contents - Wrexham County Borough Council

hello
world
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wrexham

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Hello. It’s good to meet you.
Because this is the start of a special conversation.
Between you and Wrexham.
Maybe you’re learning about the county borough for the
first time. Thinking of visiting or studying here. Or setting
up a business.
Maybe you’ve lived here for a long time and know what
Wrexham is about. Or just need a little reminder.
It doesn’t matter. The message is simple. Wrexham is a great
place to be. A place where you (and the people you love)
can live, work and play.
Somewhere you can dream your dreams, be creative, do your thing.
So turn this page and learn about the things that make
life good.
And when you’ve finished? Grab your smart phone. Pick up
your tablet. Turn on your PC. Then follow, tweet, like.
And if you’re not into apps, facebooking, tweeting or
receiving e-blasts, just pick up the phone. We love that too.
Talk to us. Because Wrexham is saying ‘hello’.
www.wrexhamsayshello.co.uk

Find us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/wxmsayshello
Follow us on Twitter
#wxmsayshello
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www.wrexhamsayshello.co.uk
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Powered by the Wrexham Tomorrow ideology.
Written and produced by Assets and Economic
Development, Wrexham County Borough
Council.
Designed by White Fox 01352 840898
www.whitefox-design.co.uk
Photography contributors include Eye Imagery,
Crown Copyright (2012) Visit Wales, Glyndwˆr
University, Football Association of Wales,
Getty Images, Macesport and Moneypenny.
Available in alternative formats and in Welsh.
While every effort has been made to ensure the
accuracy of this publication, Wrexham County
Borough Council can accept no
liability whatsoever for any errors,
inaccuracies or omissions,
or for any matter in any way
connected with or arising out of
the publication of the information
contained.
live 6
shopping and café culture 8
nightlife 12
countryside and villages 14
love 18
history and heritage 20
culture 26
famous sons and daughters 30
local produce 32
contents
pontcysyllte aqueduct centre
create 34
our business is to create 36
children of the sun 39
tiger, tiger burning bright 42
knowledge is power 42
your business: our business 44
play 46
sport 48
walking 54
park life 56
nature reserve 58
events 59
goodbye 60
maps 62
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So you think you’re
living the dream? If you
live in Wrexham County
Borough, you might be.
And if you visit, study or
work here, you might
get a taste for it.
www.wrexhamsayshello.co.uk

live
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shopping and café culture
As far as life’s little pleasures go, shopping
is right up there. We love it.
Leisurely shopping of course. The type
where you don’t have to rush and there’s
always time to enjoy a coffee with the
morning newspaper or a swish interior
design magazine.
Maybe grab something to eat. No itinerary.
Just possibilities.
Well, here’s the good news. That’s exactly
the kind of shopping we do in Wrexham.
The type that’s made to be enjoyed. A
social occasion.
big name brands
Eagles Meadow
Let’s start with Eagles Meadow. Since
opening in 2008, this trendy retail spot
has helped fire Wrexham up the official
shopping leagues.
It occupies eight acres of the town centre
and has a lovely cosmopolitan feel to it.
Open space, water features, lovely stone
and slate materials, penthouse apartments
and a hint of café culture. Very nice.
You’ll find big retailers like Debenhams,
Marks and Spencer, Next and a myriad of
well-known fashion brands. Frothy lattes
and cup cakes at places like Starbucks

and Costa. And mobile-phone shops
offering the latest gadgets and gizmos to
keep you talking, texting and tweeting.
There’s also an Odeon Cinema, lots of
restaurants and a Tenpin bowling centre
(you can find out more about that on
page 12).
And the icing on the cake? Lots and lots of
car-parking (970 spaces to be precise). So
you never need to fret about where to
park your motor.
Life is good.
Eagles Meadow
www.eagles-meadow.co.uk
independents
So we do big and beautiful, but we also
do small and perfectly formed.
Alongside our big retail spaces we have
historic streets like Town Hill, Bank Street
and Temple Row, and lots of independent
and quirky little shops that give the town
its heart and charm. Ideal for people
who don’t follow the crowd and like
something different.
Shopping for free-thinkers.
Fashion boutiques, jewellers, photographers’
studios, shops with jars of old fashioned
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sweets filled to the brim. Swizzle-bombs,
sugar-twirls and other delights that make
you feel like a 10-year-old again.
www.wrexham.towntalk.co.uk
markets
You’ll notice something else when you
shop in Wrexham. We like to chat. It
comes with being a market town.
We’ve got three covered markets and one
weekly outdoor market in the town
centre, selling everything from sausages
and steak to furniture and fashion. And
the friendly banter is free. Bargain.
The Butchers’ Market, General Market and
People’s Market are open Monday to
Saturday (although the first two do close
early on a Wednesday).
And the weekly outdoor market is held
every Monday. On Queens Square to be
precise. And did we mention it’s one of
the biggest in North Wales?
There’s also various craft and local
produce sold at events across the county
borough. An example? Try the monthly
farmers’ market at St Margaret’s Church in
Garden Village.
Wrexham Tourist Information Centre
01978 292015

etail parks
Over the past decade, Wrexham has been
one of the fastest growing retail centres
in the UK.
Fact: 615,000 square feet of new shop
floor space built since 1999. Somebody
somewhere has been doing some pretty
serious shopping.
A lot of this growth is down to the various
retail parks that have sprung up in and
around the town centre, including Central,
Plas Coch and Island Green – all with lots
of parking.
You’ll find loads of big name retailers
selling everything from sports-wear to
electrical goods, and from furniture to
food and drink.
town centre parks
Now a word of caution. Shopping is great,
but sometimes you just need to ‘chill’.
Take a break from the energy of the
crowds and put those shopping bags
down for a minute.
Open spaces like Llwyn Isaf and Bellevue
Park provide lovely spots of calm near the
town centre, where you can relax and
admire your savvy purchases.
Places to try a few skateboarding tricks,
throw a Frisbee or just sit in the sunshine.
With an ice-cream? Happy days.
out of town shopping
Keep your eyes peeled. Wrexham’s countryside
offers retail therapy in surprising places.
Like the Plassey Craft and Retail Centre.
Set in 247 acres of parkland near
Bangor-on-Dee, it has 25 outlets including
an interior designer, boutique, blacksmith,
garden centre, tea-shop and restaurant.
01978 780277
www.plassey.com
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nightlife
It’s true. You’re never too old to party.
So it’s a good thing that Wrexham town
centre is buzzing at night. Restaurants,
bars, nightclubs, cinema, tenpin bowling.
It’s all here.
If you were down with the kids, you
might say it was ‘phat’. Or ‘the bomb’.
But this guide has been written by people
in their 30s, so let’s not go there.
bowling, cinema and restaurants
There’s something dangerously addictive
about tenpin bowling. The light show, the
music, the clatter of pins.
And when you get a strike, you just want
to hear that noise again and again.
Welcome to the razzmatazz of Tenpin at
Eagles Meadow. A state-of-the-art
24-lane centre that’s bringing a little bit of
America to the heart of Wrexham.
“Bowling is one of the few activities that
everyone can enjoy,” says manager Vince
Brown. “It’s for all ages, regardless of ability.”
And when you’ve finished? Well, catch a
movie at the eight-screen Odeon right
next door or enjoy a post-strike
celebration at restaurants like Nando’s,
Pizza Express and Frankie and Benny’s.
www.tenpin.co.uk
www.eagles-meadow.co.uk
Tenpin bowling

