This month’s walk explores one of the remotest corners of the county, tracing green meadows and quiet country lanes to the east of Penley.
Pre-Amble
The walk is easy-going and is pretty much flat for the whole distance. There’s plenty of variety, and you’ll see some amazing views. You’ll walk through fields of wheat, down country lanes and along old drover trails.
The walk is just under 5 miles, and you should be able to complete it in about 2½-3 hours. The gentle nature of the ramble is reflected in the climb of only 244 feet (42 metres) and the high point of 252 feet (33 metres).
The route seemed reasonably dog-friendly. However, you will encounter a few cows, so you will have to keep a dog on a lead during those sections. You also walk along a busy main road for about a quarter of a mile.
Starting Point
Head for Overton if you’re coming from Wrexham and take the A539 into Penley. I started by the Maelor School on the A539 (what3words.com/onwards.sleepers.overruns). There is parking available on the side streets around that area.
Maelor School
Start with your back to Maelor School. Cross the road and walk a few yards down Penley Hall Drive. Turn right down Parc Pendas and walk along the left-hand pavement. The pavement splits after about 50 yards; ignore the right-hand fork as the road turns around to the right. Stay on the left-hand pavement and walk up to the line of terraced houses in front of you (1). As you reach the three trees, you’ll see there’s a footpath sign on the lamppost on your left.
Turn left, and you’ll see two hedges in front of you, one to your right and one running across in front of you. Walk to the end of the hedge on your right and then turn right down the almost hidden footpath. Go through the metal gate 50 yards further on. Follow the path around to the left and then as it bends around to the right. There’s a wood on your right. Carry on along the narrow grassy track, and you’ll walk past a wooden post and rail with a yellow Maelor Way arrow on it.
As you reach the end of the garden on the left, go down some wooden steps cut into the bank, over a short wooden bridge with a metal lattice over it (2). Go through a metal gate and then up some more wooden steps cut into the bank on the other side of the dip.
Into The Dip
You’ll see a large oak tree straight across the field in front of you. Head for the stile that is about 50 yards to the left of that oak tree (3).
Use the stile to exit the field. Head slightly diagonally left through the field of short grass and thistles, aiming for a pair of oak trees. You’ll see the stile you need to take to exit the field just to the left of them. Hop over the stile, and you walk over the double vehicle tracks in the grass in front of you. You’ll see a large wood over to your left. Walk straight across the field.
As you approach the far hedgeline, you’ll see a wooden post with a yellow Maelor Way marker on it. Just beyond that are some more wooden steps cut into the bank. Go down into the dip, over a wooden bridge and then up the steps into the field. Walk straight across. As you approach the far hedge and tree line, you’ll see a metal gate a short way down the slope ahead of you (4).
Go through the gate, down into the dip, over the wooden bridge and up the other side.
IMPORTANT: [The farmer has divided this field into two, and, as a word of warning, there is a ‘Bull In Field’ on the gate as you exit the field onto the lane. I didn’t see hide nor hair of any bull, but please be aware in case there should be one in there.]
Bryn Lane
Go through the gate and follow the right-hand hedge line. Untie the rope that holds the pallet gate closed (5), and go straight on a few yards before exiting the field through the kissing gate onto Bryn Lane.
Turn right and then almost immediately left. Walk along the lane for about 0.6 of a mile until you reach the point with the solitary oak tree and the green metal footpath sign directing you off the lane to the right (6).
Follow the sign off the lane to the right and walk along what looks like an old drovers trail for about six to seven minutes or a quarter of a mile. Turn right as you come out onto a country lane (7) and walk along it for about 10 minutes or 0.4 of a mile until you reach a junction.
IMPORTANT: [You probably notice a green metal footpath sign a short way before the junction. We were going to turn right there, but as you can see, there is no access point as it is completely overgrown]
Turn right at the junction (8) and walk for about four minutes or just under a quarter of a mile.
You’ll cross a bridge with a wooden rail on either side and immediately afterwards, you’ll see a green metal footpath on your right next to a step down into a field. Ignore that and walk on for a few yards and turn right through the double metal gates so you’re walking along the stony path (9).
I’m not sure why the public footpath makes you walk along the edge of the field, but it’s uncomfortable going, and you divert left after a few yards onto the stony track anyway.
A539
Walk along the track for about five minutes until you reach the wooden fence with the horses in the field on the left and the outbuildings on the right (10).
The public footpath breaks off to the right here, but it’s much easier to continue walking along the track behind the farm buildings. Carry straight on, and you’re back on the public footpath after about 50 yards.
Keep following the stony track for another seven to eight minutes or about a quarter of a mile. Turn right when you reach the A539 Penley to Hanmer road. This road can be quite busy, although it was very quiet when I walked along it. You have to walk on the road surface itself, but there’s a grass verge you can step onto on the right if any traffic comes the other way.
Tarts Hill Lane
After about a quarter of a mile, you’ll come to a turning on your right. Cross the road and hop over the stile opposite (11).
Follow the left-hand hedge line for a couple of minutes and then exit the field using the stile in front of the great oak. Once over the stile, turn right and follow the right-hand hedge line, heading for the double metal gates. There’s no stile to exit this field, so you have to climb over the gates.
Cross Tarts Hill Lane and hop over the rather dilapidated stile with the narrow step (it is solid as a rock, though, which is more than I can say for the fence). Follow the left-hand hedge line. After a few minutes you’ll see the hedge angle away from you. Keep on going in the same direction.
Grange Road
You’ll notice a blasted oak ahead of you and slightly to the right. As you near the stretch of hedge to the left of that blasted oak, you’ll see the stile you use to exit this field in the corner ahead of you, just beyond the overgrown pond. Once over the stile, keep on following the left-hand hedge line.
When you get to the corner of the field, you’ll see a wooden bar on your left going across the corner and beyond that a stile. Duck under the wooden bar and step over the stile onto the lane (12).
Turn right and walk along the deserted Grange Road for about a mile. Turn left at the T-junction as you find yourself back on the A539 and walk for about four minutes until you arrive back at the Maelor School.
Congratulations – you have finished the walk!
We hope you enjoyed reading “Walk of the Month: The Penley Eastern Loop”. Click here for more articles about countryside walks around Wrexham.
