Flintshire Accommodation

Point of Ayr Lighthouse at the tip of the Dee Estuary

Talacre Warren Nature Reserve - perfect Birdwatching Territory

Views across the Dee Estuary over to West Kirby & Hilbre

Bridge at Carrog, River Dee

River Dee, Estuary Birdwatching, RSPB Site, Flintshire Wales

With the holiday North Coast of Wales having such a high profile, the county of Flintshire and the Dee Estuary, a haven for birdwatchers, often gets missed on the North Wales trail! You're missing much though if you overlook this region. There's a host of historical attractions to explore, particularly Flint Castle and St Winefride's Well in Holywell.

Birdwatchers will be in their element at the RSPB reserve at the Point of Ayr on the northern tip, plus take in other nature reserves at the Gronant Sand Dunes and Connah's Quay Nature Reserve. Stay in the bustling market town of Mold, with it's many restaurants and inns, plus the Clwydian Range just on your doorstep offering stunning walking territory and a superb arts centre offering cutting edge drama, film and art galleries.

Conservation, Birdwatching & RSPB Sites - Connah's Quay, Talacre and Point of Ayr

Birdwatchers are in for some treats with two excellent natures reserves, the RSPB Point of Ayr Nature Reserve and the Dee Estuary Connah's Quay Nature Reserve. (see weblinks right for details). Connah's Quay Nature Reserve consists of a variety of habitats - 9 in all including open water, mudflats, grassland, scrub, saltmarch, wetland meadow and woodland to mention a few. A pariticular feature on the reserve is the open water. Incoming tides roll in twice daily over the mudflats meeting with the River Dee. As the tide recedes it leaves organic material which serves as food on the mudflats for a range of invertebrates.

The Bunded Pools and Wetland Meadow (courtesy of Powergen!) are home to numerous waders and wildfowl. On the Wetland Meadow expect to see skylarks, meadow pipits and lapwings. The areas being developed to encourage breeding birds. Checkout the Dee Estuary weblink right for more details - this site also contains news and views from the hardworking Dee Estuary Conservation Group.

Moving up to the northern tip of the Dee Estuary on the Welsh side you'll find the RSPB Nature Reserve at the Point of Ayr. (weblink right for RSPB). This is the place to be to view estuary birds! Winter is best when wading birds and wildowl come to feed on the mudflats in their thousands. At high tide the birds move onto the saltmarches here. There are numerous walking trails around Talacre, and sublime views of the Dee Estuary and across to West Kirby and Hoylake. The distinctive Point of Ayr Lighthouse is actually a superb spot for sea watching and spotting Leach's Petrell.

Just behind the beach at the Point of Ayr are sand dunes and marsh where you can see Whinchat, Stonechat, Skylarks and Warblers to mention a few. To see migrant birds checkout Talacre Warren situated between Station Road and the lighthouse. The area is very well marked, with trails and birding information. Beyond Talacre towards Prestatyn are the Gronant Sand Dunes and a sublime wild area of marshland. See Shore Larks and Snow Buntings around the lake here in winter. The Beach area off Gronant is used for roosting by Cormorants and some Tern species in summer. Point of Ayr Dee Estuary Nature Reserve, nr Prestatyn, Flintshire. Tel: 0151 3367681.

Flint and Holywell Flintshire

Flintshire is a Welsh county bordering the Dee Estuary of great interest, particularly for historic sites - there's a few Welsh Castles in these parts. The main centres are Flint, Holywell and Mold. All three are old market towns (both Flint and Mold still have weekly markets - Flint Market is on Fridays on Market Square and Mold's market is on Wednesdays and Saturdays on the High Street).

Flint Castle (what remains of it now after Civil War onslaught) faces onto the Dee Estuary and was built by Edward 1. Work commenced on it in 1277, and 7 years later Flintshire was established as a county. Part of a network of castles built across North Wales to keep the Welsh down after the strong uprisings led by Llwelyn ab Iorwerth, the Great and Llwyelyn ap Gruffydd, the Last. Flint was a strategic site chosen by Edward I - supplies could come in here by both sea and land. Check out the Flint Castle weblink right for a detailed history from the superb Castles of Wales website.