nightclubs and live music
We wouldn’t say Wrexham never sleeps.
But it stays up late enough to satisfy even
the most serious party animal.
Trendy bars, leather sofas, dancer podiums,
LED colour washes. Names like The Bank,
Voodoo Moon, L’Etage, Ironworks and
Envy trip off the tongues of Saturday
night adventurers deciding where to go next.
And if you’re into live music, you’re onto a
winner. Central Station and its downstairs
venue Yales Café Bar offers a heady mix
of gigs, club nights and comedy.
The Magic Numbers, Charlatans, The
Kooks, Kasabian. They’ve all played there.
Plus some very talented local bands.
You can also check out a raft of other live
music venues, including the student bar at
Glyndwˆ r University.
www.wrexhammusic.co.uk
www.centralstationvenue.com
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countryside and villages
Lush hedgerows, thatched roofs, cute
cottages, charming old pubs.
Sounds like a set off Midsomer Murders,
but we’re talking about some of the idyllic
villages in Wrexham County Borough. And
– you’ll be relieved to know – the average
life expectancy is somewhat better than
in the fictional TV detective drama.
One of the great things about Wrexham is
that we have the best of both urban and rural
life. A bustling, modern town surrounded
by lovely countryside and delightful villages.
And you can get from one to the other in
the blink of an eye.
Here’s a little snapshot of some of our
rural towns and villages.
gresford
In 15 th century All Saints, Gresford has
one of the loveliest churches in Wales.
Plus a pond so large, it often gets called
‘The Lake’.
Just down the road near Gresford Heath,
there’s a memorial to the saddest day in
Wrexham’s history. September 22nd
1934, when 266 men lost their lives in a
colliery disaster.
www.gresford.org.uk
The Lake, Gresford

ossett
Art lovers may recognise Upper Mill on
the river Alyn at Rossett. It was sketched
by JMW Turner in 1795.
He was a little too early to call in for
refreshment at the Victorian halftimbered
Cocoa Rooms (now a bank).
They were built to tempt young men
away from the village pubs. Which, you
may be glad to know, are still standing
and still doing a roaring trade.
www.rossett.org.uk
Upper Mill, Rossett
holt
OK. It’s not exactly Checkpoint Charlie.
But stroll from Holt across the Old
Dee Bridge and you’ll be in another
country – England.
Other remarkable ancient structures
include the ruins of Holt Castle and St
Chad’s Church – one of the few surviving
examples of medieval design gone
seriously wrong. It still looks lovely
though.
www.holtvillage.co.uk
Chirk Castle
Holt Bridge
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overton
Overton is so stuffed with historic buildings
that it’s been designated a conservation area.
Look out for Dispensary Row – a set of
neo-Gothic terraced cottages with arched
doorways and windows. And its extrawide
High Street, redesigned in grand
style after Edward I granted the village
borough status.
www.overton-on-dee.co.uk
bangor-on-dee
Stunningly set on the River Dee, Bangor is
reached by a hump-backed medieval
stone bridge. There’s fishing on the river,
golf nearby and horse racing just a few
hundred yards from the village centre.
www.bangorondeecommunitycouncil.co.uk
chirk and the ceiriog valley
Chirk has an embarrassment of riches for
a small town. An aqueduct by Thomas
Telford. A viaduct by Henry Robertson. A
great castle built by Edward I. And a
championship golf course.
It’s also a gateway to one of the most
beautiful valleys in Wales – the Ceiriog
Valley (find out more on page 54).
www.chirkandtheceiriogvalley.co.uk
Dispensary Row, Overton Bangor-on-Dee
Chirk Castle
Overton Bridge

uabon
This is a village with a long history. There’s
evidence of a bronze-age settlement and
the Roundhouse or Old Gaol in Bridge
Street is one of just three remaining
medieval lock-ups in Wales. And if you
wonder down High Street, you’ll notice
Victorian houses built with the worldfamous
Ruabon red-brick.
There’s also the impressive Wynnstay
Gates in Park Street and we just have to
mention The Bridge End – recently named
best pub in Britain by those real ale
connoisseurs at CAMRA. It also brews
award-winning beer.
www.ruabon.com
hanmer
Owain Glyndwˆ r, perhaps the greatest
Welshman of all time, got married in the
church at Hanmer in 1383. That one
burnt down, but don’t be disappointed. Its
replacement is the most strikingly situated
in the whole of the county borough.
You approach from a mere, or glacial lake,
teeming with crested grebe, swans and
Canada geese. You enter a set of ornate
iron gates, pass through a large graveyard
which sweeps uphill to the church. And
you prepare to be amazed.
erbistock
Chirk Aqueduct and Viaduct
The narrow, wooded lane that winds from
Overton Bridge past the Garden House
leads nowhere – except to one of the
loveliest villages in Wrexham.
Erbistock’s setting on the banks of the Dee
has inspired painters and photographers
for centuries. There’s a beautiful pub and
restaurant called The Boat, which dates back
to the 13 th century. And an unexpectedly
grand neo-Gothic church.
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www.wrexhamsayshello.co.uk
love

It’s true what they say.
Love makes the world go
round. And there’s a lot
to love about this place.
Its history, personality,
culture. Live Wrexham.
Love Wrexham.
The New Kitchen at Erddig
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history and heritage
When Thomas Telford finished his
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in 1805, it was the
tallest navigable canal boat crossing in the
world.
It still is. And it’s still taking passengers on
the ride of their lives. But now it’s on the
world map.
Because in 2009, UNESCO made this
masterpiece of civil engineering a World
Heritage Site – along with 11 miles of
canal, including Chirk Aqueduct and parts
of neighbouring Denbighshire and
Shropshire.
The thing is, we don’t want to tell you
the whole story straight-away. We want
to keep something back. Keep you
interested.
So we’ll explain everything later in our
World Heritage Site micro-guide, which is
rather handily reproduced in the middle
of this booklet.
national trust properties
Next time you’re clipping your privet,
spare a thought for the head gardener at
Chirk Castle.
The yew hedges are so enormous it takes
a team of three men about eight weeks

to give them a short back and sides. All
wielding electric trimmers. And generating
three tonnes of clippings.
Imagine getting that lot in your green
wheelie bin. It’s all worth it, mind. The
gardens were once voted the best in the
National Trust.
The castle itself is a Marcher fortress
dating from 1310. But this is no ruin. In
fact, it’s been lived in for the last 700
years. The grand 18 th century state
apartments are crammed with elaborate
plasterwork, Adam-style furniture,
tapestries and portraits.
Chirk Castle Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
And the tea room does a terrific
home-made bara brith (a type of fruit-bread).
Our other National Trust property (we
don’t like to brag, but yes – we have two)
is Erddig.
If you were hooked on the recent TV series
Downton Abbey, you’ll know what we
mean when we say Erddig is an ‘upstairsdownstairs’
kind of place. Because this
stately home has as much to say about
the lives of its servants as its owners.
Chirk Castle 01691 777701
Erddig 01978 355314
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
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wrexham county borough
museum
Now indulge us. Imagine you’re back in
school (unless you are still in school).
You’re told to write an essay on the history
of Wrexham from start to present.
Now you could reach for the lap-top and
have a chat with Mr Google (or any other
reliable search engine). But you’d have a
lot more fun heading down to the county
borough museum.
The building enjoyed something of a
makeover in 2010, with an impressive
new glass extension creating a lovely café
area, reception and shop.
There’s also lots of new interactive gadgets
and gizmos that bring the exhibitions to
life, telling Wrexham’s story through
modern technology.
Of course, it’s hard to tell what the
building’s most famous inhabitant makes
of all the changes. He’s a quiet sort of
guy. But then he is 3,500 years old.
Unearthed by workmen digging a trench
in Brymbo in 1958, ‘Brymbo Man’ was
nothing more than a celebrity skeleton
for a while. Then we asked Dr Caroline
Wilkinson of BBC’s Meet the Ancestors
to reconstruct his face. She’s a very
clever lady.
As for that essay? Top marks guaranteed.
01978 297460
www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage
Wrexham County Borough Museum

