Tan-Y-Pistyll Waterfall at Llanrhaeadr
Water and land co-exist in an ever-changing scene, yet these stark contrasts bring their own beauty and invite us to explore.
On the quieter side we have Oswestry’s Old Racecourse, a favourite spot for gentle walks and spectacular views, and then beyond, towards the tranquility of the Tanat Valley, you pass through undulating lanes and homely villages, where the transition from England to Wales is seamless.
Yet drama is never far away. From the village of Llanrhaeadr YM follow the winding lanes in search of one of the Seven Wonders of Wales - Pistyll Rhaeadr. This wondrous waterfall stands higher than Niagara, its torrents best seen after Welsh summer rains have swelled the falling force of water.
Lake Vyrnwy is now beckoning, its mood often serene and reflective, but sometimes atmospheric and brooding. The Berwyn Mountains are beyond, Snowdonia looms large and then comes the coastal splendour of West Wales, all within easy reach.
Another corner of the borderlands leads to the Ceiriog Valley. Look for Thomas Telford’s ‘Streams in the Sky’, the aqueducts of Chirk and Froncysyllte, the latter, at 39 metres, not for the faint-hearted! Then on to Llangollen, astride another torrent,the white-water rapids of the River Dee. In July, this famous Welsh town hosts one of the most colourful musical events in the world, the International Eisteddfod.
Travelling south brings a distinct change in landscape. Here, secret byways lead to quaint villages and wayside pubs. Four Crosses, Llanymynech, Maesbury Marsh and Queen’s Head hug canal-side locations, whilst further south it’s the Rivers Severn and Vyrnwy which dominate, with the unusual timber-framed church at Melverley aside the latter’s picturesque banks. Follow the Severn and Shropshire’s county town appears, ancient Shrewsbury. Near here, too, are other typically English villages, not least the intriguingly named Ruyton XI Towns.
Yes, to live on the edge is to experience the varied landscape of these borderlands. Come and join us. A warm welcome awaits you.
