Walk: A gentle stroll through Chirk (4 miles)

Map: Explorer 240

Grid Ref: 291377

Distance: Four miles or a shorter walk

Ascent: Approx 100 feet

Terrain: Quiet roads, field paths and tracks

Time: Two hours

Notes: You can start this walk from Chirk Station and then walk from point A to B to return at the end. For children there is a playing field in Chirk. There is also plenty of history to be researched for those with that desire.

Interest: This area is on the border between England and Wales. After the Romans left the Princedom of Powys was in charge until the Norman occupation. Llewelyn, Prince of Wales was killed by the forces of Edward I in 1282 and the land around Chirk was made the Marcher Lordship of Chirklands. This was given to Roger Mortimer who built the castle in 1310. He later died a traitor in the tower of London.

The parish church in Church of St. Mary can be visited on either version of this walk.

Directions: Leave the car park (A) through the hotel car park. Cross the road at the pedestrian crossing. Turn right and walk up to the War Memorial. Turn left down Station Avenue.

You can cross and walk along in the playing field if you prefer that. Walk along to the station. Just before the railway bridge there is a community rail information board. This includes a map showing places of interest in the Chirk area and a carved frame showing the aqueduct and castle. Over the bridge (B).

Ignore a road going right and in a few metres turn right through a kissing gate.

Do not go down to the canal but go left and cross the bridge over it (this is the only glimpse that you get of the canal on this walk.)

Up a bank with a few steps and then turn right. Walk a few hundred metres on a wide track and reaching a waymark on a post on the right turn left up a well worn, wide path and down to a metal kissing gate. Through and ahead straight up field on clear path aiming for an electricity pole and just beyond it a kissing gate (C).

Through on to road. Turn left and walk along for 250 metres to reach the magnificent Castle Gates. Read the plaque and admire the gates (D). These gates were commissioned by Sir Richard Middleton and made by brothers Robert and John Davies in seven years before 1719. They were erected here in 1888.

Walk ahead past the caravan club sign ‘Lady Margaret’s Park’’. Carry on along the quiet metalled road ignoring path and track on the right.

Arrive at the entrance to Lady Margaret’s caravan park. Ignore the caravan park and walk straight ahead down a good wide waymarked path. Ignore a footpath on the right and soon reach a T-junction (E).

The main walk turns right. However if you want an even shorter walk in bad weather or lack of time you can turn left. To do so would mean that you have very little ascent on the walk and it finishes along a quiet lane back to Chirk.

Having turned left walk on and cross a super footbridge to reach the main road. Cross and using the footpath on the other side walk along to the bridge with extended views over the canal. Continue on the same road and reach the church.

Turn right and walk down on a slowly descending wide path through woodland with at first a wall up right. The path is made up at times. Walk through a cutting and then down to a barrier at the road.

Cross the road to a footpath sign. The road can be moderately busy at times so take care. Turn right on a good footpath on the other side. Walk down along the footpath. Reach a kissing gate on the left just before the bridge over the River Ceiriog (F).

Look at the bridge known as Pont Faen but do not cross it. Instead turn left through the kissing gate and walk along an enclosed footpath. At the end of the fence walk on a right diagonal across to the river.

Turn left along the river bank. Continue along the bank towards the railway viaduct. This aqueduct and the railway bridge had to be built entirely at night because Middleton, the owner of Chirk Castle did not want the noise of men working during the daytime.

On reaching the viaduct (G) walk through a metal kissing gate under the arch nearest the river and continue on the same line under the aqueduct to exit through a wooden walkers’ gate.

Ahead along the river bank. Cross the large field staying on the river bank until you reach a series of humps.

Then walk diagonally left towards a stone building and you quickly reach a track. Turn right up the track that becomes stony and ramped. Continue with a fence on your right up to a fieldgate and a kissing gate at the road (H).

Cross carefully and ahead to fork left along a way-marked wide path at the side of the entrance to ‘Seventh Heaven’.Seventh Heaven restore iron framed bedsteads with brass knobs. They cost a lot of money now. You can get a good cup of tea in the cafe here.

Along with a wooden fence on the right then up a slight rise and note that there was once a fleet running along on the right.

Reaching a stile. Over and walk to the right to find a well walked path alongside the fence. Bend round to the right at the end of the fence and passing an overgrown fieldgate arrive at the bank in front of you. Walk slightly steeply up hill and veer left for a few metres.

Follow the well used path and round to your left reach a small stile at the road (I).

Over out on to the road. Turn right and walk up past the church and St Mary’s Close to find the entrance to the car park. Turn right and arrive back at (A) the start.