ersham ironworks and heritage
centre
When Bersham Ironworks was at its peak
in the 18 th century, its owner was known
as John ‘Iron Mad’ Wilkinson.
Now we admit he may have been a little
eccentric. And he certainly had a short
fuse (he fell out with James Watt, whose
steam engines were powering the
Industrial Revolution with the help of
cylinders made in Bersham).
But he was also a genius. He developed a
revolutionary process which allowed him
to bore cannon with great accuracy out
of solid cast metal.
Typically, he supplied weapons to both sides
in the American War of Independence.
And Bersham cannons were fired in many
of Britain’s campaigns in the Napoleonic
and Peninsular Wars.
Today, the visitor centre at Bersham
Ironworks offers curious minds the
chance to learn about one of Wrexham’s
most innovative – and eccentric – sons.
Check it out.
And while you’re there, visit the nearby
heritage centre. It holds all Wrexham’s
collections of industrial heritage and
explains how iron, coal and lead
transformed a small market town into an
economic powerhouse of the 18 th and
19 th centuries.
01978 318970
www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage
Bersham Ironworks
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coal and steel
Like much of Wales, Wrexham spent
most of the last century mining coal.
Feeding the furnace of Britain’s industrial
juggernaut.
Wrexham will always remember its mining
roots with pride, but there was a cost.
September 24, 1934. A huge explosion
deep underground at Gresford Colliery.
266 killed. Husbands, fathers, sons, brothers.
Wrexham has never forgotten them.
Steel was another pillar of the town’s
economy. At its height in the 1960s and
early 70s, Brymbo Steelworks would light
Miners’ memorial, Gresford
up the skyline with molten metal.
With over 2,000 workers toiling night and
day and some of the most modern
techniques in steel manufacture, it was
like a vision from Fritz Lang’s Metropolis
planted onto a Welsh hillside.
The site closed in 1990, but walk down
Lord Street in Wrexham town centre and
you’ll see a sculpted archway formed
from the figures of a miner and steelworker.
Wrexham has always believed in the future
(we’ll tell you more about that on page
34). But we’re proud of our past too.
www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage

exploring churches
The steeple of St Giles Church in Wrexham.
One hundred and thirty five feet high and
one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.
If you’re feeling energetic, book a tower
tour for stunning views across the whole
of Wrexham and beyond. And when
you’re done? Visit some of our other
churches.
As well as being places of prayer and
contemplation, these architectural treasures
bring the sometimes turbulent history of
our towns and villages vividly to life.
Take St Mary’s Church in Ruabon. Inside,
you’ll find a 15 th century wall painting and
a 16 th century font.
Outside, you’ll find an ornate Lych Gate
partly carved in local Wynnstay Oak and
dedicated as a Parish War Memorial in
1920 (when Britain was still coming to
terms with the huge loss of life inflicted
by the First World War).
At St Chad’s Church in Holt you can see
the bullet holes left by a skirmish between
Roundheads and Cavaliers during the English
Civil War.
And in St Mary’s Cathedral, Wrexham,
there is a chapel dedicated to the martyr
Richard Gwynne. Hung, drawn and quartered
in 1584 – and sainted in 1972.
Fifteen of our churches have come together
to form the Open Church Network. All
with their own compelling stories to tell.
And all committed to welcoming visitors.
St Giles Church 01978 355808
Wrexham Tourist Information Centre
01978 292015
Open Church Network
www.openchurchnetwork.co.uk
St Giles Church, Wrexham
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culture
We like culture in Wrexham.
We like it so much, we spent a whole year
celebrating it. 2011 was our official Year
of Culture, with over 300 events dedicated
to art, music, fashion and other creative
passions.
So where can you get a fix in 2012? Try this.
art
We don’t just look at art in Wrexham
(nice though that is). We like to get our
hands dirty.
Oriel Wrecsam is one of our leading arts
centres and a great place to see the very
best contemporary art and craft. But if
you come to any of the classes on offer,
be prepared to roll up your sleeves. We
reckon art should be interactive.
Oriel Sycharth Gallery at Glyndwˆ r University
features work by internationally famous
artists. And by those who might well be
famous one day – its own students.
The general public can also soak up
the ever-changing exhibitions at Yale
College’s Memorial Gallery for a few hours
every weekday.
Oriel Wrecsam 01978 292093
Oriel Sycharth Gallery www.glyndwr.ac.uk
Yale College Memorial Gallery
01978 311794

music
Music is the food of life. And in the 890seat
William Aston Hall at Glyndwˆr
University, Wrexham has a venue capable
of showcasing the best there is.
From classical (big names like the Hallé
Orchestra and the Welsh National Opera)
to swing, motown and pop. And you’ll
find even more music on campus in the
nearby Catrin Finch Centre.
Of course, it wouldn’t be right if we didn’t
have a few top-notch choirs in Wrexham.
Being Welsh and proud.
Fron Male Voice Choir
We’ve got Brymbo, Y Rhos, Rhos Orpheus
and Dyffryn Ceiriog for starters. Plus the
oldest boy-band in world – Fron Male
Voice Choir. The boys have become
rather famous since their Voices of the
Valley album stormed the charts.
Our choirs perform at various venues
throughout the year. You can sometimes
even sit in on rehearsals – and it doesn’t
cost you a penny.
Fron Male Voice Choir
www.fronchoir.com
Wrexham Tourist Information Centre
01978 292015
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theatre
Rhosllanerchrugog, just outside Wrexham,
is remarkable for many reasons.
It’s said to be the largest village in Wales.
It has several magnificent choirs. And it’s
home to Theatr Stiwt.
The venue, which hosts all sorts of drama
and musical performances, is as much a
centre for Welsh culture now as it was
back in 1926, when it first opened.
The intimate 150-seat Studio Theatre at
Yale College in Wrexham stages regular
Theatr Stiwt
productions, while the Riverside Studio
Theatre – home to Wrexham Musical
Theatre Society – is more bijou still,
seating 120.
Other stalwarts of the amateur scene include
Grove Park Theatre, whose productions
have been thrilling audiences since 1925.
Shows in 2012 include After Miss Julie,
Men of the World and Dracula.
Theatr Stiwt 01978 841300
www.stiwt.co.uk
Studio Theatre 01978 311794
Riverside Studio Theatre 01978 261148
Grove Park Theatre 01978 351091
www.groveparktheatre.co.uk

wrexham culture
We like culture. We like art, music, fashion
and everything else.
But like every place, Wrexham has a culture
of its own too. The little things that make
it what it is. Sometimes it’s hard to put
your finger on.
But if you stand on the terraces at the
Racecourse football stadium, together
with our fans, supporting our team, you
might understand.
If you walk into a pub and see walls
plastered with memorabilia that pays
homage to the original Wrexham Lager,
you might understand.
And if you sit in the back of a village hall
and listen to a male voice choir rehearse –
and feel the hair start to prickle on the
back of your neck – you might understand.
And if you see teenagers free-running on
Llwyn Isaf green – jump, flip, no room
for error – or young musicians with a
busted guitar amp unleashing their
creative dreams on the street corner,
you’ll probably understand.
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famous sons and
daughters
There are lots of people close to Wrexham’s
heart. Too many to mention here. From
celebrities proud of their roots to ‘ordinary’
people who’ve done something extraordinary.
We’d love to tell you about them all.
But for now, here’s one or two you may
have heard of.
Robbie Savage
robbie savage
He was feared as one of football’s hard-men.
He’s got the nicest hair on TV. And he
recently showed the world his mojo on
the dance floor.
The former Premiership star is a Wrexham
lad through and through, and took the
nation by storm in 2011 when he lined up
against other celebs for BBC’s Strictly
Come Dancing. We gave him a ‘10’. But
then, we were biased.
He’s also a prolific ‘tweeter’, with over half
a million Twitter followers.
Go to www.twitter.com and follow
@RobbieSavage8

Your micro-guide to the World Heritage Site. Quick and easy.
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
and Canal
www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk
11 miles of
world
heritage

