Pheasants abound on this varied and rewarding hike around the east of Chirk.
As you’ve probably realised, you’re almost certain to come across the odd pheasant as you tackle this month’s walk. It has some splendid views, but you’ll have to earn them by completing some pretty steep climbs. Don’t worry, though; they are relatively short.
You’ll cross meadows, walk down country lanes and along woodland paths. We started the walk near the village of Halton and headed east toward the Rivers Dee and Ceiriog before turning south for a couple of miles to Glynmorlas, where you turn west and back towards Halton via Pont-y-blew.
The total ascent of the walk is nominal at about 745 feet. The highest point is just over 380 feet.
The map is available online at explore.osmaps.com/route/19024624 if you have an OS Map subscription. You can find a PDF version of the map here.
Overview
You will encounter stretches of grass or nettles that are about knee-high, so you may want to wear gaiters or long trousers. The walk is not really dog-friendly as you pass through fields with cows and sheep. You might have to lift a dog over some of the many stiles.
It is about 5¾ miles long and will take about 2½ hours.
You must read and understand the disclaimer on our website before attempting any of our walks: love-wrexham.com/walk-disclaimer.
Pre-Walk Directions
Start the walk by the McDonald’s car park just outside Chirk (LL14 5AZ; WhatThreeWords: webcams.number.weds). Turn off the A483 at the Halton roundabout following the directions for Halton. Take the second exit at “2 o’clock” off the mini roundabout to get to the car park.
Walk Directions
Halton Mission Church
Turn left as you exit the car park and walk over the roundabout following the signpost for “Halton, Black Park and Maesyparc”.
Walk past the front of the attractive building with the green corrugated roof after about three minutes. Although the name on the gate is Halton Mission Church, this is actually a private residence. Turn right immediately after the house and onto Green Lane (1)
Walk down Green Lane for about eight minutes. Hop over the first wooden stile on your left next to the green metal public footpath sign. Follow the fence and hedge line to your right for about five minutes. Hop over the stile onto the lane.
Turn right and then left almost straightaway over the very rickety stile. Look at the two metal sheep feeders ahead of you – you should see a stile in the fence beyond them and to the right.
Four Stiles
Use the stile to exit the field. You’ll now head diagonally right (or roughly southeast) for about 15 minutes across four fields and three stiles. Climb over the fourth stile and follow the right-hand hedge and fence line downhill to the right-hand corner of the next field (2).
As you reach the corner by the second large oak tree, walk through the more overgrown section and exit the field over the stile.
Once over the stile, make for the far-left corner of the field at the bottom of the slope. Be careful crossing the stile as it’s slippery and the other side doesn’t really protrude very much. The metal cattle gate to the right might be a better idea.
Over The River Ceiriog
Turn left once on the lane. After a minute or so, you’ll cross a bridge over the River Ceiriog and pass from Wales into England (3).
Continue along the lane for a couple of minutes. Leave it at the point where the lane bends to the right by a farmhouse with a tree shaped like a minion on the grassy bank in front of it (4).
Take the track dead ahead and walk past the left of the farmhouse. Go through the gate with the “Livestock Ahead” sign and follow the track to the right around the hedgeline of a field. At the red brick farm outbuilding, leave the track and take the path uphill to the right (5).
Lots of pheasants were running around this section of the walk!
Stay on the path as it twists to the left and then to the right. It’ll take you up the slope, through a gate, and to a large wooded area with a path running across you.
Two Moss-Covered Caravans
Turn right along the woodland path and stay on it for about 10 minutes. You’ll go through a wooden gate and walk between two dilapidated mossy caravans (6) and to the left of a house with some barking dogs.
Carry on until you reach a rather poorly maintained lane running across you. Turn left and climb the wooden steps up to the stile on your right (7). Turn sharp left once over the stile, go through the gate and turn right.
Follow the fence topped with the two strands of green barbed wire. You should really be following the path below you and to your right, but a fallen tree is blocking it.
Work your way to the right at the end of the barbed wire fence and start hugging the tree and fence line. More pheasants!
Bramble Wood
Go through the first of four metal kissing gates, crossing a short stretch of field every time. Once through the fourth gate, you’ll find yourself on a path through Bramble Wood.
The path is fairly easy to follow, but if you find it disappears temporarily, follow the general direction of the field border above you to your left. You’ll soon come to some outbuildings, which you walk around to the right of.
The path then brings you out on a lane in front of the house called Woodside. Turn right down the hill. You’ll hear the sound of running water on your right (8).
Walk a little further and you’ll see the stream you heard a few seconds earlier. Pass the house the stream belongs on your right (Firbank) and continue along the lane for about five minutes.
Ifton Meadows Nature Reserve
Ifton Meadows Nature Reserve is about half a mile to your left as the crow flies, but you would have to take quite a detour to reach it.
Turn right when you reach the junction. Hop over the stile on your left after about a minute by the wooden footpath indicator path. Walk through the left-hand gap between the trees in front of you.
Make the steep ascent in front of you. Your exit is over the fallen stile in the very top left-hand corner of the field (9).
Walk along the path at the top of the slope with the fence and hedge line to your right. Hop over the stile after a few minutes just before the white house. Turn right along Rhyn Lane and follow it for about nine minutes.
Rhyn Lane
Go straight across at the junction and continue along Rhyn Lane for another four minutes or so. On the way, you’ll cross a bridge over the River Ceiriog again.
** Ignore the footpath on the left straight after the bridge because the path beyond requires you to take a dangerously rickety stile. **
Walk along the lane for a few minutes and then hop over the stile on your left just past the cream house with a mock Tudor gable end. Walk the short distance up the field to another stile.
Turn left once you’re on the lane. You’ll take the stile on the right next to the green metal footpath sign after a minute or so.
An electric fence had been placed across the field, but it’s now lying on the ground. You’re on a public footpath so you’re within your rights to step over or duck under it if it’s been replaced and continue across the field.
A White Post
Head to the right of the oak tree that you can see the top of. As you reach the brow of the slope, you’ll see a white post marking a gas line in the hedge to the right. The stile you take to exit the field is just before that.
Turn right once you’re on the lane. Walk along it for a few minutes. The road bends to the right and you take the stile on the left by the green public footpath post that’s missing the arrow piece.
Take care walking through the narrow bush-lined “corridor” where the stile is as you’re flanked by holly, nettles and hawthorn.
In the next field, follow the left-hand hedgeline and hop over the stile. Turn left along the grassy track and right as it opens out into a slightly wider paddock-type area. You’ll see three metal cattle gates to your right; the middle one has a stile next to it, which you use to exit this area (10).
Follow the fence line to your left and exit the field over the stile or through the gate. You’re now back on Green Lane. Turn right and walk past the first stile you took at the beginning of the walk, and retrace your steps back to the car park.
Congratulations! You have finished the walk! If you’d like to see some more of our walks, click here.
