Saturday, 30 August 2014

Where to walk your dog in Denbighshire, North Wales

Denbighshire is a fantastic area, and it offers up a wide range of options for wonderful walks in North Wales with your dog. The possibilities are almost endless; there is a different type of route available to suit just about any one of your needs, all the way from forest hikes to coastal walks.
There is everything on offer, from beautiful rambles through the countryside, such as the area surrounding the ruins of Castell Dinas Bran, to walks around stately ancient buildings, such as the majestic Denbigh Castle.
If you would rather take a stroll around some enchanting public gardens, you can take a trip out to the Plas Newydd country house, or for a walk by water there is the gorgeous Horseshoe Falls, created by Thomas Telford, as well as the path alongside the canal.
Our rather enviable task involved going on a great many treks around Denbighshire so that we could present to you a selection of the very best walks in North Wales. If you are looking for some inspiration about where to next take your dog (or dogs!), use our list to help you have a fantastic day out. There are so many great options that you could even opt to go for a walking holiday in the area.
We’ve even listed the difficulty of each walk, as well as the facilities in the surrounding areas, so that you can spend less time researching and more time enjoying your time outdoors and taking in all the gorgeous scenery!

Mount Wood, Denbigh
Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes, on the main road
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
Yes
How difficult is the terrain?
Mostly flat
Are there any steep hills?
Steep steps in one direction
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Easy paved path in one direction
Are there regular sign posts?
Yes
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Dog bins available
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
n/a
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead, bottle of water for the dogs (no water on route)
How long does the walk take to complete?
One hour
What are the walk’s surroundings?
Woods and meadows 
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
No
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes

Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
Yes, outside of the castle grounds
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
Yes
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Litter bins, toilet on-site. Also self-serve refreshments in the Visitor Centre
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
30 minutes around the castle at brisk pace, longer if stopping to appreciate the area
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
30 minutes or more
What are the walk’s surroundings?
Fields and houses, with a view over Denbigh town, and of course the Castle 
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
No
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes

Llangollen Tow Path
Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes, in the town and along the entry roads
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
Yes
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
Yes
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Tea room and toilets available at Llangollen Wharf, bins and cafés with water bowls in the town
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
About 40 minutes from the tow path to Horseshoe Falls
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
About 40 minutes each way, 1 hour 20 in total
What are the walk’s surroundings?
The Canal and river
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
No
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes

Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen
Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Car park available at the Chainbridge Hotel, 20 minutes away. Also a nearby layby with picnic tables on the B5103
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
No
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
One stile near the Horseshoe Falls pump house
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
No
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Bins, Chainbridge Hotel near Horseshoe Falls, other eateries available in town
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
40 minutes
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
40 minutes
What are the walk’s surroundings?
River, canal, woods 
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
No
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes

Plas Newydd, Llangollen
Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
No
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
Yes
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Toilets and café on the grounds
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
30 minutes
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
30 minutes
What are the walk’s surroundings?
The grounds and gardens
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
Yes – they’re not allowed in the house
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes

Valle Crucis Abbey, Llangollen
Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes, though limited
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
Yes
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
Yes
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Toilets, bins, and shop on-site, café and restaurant at neighbouring Abbey Farm Caravan Park
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
30 minutes
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
One hour
What are the walk’s surroundings?
Fields, woods, streams, and a caravan park
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
No
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes

Dinas Bran Castle, Llangollen
Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
Yes, but not on the sheep field
How difficult is the terrain?
Very steep terrain, not suitable for old dogs
Are there any steep hills?
Yes
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
Yes
Are there paved paths to guide you?
No
Are there regular sign posts?
No
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Many amenities are in Llangollen town centre
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
It takes an hour and a half to get to the top
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
A lead and water for the dogs, walking shoes and appropriate clothing for yourself
How long does the walk take to complete?
2-3 hours
What are the walk’s surroundings?
Woodlands, fields and sheep
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
Yes – areas with sheep
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
No


Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
No
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
Yes
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Toilets and café with water bowls by car park on Clwyd Street, bins
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
Five minutes from the park to the Gaol
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
40 minutes around the park
What are the walk’s surroundings?
The Gaol itself
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
No
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes

Cae Ddôl, Ruthin
Is the location easily accessible?
Yes           
Is there parking nearby?
Yes
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
Yes
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
No
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Café by the car park with water bowls and an outdoor seating area
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
45 minutes around the park
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
45 minutes
What are the walk’s surroundings?
Stream, meadows, woodland
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
Yes – by the pond, because of the swans
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes


Is the location easily accessible?
Yes
Is there parking nearby?
Yes, numerous pay and display car parks
Are dogs allowed to be taken off a lead?
No, and they’re not allowed in the house
How difficult is the terrain?
Easy
Are there any steep hills?
No
Are there any gates or stiles that would be inaccessible to those less able?
No
Are there paved paths to guide you?
Yes
Are there regular sign posts?
No
What kind of local amenities are available along the walk? For example, public toilets, litter bins, doggy bins, dog friendly pubs and cafes with water bowls, etc.
Bins available, restaurant and café with water bowls nearby
How long does it take to get from one location to the other?
Five minutes from the Gaol or ten minutes from the park
What sort of things should you take with you for your walk? For example, lead, toys, towel (to dry wet dogs if there is water on route) etc.
Lead
How long does the walk take to complete?
20 minutes
What are the walk’s surroundings?
River Clwyd and Ruthin Castle nearby
 Are there any dog restricted areas along the walk?
No
Are these walks suitable for small children or can they accommodate buggies?
Yes



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Nine Goddesses Every Woman Should Know


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Are you a woman (or man) who has lost touch with yourself spiritually -- or has never gotten in touch with yourself spiritually -- or who just wants more joy in each day? If so, you may want to try entwining more goddess energy into your life. Many anthropologists believe that human societies were originally goddess-centered, and goddesses are still worshipped on every continent. Whatever your desire -- strength, wisdom, compassion, fertility, creativity, sexuality -- there is a goddess who can help you. Connecting with the goddesses who call to you -- in the form of jewelry or art, words and music, or simply your thoughts -- can sweeten and enhance your days with bright threads of unity, wonder, and female power.