Engraved portrait of Thomas Telford published on front cover of Atlas to the Life of Thomas Telford - Civil Engineer in 1838. Engraved by W. Raddon from a painting by S. Lane.
what the man would say
www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk
Wherever you look in life, it’s always the
same story: it’s only by working together
that we achieve great things.
People sometimes say that I built
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. That’s not true.
What I mean is, I didn’t do it on my own.
I had help.
Everyone that played a part – every
tradesman, labourer and horse – left their
mark on the world.
Because it’s still here today. Still telling its
story to the hundreds of thousands of
people who visit every year. Just like its older
brother, Chirk Aqueduct, the Horseshoe
Falls and the other canal structures we built.
We put them together piece by piece.
With guts, belief and vision.
And although the human race has done
great things since my day – split the atom,
put a man on the moon, invented
penicillin – Pontcysyllte still excites
people. Still exhilarates. Inspires.
I was proud of it in 1805. And if I was
among you today, I’d still be proud.
When you experience it, I hope you feel
the same.
Thomas Telford
Civil engineer 1757-1834

touched by genius
When Thomas Telford finished Pontcysyllte
Aqueduct in 1805, it was the tallest canal
boat crossing in the world.
It’s still there today. Still taking canal boat
passengers on the ride of their lives. But now
it’s on the world map.
In 2009 UNESCO made this masterpiece of
civil engineering a World Heritage Site –
along with 11 miles of canal including Chirk
Aqueduct and the Horseshoe Falls near
Llangollen.
Now it’s officially one of the greatest heritage
sites in the world, and on a par with places
like the Pyramids, the Taj Mahal and the
Acropolis.
When you see it, you’ll see something that
was touched by genius. Because Telford was
a true visionary.
He lived in a different age, but he was up
there with the likes of Apple founder Steve
Jobs, Microsoft’s Bill Gates or any other
modern forward-thinker. He was a man
ahead of his time.
It’s no exaggeration to say that techniques and
ideas developed at Pontcysyllte helped shape
the world through their impact on engineering.
But what’s really amazing is the way the
structure still captures people’s imagination.
Over 200 years after it was built.
It’s never lost its magic.

“Look, don’t touch.” Some heritage sites are just too fragile to handle. That’s not the
case here. Telford’s structures – like the man himself – were made from tough stuff.
So you don’t have to just stand back and admire our World Heritage Site from a
distance (inspiring though that is). You can experience it. In lots of different ways.
Try our top five for starters.
1. cross the aqueducts
Dare you cross the stream in the sky? And
can you do it without looking down? You can
walk across Pontcysyllte, or save your legs and
take a leisurely boat ride.
But there’s one thing you have to take with
you. A camera. The views are something else.
Chirk Aqueduct is just a few miles downstream.
And you could argue the views are even
lovelier.
A canter across will take you over the Welsh
border and into England.
And if you work up an appetite, just keep
walking past the pretty canal-bank cottages
to the Poachers Pocket pub. Or The Bridge
Inn. Good food and real ale are waiting.
2. explore the tunnels
If walking across the aqueducts gets your
pulse racing, wait until you tackle ‘the Darkie’.
A few yards into the tunnel and you realise
where it gets its name from. It’s seriously
dark, seriously long and once you’re halfway,
there’s no going back.
You can walk through it without a torch. It’s
quite an adventure. But maybe a torch is a
good idea?
3. walk the towpaths
It’s not all aqueducts and tunnels along the
11 miles of World Heritage Site. Walking
along the rest of the towpaths is a nice way
to spend a few hours.
Countryside rich in wildlife, sparse in people.
In other words, peace and quiet. Nice thinking
time if you’re by yourself. Catching up time if
you’re with someone special.

There are places to eat along the way. Like
the aptly-named Aqueduct pub at Froncysyllte.
The (also aptly named) Thomas Telford pub
at Trevor basin. Or the Sun Trevor pub, which
offers a welcome pit-stop halfway between
Pontcysyllte and Llangollen.
And the best bit? No hills. Not even Telford
could make water run upwards, so the canal
towpaths are nice and flat.
Although if you’re a serious walker, there are
lots of intriguing walks and trails just off the
towpaths, including the Ceiriog Valley Walk
(which is lovely) and the famous Offa’s Dyke.
4. float on a boat with Togg
People have been enjoying horse-drawn boat
trips from the canal wharf in Llangollen for
over 100 years.
In fact Togg, Geordie and the other horses
are pretty much celebrities these days. And
they appreciate the odd carrot for their efforts.
experience it
There are 45-minute trips along the canal,
and two-hour trips right up to the Horseshoe
Falls on certain days at peak season.
There are lots of relaxing ways to experience
the World Heritage Site, but a horse-drawn
boat trip takes some beating. Quietly gliding
across the water. Ducks and ducklings
pottering along the bank. And the madness
of the big wide world evaporating into mist.
5. see the horseshoe
The Horseshoe Falls is where it all starts. The
place where the canal draws its water from
the river.
It’s basically a man-made weir – shaped like a
horse-shoe. And like so many of Telford’s
creations, it only seems to enhance the
beauty of the landscape around it.
An example of man’s designs complementing
nature. How often do you see that?
www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk

when you’re finished
Don’t forget your camera. Or, better still, grab
a shot on your phone and share it with
friends via Flickr, Facebook, Instagram or
some other social media.
Let them see what they’re missing.
Then explore the rest of the World Heritage
Site and beyond.
Hire a boat. Or discover attractions like Llangollen
Steam Railway, Tyˆ Mawr Country Park and
Chirk Castle. All just a stone’s throw away.
Journey further afield into Wrexham,
Denbighshire and Shropshire and discover
gems like the National Trust property at
Erddig, the Clwydian Range Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty or the lakeside
market town of Ellesmere.
credits
Written and produced by Assets and Economic Development, Wrexham County
Borough Council, on behalf of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage
Site partnership.
Designed by White Fox 01352 840898 www.whitefox-design.co.uk
Photography contributors include Eye Imagery, Crown Copyright (2012) Visit Wales
and the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Illustration by Prodo Digital.
Available in alternative formats and in Welsh.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, Wrexham County Borough
Council and its partners can accept no liability whatsoever for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions, or for
any matter in any way connected with or arising out of the publication of the information contained.
www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk
You can find everything you need at
www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk
If you have a smart phone, just scan the QR
code. Or if you’re the “tweeting type” check
out our Facebook pages and Twitter feed.
And if you like to chat, we like that too. Pick
up the phone and contact one of our nearby
Tourist Information Centres:
Wrexham TIC
01978 292015
Oswestry Mile End TIC
01691 662488
Llangollen TIC
01978 860828
scan me

facebook.com/pontcysyllte-aqueduct
twitter.com/pontcysyllte

Now we’ve whetted your appetite, you’ll
want to know how to get here.
The site lies on the border between North
Wales and England and straddles three
counties – Denbighshire, Wrexham and
Shropshire.
You can get here by car (via the M53 or M56
from the North West, and the M54 from the
Midlands).
By train (Chirk station is just a hop and a skip
away from the site, and Ruabon just two or
three miles away with regular bus links).
Or by bus.
Horseshoe Falls
LLANGOLLEN
Heritage Zone
11 mile Heritage Site
River Dee
Scale/Graddfa 1:35000.
getting around the site
Heritage Zone
11 mile Heritage Site
River Dee
Scale/Graddfa 1:35000.
Llangollen Canal
River Dee
VALE OF LLANGOLLEN
Trevor Basin
www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk
FRONCYSYLLTE
CEFN
MAWR
Chirk Tunnel
United Nations
��������������������������
Cultural Organization
Pontcysyllte
Whitehurst Tunnel
CHIRK
Chirk
Aqueduct
Here are some useful contacts:
Arriva Trains Wales (Chester-Wrexham-
Shrewsbury) 08456 061660
www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk
Borderlands Line (Wrexham-Liverpool via
Bidston) www.borderlandsline.com
Virgin Trains (Wrexham-London Euston)
www.virgintrains.co.uk
Traveline Cymru 0871 200 2233
www.traveline-cymru.org.uk
Wrexham Bus Line 01978 266166
www.wrexham.gov.uk
Arriva Buses www.arriva.co.uk
PATRIMONIO MUNDIAL
� WORLD HERITAGE � PATRIMOINE MONDIAL �
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal
inscribed on the World
Heritage List in 2009

