn’t necessarily mean it will rain where you are in Wales.

We got up early to try and avoid the rain due to come in around 11am – in fact it rained at 1.30pm and we had completed our walk.

Starting at Flint castle, one of Edward 1 first strongholds in Wales, this is an easy walk along the River Dee.

It is had to believe that Flint Dock used to be a busy harbour built to carry lead from the mines in Halkyn mountain. In 1778 a ship taking grain from the area was taken over by local miners, as locally there was severe hardship and it seemed the right thing to do to combat the shortage of food, mainly bread.

The beacons along this stretch are nicely designed, with the dragon beacon at Bagillt being the most impressive.

Not a day to linger we set a brisk pace passing Bettisfield Colliery now a scrap yard, hard to believe that 500 men used to work here.

Onto Greenfield Dock which used to be a very busy link for the people of Liverpool, Wirral and surrounding areas who used to take the waters at nearby St Winifred’s Well, Holywell.

At Llanerch y Mor we come across the Duke of Lancaster, the ship not the person. Docked here as a Fun ship in the 1970s, it had previously been used as a ferry from Belfast to Haysham – it is by now rusting badly and looks rather sad.

Beyond the fun ship, we spotted hundreds if not thousands of oystercatchers nesting – one of the joys of winter walking is the easy sighting of various birds.

We took the easy option along the cycle track past the busy Mostyn Dock. In hindsight we should have taken the higher route through the woods, as this is a very busy road, we were glad to cross over into the village of Ffynongroyw (Clear Well). To access the well there is a path from the village via Well Lane. It also happens to be the birthplace of renowned Welsh harpist Ossian Ellis.

We ended our day fittingly, at the commemoration to the Point of Ayr Colliery, as this walk is a poignant reminder of Flint’s rich industrial heritage.


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