Gronant
Gronant forms part of the extensive dune system between Barkby Beach to the west and Talacre Point to the east on the western side of the River Dee estuary. Set amongst the grassy dunes are various viewing platforms which both young and old will enjoy climbing onto and taking in the surrounds. Boards provide information about the extensive plant and animal life to be found here.
Gronant village’s most famous resident was probably Elis Gruffydd (c. 1490-c. 1552), a noted Welsh chronicler of the early modern period. A soldier who served in the English garrison at Calais. He completed in around 1522 his massive world history, ‘Cronicl Oes y Byd’, telling of the Six Ages, and specifically the histories of Wales and England. Gruffudd’s chronicle is held at the National Library of Wales.
The sand dunes, stretching from Prestatyn to Point of Ayr, are arguably the most substantial and intact area of dunes on the North Wales coast. Elsewhere, centuries of industrialisation, tourism and other human activities have diminished or eradicated the dunes which once lined the coast.
The Gronant dunes support rare plants including sea holly, sea spurge and pyramidal orchid. Rare animals include the brown hare, skylark, mining bee and sandhill rustic moth. The natterjack toad has been reintroduced, and from 2003 to 2006 young sand lizards were released at Gronant dunes. Sand lizards, which are broader and bigger than common lizards, were indigenous to the dunes of the North Wales coast but were wiped out by the impact of human activity on their habitats.
At the eastern end of Gronant dunes lies a shingle spit where little tern, ringed plover and other birds nest. This is one of the Britain’s most productive little tern colonies, comprising more than 6% of the British population. It is the only place in Wales where the species breeds.
Denbighshire County Council has managed the colony since 2005, protecting these shy birds from interference.
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Llanasa
Llanasa is described as one of the ancient parishes of Flintshire.
Named after Saint Asaph the village is known to have existed since at least c.600 AD and was originally called Llanasaph meaning the Church of Saint Asaph. It was where the tomb and relics of Saint Asaph were enshrined before they were moved to the larger St Asaph Cathedral sometime before 1281. This ancient parish church was later the burial place of Gruffudd Fychan (the father of Owain Glyndŵr).
In the fields surrounding Llanasa there have been notable finds of artefacts ranging from the Mesolithic and Neolithic. People have been foraging, farming and burying their dead in this area for many thousands of years. The Round Barrow Ty’n-y-caeau is an archaeological site in Llanasa.
Having 18 listed buildings, the village is a designated Conservation Area, with many of its historic houses being built from locally quarried Gwespyr stone. This honey-coloured stone can also be found in Rhuddlan and Denbigh castles, St Winefride’s Well and Basingwerk Abbey. The village has a number of early properties from the 16th and 17th centuries, the most important of which are the Golden Grove and the fabulous Henblas.
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Gwaenysgor
The tiny settlement of Gwaenysgor is situated on the edge of a limestone plateau overlooking Prestatyn and the Irish Sea, the views along the coastline are utterly breathtaking.
Perching on the limestone rim of the Clwydian Range, the settlement is a tight cluster around St Mary Magdalene’s church and the Eagle and Child inn. Domesday Book (1086) lists a manor and a ruinous church at “Wenescol”. Place-name analysis derives the modern Welsh form from gwaun “moor” and ysgor “fort”, giving “marsh by a fort”, an echo of the prehistoric occupation attested on nearby Gop Hill. Archaeological surveys have noted continuous farming in the area for at least 5,000 years. Hen Dy Barrow is an archaeological site in Trelawnyd and Gwaenysgor.
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Cwm
The locality of Cwm is situated nearby to the village of Rhuallt, it comprises of several hamlets including, Marian Mills, Marian Cwm, Pentre Cwm and the neighbourhood of Bod Hamer.
There are several ancient sites of archaeological significance in this vicinity. Moel Hiraddug, also known as Y Foel, is an Iron Age hill fort. The northern part of the hill has been eaten away by limestone quarrying, but the hillside is now a nature reserve managed by the North Wales Wildlife Trust featuring rare semi-natural calcareous grasslands. It is a wonderful place to go for a walk with various family friendly routes. At the top, you can enjoy the panoramic views of surrounding countryside, and the North Wales Coast.
Cwm Mound is an archaeological site situated nearby to a Tumulus, an ancient burial mound, as well as near Aelwyd Uchaf Barrows.
Also in this locality you will find Thorncliffe caves. Nant-y-fuach Rock Shelter is situated nearby to the forest Coed Ty Newydd, and Dragon’s Hall Cave. Nant-Y-Fuach Rock shelter is an archaeological site which was excavated between 1950-1957. Archaeologists found Peterborough Ware pottery, a barbed and tanged arrowhead and various animal bones, indicating long term human habitation in this area.
More recent human impacts are evidenced by the various ruins that can be found. The ruins of Felin Fawr and Felin Fach can be found near to Ffynnon Asa Spring. There are also the ruins of Dyserth Castle and you can read more information about this here.
Another interesting place to visit is the Graig Fawr Nature Reserve managed by the National Trust. It features meadows, striking rock cliffs and is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to its unique limestone habitat. Find out more here.
For more walking and panoramic views, you can ascend Mynydd y Cwm which reaches a height of 304.8 metres. It has recently been promoted to Marilyn status having a prominence of 150 metres.
The churches of Cwm, Saints Mael and Sulien are an ancient place of worship in a stunning location, set within a churchyard full of wild flowers in the spring and summer, close to the Clwydian Way walking route and a network of more local footpaths. Find out more here and here.
Historic photos of Cwm and the surroundings can be viewed here.