mark hughes
Russell Crowe
Another former footballer who became a
galactic name during his playing career
with Manchester United, Barcelona,
Bayern Munich and Chelsea.
‘Sparky’ learnt his goal-scoring skills on the
playing fields of Ruabon, where he grew up,
and has always been a great ambassador
for Wrexham and for Wales.
Has enjoyed a high-profile management
career since hanging up his boots.
russell crowe
OK. This is a bit tenuous! But did you
know that the Hollywood A-lister has an
interesting link with Wrexham?
Great grandparents Fred and Kezia lived
here before emigrating to Canada in 1925
with all of their children bar Russell’s
grandfather, John. He stayed behind to
run the family business before moving to
New Zealand.
So in a way, the star of films like Gladiator,
A Beautiful Mind and American Gangster
is one of Wrexham’s most famous grandsons.
Small world.
Go to www.twitter.com and follow
@russellcrowe
Mark Hughes
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local produce
Fact. Good food makes life taste better.
Good local food makes life taste great.
So if you don’t already know about the
food and drink being produced right here
in the county borough, it’s time you did.
local food first
Robert Didier is a man who knows his way
around the kitchen. He trained under the
legendary Raymond Blanc and tickled the
taste-buds of actor Sean Connery. Aka
James Bond.
So when Robert moved to North Wales in
2003 to set up a business making handmade
pastries, he knew what he was
doing.
And his trademark Tractor Wheel Pie is
becoming rather famous round these
parts.
In fact, there are stacks of very talented
people producing all sorts of wonderful
food and drink in Wrexham. The kind of
food that just makes you smile.
There’s the creamiest ice-cream made
by Richard on his Erbistock Farm. The
tantalising syrups and sauces made by
Guy and his family at their 16 th Century
home in Bettisfield – all made from the
blueberries he grows. And award-winning
bangers made by Mark at his farm in Eyton.
There are brewers, cheese-makers, vegetable
growers, honey-makers, hand-crafted jelly
producers, free-range egg farmers, chocolate
truffle-makers. The list goes on.
We even have a tea trader called Kim,
who sells a special blend of ‘Wrexham tea’
from her shop on High Street in the town
centre (called ‘Just Tea and Coffee’, which
makes perfect sense).
The point is, we think local food tastes
best. Which is why we’ve produced a
handy little online food directory to help
you find out what you can buy. And
where you can buy it.
Tuck in.
www.localfoodfirstwrexham.co.uk
Go to www.twitter.com and follow
@wrexfoodfirst

wrexham lager
It’s back! That’s right. The brand that
probably did as much to put Wrexham on
the map as anything else during the past
century, has finally returned.
Of course, it’s a slightly different tipple to
the drink which Carlsberg-Tetley called
time on in 2002.
But after years of waiting, you can once
again order a ‘pint of Wrexham’ in local pubs.
Brewed by the new Wrexham Lager Beer
Company using a recipe from the brand’s
1970s hey-day, the golden continentalstyle
lager has enjoyed favourable reviews
from connoisseurs.
But remember. You can have too much of
a good thing. Drink responsibly and check
out www.drinkaware.co.uk for the latest
guidance on alcohol consumption.
Go to www.twitter.com and follow
@WXM_Lager
33

34
www.wrexhamsayshello.co.uk
create

Everyone needs a ‘thing’.
A talent or skill they’re
known for. Something
that makes them stand
out. “That’s my thing.
That’s what I do.”
So what’s Wrexham’s
thing? The answer
is simple. Innovation.
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36
“our business is to create”
Wrexham has always played its part in
pushing the world forward with new ideas
and technology. We can’t help ourselves.
It’s in our blood.
From the radical techniques used by
Thomas Telford to build Pontcysyllte
Aqueduct over 200 years ago, to groundbreaking
work going on right here and
now at Glyndwˆ r University.
An example? The university is helping to
develop the world’s biggest telescope.
Helping to unlock the secrets of the universe.
Among many other things.
You see, Wrexham has always been kind
of obsessed with the future. Obsessed
with new ideas. New thinking.
We’re not saying everyone here will be
zipping around on hover boards by 2025.
But don’t bet against your gadgets of
tomorrow being dreamt-up in Wrexham.
To quote the poet Arthur O’Shaughnessy,
“…we are the dreamers of dreams”.
bright sparks
There are people in all walks of life who
are ‘visionaries’. They see things others
don’t. Problems are possibilities. Change is
opportunity.
Wrexham has more than its fair share of
bright sparks. Both individuals and
organisations. We can’t fit them all in
here, but here’s a taste.
Glyndwˆ r University

thomas telford
Built Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in 1805 using
radical techniques that influenced engineers
across the globe. Quite simply, Telford was
‘the man’.
john wilkinson
Patented new cannon-boring techniques
in the mid-1700s that revolutionised warfare.
Lord Nelson took them to sea on HMS
Victory. The rest, as they say, is history.
william low
Civil engineer who lived in Wrexham
and drew-up the first realistic plans for a
channel tunnel in the 1860s. Brilliant
engineer. Bad businessman.
Thomas Telford’s Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
elihu yale
Born in 1649. Gifted entrepreneur and
educationist who grew up near Wrexham
and made a generous donation to the
Collegiate School of Connecticut, USA.
They were pretty grateful. You can still see
a replica of the steeple of St Giles Church
in the grounds of what became known as
Yale University.
wrexham maelor hospital
At the cutting edge of medical research
and committed to developing ‘the healthcare
of the future’. In 2010, there were 135
projects involving patient trials, development
of medical devices and treatments.
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38
glyndwˆ r university
Where do we start? Developing mirrors
for the world’s biggest telescope in South
America. Working with Chinese universities
to push bio-engineering boundaries. The
list goes on. One of Wrexham’s busiest
innovators today.
www.glyndwr.ac.uk
moneypenny
Great example of entrepreneurial vision.
Founded in 2000, it was the first company
in the UK to provide professional callanswering
services. Received the Queen’s
Award for Enterprise in 2008. Now employs
nearly 250 staff and handles over 6.5
million calls a year.
www.moneypenny.co.uk
sharp manufacturing, llay
Cited as one of the biggest and most
advanced photovoltaic centres in the
world. Capable of producing up to 1.8
million solar panels a year. Wrexham is
plugging the world into the energy of the
future.
www.sharpmanufacturing.co.uk
cytec engineered materials
Part of the global giant Cytec Industries
Inc. Develops advanced materials for use
in high performance aircraft, road vehicles
and many other things. Even Formula One
race cars.
www.cytec.com/engineered-materials
nu instruments
Glyndwˆ r University
Founded in 1995. Designs state-of-the-art
scientific equipment used by boffins
all over the world. Specialises in mass
spectrometry. Complicated stuff.
Nu Instruments www.nu-ins.com
Wikipedia
www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_spectrometry

children of the sun
Power. It’s something we’re interested in.
Not in the same way Genghis Khan was.
World domination isn’t really our thing in
Wrexham.
We’re interested in helping to solve the
world’s energy problems.
People are using more energy, but fossil
fuels like natural gas are drying up. So
that’s a big problem.
Throw in the pollution created by fossil
fuels and concerns about nuclear power,
and things start to look scary.
Sharp Solar Centre
So the issue is pretty simple. The solution?
That’s not so simple. But it makes sense to do
two things: develop clean energy technology
and reduce fossil fuel consumption.
Wrexham is immersing itself in both and
doing its bit to keep the lights switched
on for future generations.
Proof? Visit the solar centre at Sharp
Manufacturing in Llay, and you’ll begin to
understand the science behind harnessing
energy from the sun.
The centre is open to schools, colleges,
universities and other groups, but you
have to book in advance. Please don’t just
turn up. They’re busy people.
39