Holywell's claim to fame is as a site for pilgrimage, specifically to St Winefride's Well. Pilgrims have been coming here to the well since the 7th century! The legend has it that a well spouted up here when Winefride's potential rapist Caradog cut off her head. Don't panic, she came back to life to life another 22 years, serving as a nun. Certainly a Welsh woman called St Winefride existed. You can visit St Winefride's Well in Holywell (see weblink right). It's open to the public, and you can still bathe in the well! St Winefride's Chapel, dating from the 16th century is also on-site. Royalty has made pilgrimages to this Welsh well, from Richard I to the Duchess of Gloucester!

Take a look at the superb local Tourist guide weblink to the right for Holywell, and the local history website for Flint. Both are excellent and informative. As you dig deeper into the history of this area, particularly around Flint you'll discover a history of mining up here too (covered well on the Flint local history weblink). Copper and lead were mined around here as well as some coal.

Dee Estuary Golf Courses Wales

The Dee Estuary coast on the Welsh side is blessed with a good choice of excellent golf courses, particularly around Holywell. Holywell Golf Club. Brynford, Holywell, Flintshire CH8 8LQ. Tel: 01352 713937. Holywell Golf Club's website is to the right. This golf course is an 18 hole challenging links type course. Visitors are welcome during the week without appointment. You'll need to pre-book on weekends and Bank Holidays.

Kinsale Golf Club, Llanerchymor, Holywell CH8 9DX. Tel: 01745 561080. A warm welcome to visitors at this 9 hole golf course. It's a pretty parkland golf course this one, directly adjacent to the River Dee (watch out for astray shots!). Old Padeswood Golf Club, Station Road, Padeswood, Mold, Flintshire CH7 4JL. Tel: 01244 547401. (weblink right)

Pennant Park Golf Club, Whitford, Holywell, Flintshire, CH8 9AE. 01745 563000. (weblink right for details). Mountain Park Hotel & Golf Club, Northop Road, Flint Mountain, Flintshire CH6 5QG. Tel: 01352 736000. (weblink right - a 9 hole course in pretty rural surrounds. Special Golf Breaks available) .

Wepre Park Golf Club, Connah's Quay, Flintshire. Tel: 01244 822090. Hawarden Golf Club, Groomsdale Lane, Hawarden, Flintshire, CH5 3EH. Tel: 01244 531447. (weblink right). Flint Golf Club, Flint. Tel: 01352 732327. (weblink right - a 9 hole challenging North Wales Golf Course).

The Flintshire Leisure Drive

As you're moving around Flintshire you'll notice brown/yellow signs with the red dragon on and 'Tour/Taith', directing you to sites on the Flintshire Leisure Drive. It was a good idea this one, consisting of an 83 mile leisure drive divided into 9 sections. Each of the signposts has a number, and you can pick up a booklet guide from any of the tourist information centres in the area.

The recommended starting point is Mold (the A541 Denbigh Road), and the drive continues through the historic industrial landscape of Halkyn Mountain pass the iron age hillfort of Moel y Gaer. Lead mining in the Halkyn Mountain area dates from as far back as the Roman period all the way upto the 1970s when the last mine closed round here. You're climbing quite high up in the car, so expect wonderful views of the Dee Estuary. (the village of Brynford is 750 feet above sea level). Villages on the tour include pretty Whitford, Llanasa and Glan Yr Afon. If you like gardens Llanasa is the place to head.

All the main historic centres including Flint, Holywell and Hawarden are included in the leisure drive. Hotspots include the delightful limestone built village of Nannerch backed on by the Clwydian Range. Highly recommended, the Flintshire leisure drive is a superb way to discover Flintshire by road, exploring many of the pretty historic villages in the county. Download the leaflet from the Flintshire local government weblink right.

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