But how to begin? The number and diversity of goddesses loved, worshipped, and celebrated throughout time and into the present, in every corner of the earth, is so breathtakingly large that trying to keep track of them can feel like counting the stars. To start you off, here are nine of my own favorite goddesses, chosen from among the most popular female divinities celebrated today (please note that many of them may also be known by different names or spellings).
Durga. The great Hindu mother goddess Durga is really nine goddesses in one. Durga's nine manifestations -- embodying qualities from courage to piety to blissful joy -- are celebrated in India during a huge nine-day festival called Navarati. Durga is often pictured as a fierce goddess with many arms riding a lion. I have revered her ever since I found an ancient and powerful stone carving of her in the Asian wing of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. You can call on Durga's invincible spirit when you need to be strong to your core!
Yemaya. A queenly and beautiful ocean goddess, Yemaya is mother of all waters in the Yoruba religion of Africa, which has spread to Cuba, Haiti, and elsewhere. Once a year, tens of thousands of people float flowers and other gifts for Yemaya out into the ocean from the shore of Salvador, Brazil. Bringing Yemaya into your life, perhaps with this chant, which brought her to me from a women's drumming group based in my area of Maine, can sweeten your life with compassion, fertility, nurturing, and healing.
Brigid is the ancient Irish goddess whom the Catholics renamed St. Brigid. She is the Goddess of healing, as well as poetry, song, and metalwork; Ireland is dotted with springs that are sacred to her. Since 1993 the Brigidine sisters have kept an eternal flame burning in Brigid's honor in Kildare, the same place it used to burn in ancient times. Every year during the first stirrings of spring on February 2, people gather there to celebrate St. Brigid's Day. To me as a poet, Brigid is a source of deep joyful creative inspiration -- a reassurance that life renews itself.
Kuan Yin, the Buddhist Goddess of compassion and mercy, is the most revered goddess in Asia. I first encountered Kuan Yin's image, in a characteristic pose with one hand raised in loving blessing, in the garden of an acupuncture center in San Francisco and have counted on her gentle presence in my life ever since. Just the thought of Kuan Yin can bathe us in the warmth of understanding, forgiveness, and gentle compassion. There are beautiful temples to her all over the world, including one on Spring St in New York. There are some gorgeous songs of peace and bliss on this recent CD of chants in her honor.
Sekhmet. An ancient Egyptian lioness goddess of war, healing, and menstruation, Sekhmet is actively worshipped today among neopagans in Europe and the USA. Atemple to her has been built in Nevada. Sekhmet's breath was said to have formed the desert, and she embodies a raw fierceness, a kind of primeval force of survival, growth, and self-realization. At a rebirthing ceremony in which I participated last year, I found myself channeling Sekhmet's power and felt myself filled with a transformative courage I didn't know I had.
PachaMama. This powerful and widespread Earth Mother goddess of Latin America causes earthquakes and often takes the form of a dragon. On the day before Ash Wednesday, people bury food, throw candies, and burn incense to honor her. In the traditional Pachamama despatio ceremony, offerings of plants, candies, and symbolic items are wrapped up and burned in gratitude and supplication to Pachamama. To me, Pachamama is an intimate, physical goddess; I feel moved to whisper to her when I am outside with earth, plant, and insects, and I feel her voice sounding wordlessly inside my core.
Inanna. The Queen of Heaven and Earth in ancient Sumer, Inanna is best known for the gripping story of how she descended to the underworld. Inanna reminds us that we need to make ourselves vulnerable in order to be reborn. As a poet, I feel a special connection with Inanna, since poems in her honor by the priestess Enheduanna (2285-2250 BC) are the first known poems ever to have been signed by their author. When faced with a difficult transition, I think of Inanna and contemplate the story of her descent and rebirth, captured in Diane Wolkstein's powerful translation, Inanna: Queen of Heaven and Earth: Her Stories and Hymns From Sumer.
Changing Woman. When the Apache earth-goddess Changing Woman begins to age, she walks towards the rising sun until she meets her younger self walking towards her. Today, many Apache girls mark the beginning of womanhood by participating in the challenging four-day Sunrise Ceremony that Changing Woman is said to have taught to their people. Thinking about Changing Woman, and the graceful way that she both changes and stays the same, helps me learn how to navigate change more smoothly--whether the natural progress of time or life's occasional wild rides.
Gaia is the ancient Greek Earth Mother who birthed the world and humanity out of Chaos. Today, the name Gaia is known mainly through Dr. James Lovelock's influential Gaia theory, which proposes that the Earth and all its organisms are interconnected in a complex "living" system. I use the word Gaia when I want to think of the planet Earth itself as a generous, vulnerable, life-giving Goddess, the source of all the beauty and wonder and life for which we are so grateful -- and which so much needs and repays our care.



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