40
Of course, Sharp is one of the world’s
truly elite corporations. They’ve been
working with solar technology – or
‘photovoltaics’ – since the 1960s, so it’s
safe to say they’re experts.
Now take a drive around Wrexham and
you’ll probably notice a lot of homes with
shiny new solar panels on the roofs.
Wrexham Council is busy fixing them to
3,000 council houses as part of a £20
million scheme. One of the biggest of its
kind in the UK.
The project will save around 3,000 tonnes
of CO2 emissions annually (the equivalent
to taking 1,000 cars off the road) and will
help reduce Wrexham’s carbon footprint.
What’s more, it’ll save council tenants up
to £300 a year on electricity bills.
Sharp Solar Centre
www.sharpmanufacturing.co.uk
Council housing solar project
www.wrexham.gov.uk

turn the lights off before you
leave
So we’re doing our bit to tackle climate
change. But it’s not all about building and
using solar technology.
We’re also making all those little
adjustments to our daily routines to
reduce our impact on the environment.
From the very simple (only boiling the
water you need in the kettle, turning off
the lights in empty rooms) to the more
challenging (growing your own food,
cutting down on car usage).
Through the innovative People Power
project, everyone in Wrexham is being
asked to make an online pledge to reduce
their energy use at home and at work.
Steve Connor, chief executive at the
marketing agency Creative Concern,
has been helping us bang the drum.
“The campaign asks the people of
Wrexham to decrease their own energy
consumption in simple, practical ways”,
he says.
“As a direct result of the project many
thousands of tonnes of CO2 emissions
will be saved and the county borough’s
total carbon footprint will drop.”
www.peoplepowerwrexham.org
build for the future
Now a futuristic place needs futuristic
buildings. Right? And that means buildings
that won’t cost the earth.
Plans to develop the town’s Western
Gateway into a low-carbon, mixed use
business park are gathering pace. And it’s
not just the environment that will benefit.
This hi-spec, hi-tech business park will
also help Wrexham attract more high
quality employers. And premium companies
will bring premium jobs.
Result.
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42
tiger, tiger burning bright
It was Napoleon that once described
China as a ‘sleeping giant’.
Well, the giant is awake and is now one
the world’s greatest economic powers. If
not the greatest. And neighbouring India
isn’t far behind.
University
Glyndwˆr
The statistics are frightening. For example,
China and India are producing an average
of one million engineering graduates per
year, compared with just 170,000 in the
USA and Europe.
These two Asian tiger economies are the
future.
Techniquest Glyndwˆr
So it’s a good thing that we’re pretty
handy at building international friendships.
Glyndwˆ r University is already working with
the College of Bio-engineering at Hubei
University of Technology in Wuhan.
It’s also one of a group of Welsh universities
helping to establish education and
training services in the Chongqing region.
What’s more, Wrexham Council is talking
to Chinese businesses looking to invest
and create jobs in the UK. The message?
Put your money into Wrexham. You won’t
regret it.
knowledge is power
“Space. The final frontier.”
OK. The tight costumes made it tricky to
take Captain James T Kirk and his Star Trek
buddies too seriously. But he had a point.

And Wrexham is doing its bit to help man
boldly go where no-one has gone before.
Because at Glyndwˆr University, scientists
are helping to develop mirrors for the
aptly-named ‘World’s Biggest Telescope’,
which will be based in South America.
These aren’t any old mirrors though.
They’re 1.5 metres wide and have to be
polished to within one billionth of a
metre – less than 1,000 th of the thickness
of a human hair.
The mirrors will be a vital component of
the telescope, so Wrexham will be playing
a crucial role in helping the world
penetrate the mysteries of the universe.
How impressive is that?
The telescope is just one example of the
university getting involved in innovative
projects. There’s lots of other stuff going
on. Stuff that feels very ‘brave new world’.
From students building solar-powered cars
to scientists pushing bio-technology frontiers
through work with Chinese universities.
love science
Science can be fun. Honest.
Visit Techniquest Glyndwˆr on the university
campus and you’ll discover how. There
are more than 60 exciting interactive
games and exhibits to get young and old
minds alike thinking.
Including a spinning orb with flowing
crystals and a spooky ‘shadow wall’ that
takes on a life of its own.
Billed as North Wales’ most challenging
day out, Techniquest aims to explore the
mysteries of science – through the
medium of big bangs and slippery slime.
01978 293400
www.tqg.org.uk
43

your business: our business
We get a real buzz out of doing business
in Wrexham. And we’ve got more than
our fair share of entrepreneurs who’ve
taken a clever idea and grown it into
something big.
Take Moneypenny. Named after 007’s
favourite PA, the company has a Queen’s
Award for Enterprise and Innovation, and
was nominated by the Sunday Times as
one of the Best 100 Places to Work.
Not bad for something that started off as
a small local business and grew into one
of the leading professional call-answering
services in the UK.
“There is a fantastic
resource of hardworking,
enthusiastic and personable
people on our doorstep.”
Rachel Clacher
Co-founder of Moneypenny
44
And if you ask co-founder Rachel Clacher
what their secret is, she’ll answer you in
one word: people.
“We based ourselves in Wrexham and
remain committed to the town as there is
a fantastic resource of hardworking,
enthusiastic and personable people on
our doorstep.
“Every day they do a great job representing
our business and also the thousands of
client businesses we work with across
the UK.”
And it’s not just the people that make
Wrexham a great place to run a business.
There are lots of other reasons.

Not least, Wrexham Council’s dedicated
team of business experts. They offer all
sorts of help, advice and information, from
business planning and marketing to raising
finance and finding the right premises.
They’re a pretty clever bunch.
So if you’re setting up a business from
scratch or looking to relocate and expand,
you should give them a call. It’s good to talk.
Wrexham Council business support
01978 667000 www.wrexham.gov.uk
the next Lord Sugar?
Now you know we’re pretty obsessed
with the future here in Wrexham. So it’s
no surprise that we’re interested in the
next generation of business stars. The
Lord Sugars of tomorrow.
Wrexham’s young people are bursting
with entrepreneurial energy. Maybe
you’re one of them?
Yes? Well, we’ve set up a new forum to
help you along the way.
Launch Wrexham lets you talk to other
young entrepreneurs, swap ideas and
even apply for grants to energise your
business ambitions.
You’ll be driving that Bentley before you
know it.
www.launchwrexham.co.uk
Go to www.twitter.com and follow
@LaunchWrexham
45

46
www.wrexhamsayshello.co.uk
play

The world is a
playground.
Make the most of it.
Step outside your front
door and have fun.
Live your life. Feel free.
This is Wrexham.
47

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sport
Few things evoke as much passion and
tribal instinct as sport. Sport is war …
without the consequences.
Wrexham is a competitive place. Not in a
brash way, but quietly competitive. So it’s
no surprise that we’re big on sport. Both
playing it and watching it.
football and rugby
Glyndwˆ r University Racecourse Stadium.
This local sporting icon is the world’s
oldest serving international football venue.
It’s also the largest stadium in North
Wales (around 10,000 seats) and the fifth
largest in Wales.
It’s a place that’s tasted both sporting
glory and heartbreak over the years.
Victory and defeat. And that’s what makes
it such a special part of Wrexham.
Take Wrexham Football Club for example.
‘The Dragons’ have played out their story
on the turf of the Racecourse for many
years.

