By Hems de Winter

This stroll is 4 miles over a fairly gentle terrain. It starts at a holiday Cottage in Melin Y Wig, North Wales, but you can start anywhere on route. You will need adequate footwear.

Just fifteen minutes from the historic and atmospheric old market town of Ruthin in Denbighshire, well off the beaten track, lies the village of Melin-y-Wig. 

In the shadow of the Clocaenog forest and built around the River Clwyd it is a mix of old and relatively new, with ancient stone cottages and farms, and a few ‘60s council houses. Many of the people who live there are from families who have lived there for generations.  

It’s a great community with areal sense of history and it’s been our escape for 57 years ever since a my late parents, having enjoyed their first rented cottage experience elsewhere in North Wales, decided to buy a place of their own and spotted an advert in the Liverpool Echo inviting offers for the cottage. They bought it as soon as they’d viewed it. See it and you’ll immediately understand why.

Magical. Mystical. Magnificent.

It’s right on the banks of the River Clwyd whose source is less than two miles away up in the stunning Clocaenog Forest.

The cottage is secluded without being isolated. It started life as two very ancient one-up, one-down millworkers’ cottages that my parents set about transforming into a comfortable bolthole that we have made extensive use of ever since. It’s a place of rest, reflection and healing, one that’s had a positive impact on anyone who has ever stayed there.  

Passing right in front of the cottage runs the Brenig Way, a 32-mile route for walkers, meandering from Corwen up to Llyn Brenig.

It starts in the beautiful Dee Valley and takes walkers into some of the quietest parts of Denbighshire, where peaceful paths snake though natural woodlands and along steep sided river valleys. It follows ancient drovers roads and passes even more ancient cairns, navigating its way through the Clocaenog Forest to reveal stunning views of the Clwydian range at Pincyn Llys and around Cyffylliog. 

The route culminates in a steady, but isolated, climb along the Afon Clywedog, tributary of the River Clywd passing just a handful of houses, to reach Llyn Brenig, the amazing Brenig reservoir at the Archaeological Trail. 

The route of the Brenig Way has been marked with distinctive waymarkers based on the stone cairns found along the way. It has been designed to be walked over 2 or 3 days and can also be used for day walks. There are plenty of guided and other information available on line.

I have no favourite walks in particular but just love walking up out of the valley in whatever direction I fancy.  The path in front of the cottage takes you away from the village across a small bridge along the river towards Derwen for several miles through woodland, past a few cottages, and old drover’s path and magnificent ancient woodland.  

Follow the river through farms, fields and old tracks and it takes you into Derwen where, in the graveyard of the village church stands a very famous medieval preaching cross. Just Google for more information its mind blowing.

Walk straight out of the village and head for the road that leads from Clawddnewydd to Melin-y-Wig. Turn left at the junction and enjoy the spectacular views towards Snowdonia on your way back down to Melina-y-Wig.

The beauty of the countryside, the peace and tranquillity and the sheer variety of wildlife are just jaw-dropping, It really is like being in another word. The bluebells in season are nothing short of magnificent.

There are five roads climbing out of the village of Melin-y-Wig!  

The first takes you towards Bryn SM and the main A494 road between Ruthin and Corwen; the second leads to the adjoining village of Betws GG and onwards to The Goat pub on the A5; the third winds past the post box by the village centre up into open moorland towards the B5105 running between Ruthin and Cerrigydrudion. The fourth take you up to a wonderful picnic spot   complete with tables set amongst the trees of Clocaenog. Great for walking and cycling, the routesmeander through the forest and are perfect for young families, with ample parking and toilet facilities at the start point. 

This area of Clocaenog Forest is one of the last places in Wales to spot the rare red squirrel and is popular with many other animals and birds such as the otter, green finch and woodpecker. A really pleasant corner of the forest, very easily accessible from the B5105. 

The final route out of the village is a short but steep climb past Tai Teg farm to where the road begins to level out.  Look back and soak up those views.

The best parking, and the only toilets on any of the routes I’ve mentioned is at Bod Petryal bit responsible parking in the village is also possible. Just remember you’re in an agricultural community: the roads are narrow and heavily used by tractors and trailers.  Just make sure you park responsibly and leave no trace of your visit. There’s plenty more information on the area and the walks to be had on line.

If you would like to rent the cottage, here is a link Glanrafoncottage

Find more Holiday Ideas in Denbighshire here.