Loggerheads Country Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Loggerheads Country Park |
|
|---|---|
View of the bridge over the River Alyn
|
|
| Type | Country park |
| Location | Loggerheads, Denbighshire, Wales |
| Operated by | Denbighshire County Council |
| Status | Open all year |
| Website | [1] |
Loggerheads Country Park is a cool place to visit in Loggerheads, Denbighshire, Wales. It's a special park with a beautiful wooded valley. A river called the River Alyn flows through it. You can also see tall cliffs that are part of the Clwydian Range mountains. From here, you might even spot Moel Famau, the tallest mountain in the range! The park has a visitor centre, fun woodland walks, and two famous spots: an old corn mill called Pentre Mill and a deep gorge known as Devil's Gorge.
Contents
Exploring Loggerheads Country Park
A Look Back in Time
Loggerheads Country Park has an interesting past. Long ago, it was home to Pentre Mill, a corn mill built in the early 1800s. This mill used a big water wheel powered by the River Alyn to grind corn. The water wheel stopped working in the 1940s but was fixed up in the 1990s. People also used to mine for lead and quarry stone in this area.
In 1926, a bus company bought land at Loggerheads. They built tea rooms and gardens for visitors. Many people would come by bus to enjoy the park. There was even a bandstand, a lake for boating, and places to buy snacks! Loggerheads was very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. But after the Second World War, fewer people visited. In 1974, the local council bought the land to turn it into the country park we know today. Sadly, a wooden tea room burned down in 1984.
What Can You Do Here?
Loggerheads Country Park has lots of things for you to do! You can start at the visitor centre to learn more about the park. There's also a cafe where you can grab a bite to eat and a picnic area for outdoor meals.
The park has many nature trails and walking tours that let you explore the beautiful woodlands. One of the old mill buildings now has cool interactive displays. These displays teach you all about the amazing landscape of the Clwydian Range and the Dee Valley, which is a special "Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty."
Famous Spots to See
The Old Corn Mill
Pentre Mill is a very old and important building in the park. It's so special that it's listed as a "Grade II*" building, which means it's protected because of its history. A painting from 1796 shows a mill and water wheel at Loggerheads, so it's been there for a long time!
This mill was used to grind corn and other grains into flour. It also had a circular saw to cut wood. The mill got its power from a large water wheel, which was fed by water from the nearby River Alyn. It worked continuously until 1942.
After it closed, the mill started to fall apart. But in 1995, it was fixed up and could work again! However, parts that controlled the water flow, like the sluice gate and weir, broke down. This meant no water reached the wheel. Luckily, in 2012, the water channels were repaired, and the water wheel now turns once more!
The Mysterious Devil's Gorge
Devil's Gorge is a deep, narrow valley with two tall limestone walls. These walls are about 30 meters (that's almost 100 feet!) high. As you walk through the park, you'll cross a bridge right over the gorge.
This gorge is also a popular spot for rock climbing and abseiling (which is climbing down ropes). One of the climbing routes even has a fun name: "Devil's Haircut"! It's a really impressive natural feature to see.