There are giant-killings that linger in our
memory like they were yesterday – Arsenal,
Middlesbrough, Tottenham, West Ham,
FC Porto. Just some of the scalps we’ve
claimed.
And then there’s the pain of relegation in
years gone by. Being a football fan is to
experience extremes.
The stadium is also home to another
kind of football. The kind that uses a
different type of ball.
In fact, Wrexham beat off stiff competition
from other towns and cities to host
matches during the 2013 Rugby League
World Cup.
Maybe you’re a hardcore rugby fan and
maybe you’re not. It doesn’t matter. 2013
will be a chance to experience the
atmosphere, the passion and everything
else that’s great about sport.
Don’t miss out.
Wrexham Football Club
www.wrexhamafc.co.uk
Rugby League Word Cup 2013
www.rlwc2013.com
49

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horse-racing
Horse racing at Bangor-on-Dee started
more than 150 years ago when a couple
of chaps from the local hunt galloped
across the meadows for a £50 prize.
And they still haven’t got around to
putting in a grandstand. Because the
views are so stunning from the grass
banks of this natural amphitheatre, there
really isn’t any need.
It was also thriller writer and ex-jockey
Dick Francis’ favourite course. Although
things have changed a bit since he rode
his first ever winner here back in 1947.
Bangor-on-Dee Racecourse
“Over the last 20 years the racecourse has
progressed from being all wooden
buildings to having superb facilities – not
only for race days, but also for private
parties, weddings and conferences,”
explains general manager Jeannie Chantler.
So what’s the attraction? Pure entertainment.
“You can’t beat the spectacle and colour
of seeing horses and jockeys close up, the
bustle around the betting ring and adrenalin
rush of the race itself,” says Jeannie.
www.bangorondeeraces.co.uk
Go to www.twitter.com and follow
@BangorOnDeeRace

golf
For the slightly apprehensive, Chirk Golf
Club’s course can play as short as 5,525
yards. But if the force is with you, the
so-called ‘Tiger Tees’ can extend this to a
whopping 7,045 yards.
This 200-acre course, bounded by the
Llangollen Canal and with superb views of
Chirk Castle, offers the typical Wrexham
golfing experience. A true test. A friendly
welcome. Competitive green fees. And
something just that little bit different.
There’s also an 18-hole championship
course at Wrexham Golf Club. And scenic
nine-hole courses at Darland, Alyn Waters,
Moss Valley and the Plassey.
And if you’re not quite hitting it straight,
a fancy bit of kit at Clays Golf Centre in
Wrexham might help. Pros at the Mizuno
National Fitting Centre there use a
£20,000 radar system to analyse your
swing. They can even work out your
‘smash factor’.
Alyn Waters Golf Centre
(nine hole) 01978 855131
Chirk Golf Club
(18 hole) 01691 774407
Clays Golf Club
(18 hole) 01978 661406
Darland Golf Centre
(nine hole) 01244 579282
Moss Valley Golf Club
(nine hole) 01978 720518
Plassey Golf Complex
(nine hole) 01978 780020
Wrexham Golf Club
(18 hole) 01978 351476
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mountain biking
You really earn your breakfast at Coed
Llandegla Forest in neighbouring
Denbighshire.
Its colour-coded mountain bike trails are
set in 650 acres of sustainably managed
woodland.
The green route is great for families and the
blue route perfect for beginners – and you
can hire bikes if you don’t have your own.
But Llandegla also attracts the aficionado.
The 11-mile red route contains
unsurfaced single-track, bermed switchbacks
and water crossings. As for the
black route… well, let’s just say you need
strong legs and nerves of steel.
01978 751656
www.oneplanetadventure.com
outdoor adventure
Shame to waste all that fresh air. Wrexham
offers a wide range of white-knuckle
activities to turn our great outdoors into
one big adventure playground.
Motor Safari do the lot. Rally skid driving,
off-roading, power boating, falconry,
white-water rafting. As featured on TV
shows like Top Gear, Blue Peter and The
Holiday Programme.
The climbing wall at Plas Power Adventure
should also get your adrenalin going. It’s
big – more than 6,000 square feet.
And it’s very popular with kids, who often
outstrip their parents. Both here and on
the ropes course – which contains a 100foot
zip wire, an abseil platform and
something worryingly known as ‘the leap
of faith’.
01978 754533
www.motor-safari.co.uk
01978 754747
www.plaspoweradventure.com

leisure centres
Want to keep everything looking trim –
including your bank balance? Just flash
the Pure card at one of our public leisure
centres.
It will save you money on most activities
including swimming, gym sessions and
fitness classes.
Waterworld is an aquatic centre (the clue
is in the name). With a 25-metre
competition pool, a learner pool, a
65-metre flume and a rapid-river ride.
In the Tropical Lagoon at Plas Madoc, you
can walk the surf, ride the crocodile, slide
down the snake and play in the waves.
And you can let the kids have a go as well,
if you must.
Chirk has a pool, too. The perfect place to
cool down after a stint in the sauna or
steam room. A game of squash. Or a little
Tae Kwon Do.
www.wrexham.gov.uk
Waterworld
01978 297300
Plas Madoc Leisure and Activity Centre
01978 821600
Chirk Leisure and Activity Centre
01691 778666
Waterworld
tennis
We love our tennis. And not just during
Wimbledon fortnight. The six indoor and
10 outdoor courts at the Wrexham Tennis
Centre in Wrexham are internationalclass.
Our coaches will help you live up to them.
And any time you fancy a knockabout,
you can play at the courts at Acton Park
and Bellevue Park in Wrexham or Ponciau
Park in Rhos. Absolutely free.
Wrexham Tennis Centre
01978 265260 www.nwrtc.co.uk
athletics
Top athletes come to Queensway
Stadium. Including Olympic stars past and
present like Colin Jackson, Jamie Baulch,
Iwan Thomas and Christian Malcolm.
But it also hosts school sports days and
local fun runs. And it’s the home of
Wrexham Athletics Club, which helps
budding stars from eight years upwards
to get in shape.
01978 355826
Wrexham Tennis Centre
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walking
Don’t let it all fly past in a green blur from
your car. Whether you live in the county
borough or you’re just here for a visit, there’s
a much better way to get up close and
personal with Wrexham’s countryside.
Walking.
There are many miles of footpaths in
every corner of Wrexham. In every
conceivable landscape from woodland
and river valley to windswept moorland
and heathery mountain.
Get out there and explore.
tour guides
Fancy a bit of company on your Wrexham
walkabout? We have a wealth of qualified
tour guides who know the county borough
inside-out.
01286 677059
www.northwalestouristguides.com
Ceiriog Valley
the secret valley
The B4500 is a very special road. Not that
you’d guess it from the map. It begins just
off the A5 at the town of Chirk and
disappears only about 18 miles later into a
network of narrow country roads.
It’s special because it runs the length of
the Ceiriog Valley. Through a remarkable
variety of landscapes – gentle pasture,
woodland, sheer rock faces and glimpses
of high mountain ridges and brooding
moorland.
The valley is so beautiful, in fact, that
Lloyd George called it “a little piece of
heaven on earth”. And so miraculously
unspoilt that travelling the B4500
alongside the trout-filled River Ceiriog
feels like a journey into the distant past.
It certainly had the desired effect on
Patricia Somerset, who visited from South
London for a few days. Some walking,
pony trekking and heritage sightseeing
ensured a relaxing break.
“My job is stressful and I work long hours
so this holiday was perfect,” says Patricia.
“The biggest decision I had to make was
which beautiful place I wanted to visit
that day. I was surprised how lovely it
was – I couldn’t think how I’d missed the
valley before. It has been a real discovery.”
www.chirkandtheceiriogvalley.co.uk
top walks
ceiriog valley walk
Lovely route that begins at Chirk railway
station and finishes at the foot of the
Berwyn mountains in the village of
Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog.

maelor way
A 24-mile walk passing through or near
villages like Bronington, Hanmer, Penley
and Overton – which can provide a welcome
pit stop. Not to mention a pint.
offa’s dyke path
National Trail named after the spectacular
earthwork built by King Offa of Mercia in the
eighth century. The section through Wrexham
includes the mighty Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
www.nationaltrail.co.uk/offasdyke
wat’s dyke way
Shorter and less famous than Offa’s Dyke,
this 61-mile trail enters Wrexham at
Overton and emerges in Alyn Waters
Country Park before passing into Flintshire.
www.watsdykeway.org
Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
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park life
There’s no shortage of open space in
Wrexham. In fact, 90% of the county is
rural. But that hasn’t stopped us creating a
wide range of parks for people to enjoy all
year round.
Some have seasonal museums, visitor
centres and cafés. Some fly the Green
Flag Award for excellence as public green
spaces. And some have sprung up from
the remnants of our industrial heritage.
Each is unique. With its own programme
of events for the entire family. Including
kite making, pond dipping and fungal forays
(or mushroom hunting to you and me).
Download a guide at
www.wrexham.gov.uk/countryside
alyn waters, gwersyllt
Feel the burn in Wrexham’s biggest country
park, with six calorie-counted walks of
different gradients and distances. Or you
could just look at the sculptures.
01978 763140
minera lead mines
Right at the head of the Clywedog Valley
and the perfect place to begin an
exploration of one of the busiest rivers
of the Industrial Revolution. You can still
see the remains of the lead mines – the
restored beam engine house, winding
engine and boiler houses.
01978 763140
Ty Mawr

moss valley
Coal miners once used the railway lines
and tramways that criss-cross this V-shaped
valley. Now, as you stroll along the lakes or
through the oak and beech woodland, you’ll
encounter cyclists, anglers and birdwatchers.
01978 763140
nant mill, coedpoeth
Troubled by mole hills in your carefully
manicured lawn? A trip to Nant Mill might
make you more understanding. Its giant
mole tunnel lets you see things from their
point of view. You can watch more
wildlife from the bird hide. And even hire
ducks – rubber ones – for a duck race.
01978 752772
Clywedog Trail
Alyn Waters
ty mawr, cefn mawr
Sheep, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, chickens
and lots of other resident animals to look
at. Plus a lovely walk alongside the River
Dee with dramatic views of the Cefn
viaduct.
01978 822780
bellevue, wrexham
Restored Edwardian park with lime
avenues radiating from the bandstand.
In the evening the paths are lit by period
lamps. An elegant oasis just a quarter of a
mile from the town centre.
01978 264150
Minera Lead Mines
Llwyn Isaf
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nature reserve
Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses
National Nature Reserve is part of Britain’s
third-biggest raised bog. So huge, in fact,
that it’s visible from space.
Now the idea of a very big bog might not
be immediately appealing. Which may
be why few of the boaters sailing past on
the Llangollen Canal stop to walk the
Mosses Trails.
They’re missing out. Since the bog was
saved from the ravages of peat cutting it’s
become famous for its snakes, lizards and
newts. Not to mention dragonflies, water
voles, curlews and skylarks. And if your
eyesight is particularly keen, you may
even spot a raft spider.
www.ccw.gov.uk
www.naturalengland.org.uk

events
There’s always something going on in
Wrexham County Borough. From big
annual events to more modest (but no
less enjoyable) entertainment and
activities.
Some highlights? Erddig Apple Festival
attracts thousands every year and is one
big party in honour of the humble apple.
Wrexham Science Festival puts the
‘wow’ factor into all things scientific.
And our St David’s Day and Christmas
markets draw people from miles around.
No exaggeration.
Wrexham Tourist Information Centre
01978 292015
www.wrexham.gov.uk
www.northwalesborderlands.co.uk
www.events-northwales.co.uk
the olympic torch
There’s something big happening in London
this year. In fact, the eyes of the world will
be on the UK when the 2012 Olympics
kick off on July 27.
Consider this. It’s estimated that one
billion – that’s 15% of the world’s
population – watched the 2008 opening
ceremony live on TV. That’s a lot of people.
So what will Wrexham be doing? Well, for
starters the Olympic torch will be coming
to Wrexham County Borough on May 30.
Details haven’t been announced at the
time of going to press, but we do know
the torch will cross Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
World Heritage Site. And pass through
Acrefair, Rhostyllen and Wrexham town.
Further details will be announced nearer
the time, so keep tabs on Wrexham
Council’s website.
Wrexham Council www.wrexham.gov.uk
London 2012 Olympics official website
www.london2012.com
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goodbye Time
apps
You can carry this brochure on your
phone. Just scan the code with a QR
reader or find it at the iPhone app store.
www.apple.com
social media
And you can follow us on facebook and
twitter. Why not post something on our
page or tweet us?
www.facebook.com/wxmsayshello
www.twitter.co.uk/wxmsayshello
e-blasts
Or sign-up for regular e-news blasts about
great things that are happening in Wrexham.
flies. Thanks for
reading this brochure.
But don’t forget. This is
just the start. Wrexham
has a lot more to
say. So do you. Let’s
keep talking.
Events, shopping, business news, the lot.
Email:
wrexhamsayshello@wrexham.gov.uk
wrexham tourist information
centre, lambpit street
The sign over the door might say ‘tourist’,
but the door is open to everyone. In fact,
half of Wrexham TIC’s customers are
people who live in the county borough.
Our four TIC assistants are incredibly
helpful and, between them, they have
over 70 years’ experience. What they
don’t know about Wrexham just isn’t
worth knowing.
Pick up the phone or pop in for helpful
ideas and info about things to see and do.
Everything from arts classes and theatre

shows to festivals and concerts. From
museums and heritage sites to restaurants
and country pubs.
And if you’re visiting and want a bed for
the night, they can even help you find
somewhere to stay.
01978 292015 tic@wrexham.gov.uk
in a good place
Finally, if you don’t live in Wrexham
County Borough and don’t quite know
where it is – or how to get here – here are
some useful pointers.
We’re right on the Welsh-English border.
We’ve got Cheshire and Shropshire on the
one side. Snowdonia and the North Wales
coast on the other.
We’re just 45 minutes’ drive from major
airports in Manchester and Liverpool and
90 minutes from Birmingham.
In fact, we’re just a hop and skip away
from most of the UK – connected by
great road and rail links, including train
services direct to and from London.
plane…
Manchester Airport
www.manchesterairport.co.uk
Liverpool John Lennon Airport
www.liverpoolairport.com
train…
Arriva Trains Wales (Chester –
Wrexham – Shrewsbury) 08456 061660
www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk
Borderlands Line (Wrexham – Bidston)
www.borderlandsline.com
Virgin Trains (Wrexham – London
Euston) www.virgintrains.co.uk
bus…
Traveline Cymru 0871 200 2233
www.traveline-cymru.org.uk
Wrexham Bus Line 01978 266166
www.wrexham.gov.uk
Arriva Buses www.arriva.co.uk
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hello
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RAMADA PLAZA HOTEL
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wrexham town centre
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Key
Toilets
Parking
Train Stations
Wrexham General Rail
Wrexham Central Rail
Attractions
Library/Gallery
Waterworld
County Borough Museum
St Mary’s Cathedral
St Giles Church
Grove Park Theatre
Mecca Bingo
Bellevue Park
Indoor Markets/Arcades
People’s Market
Central Arcade
Butchers’ Market
Overton Arcade
General Market
Shopmobility
Shopmobility (Bus Station)
Other
Contact Wrexham
Guildhall
Crown Buildings
Lambpit Street Council Buildings
Police Station
Law Courts
Registry Office
Tourist Information Centre
Queens Square
Yale College
Bus Station
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