AHNE Bryniau Clwyd / Clwydian Range AONB

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Loggerheads

Loggerheads Country Park is a very special place, rich in wildlife and heritage, and is a very popular place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the area.    

It became a Country Park in 1974, when Denbighshire County Council (then Clwyd) purchased the land from the Liverpool based  Crosville Motor Company. Crosville owned the park from 1926, and established it as a visitor destination. The tea gardens, complete with a wooden tea house, a band stand and many kiosks, were built to provide facilities to the hundreds of people that arrived on Crosville buses from Liverpool. Loggerheads still has a special bond with the people of Liverpool. 

Loggerheads Country Park is also an internationally important place for conservation, being designated a Special Area of Conservation, and  Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is the ash woodland, limestone grassland and the park’s geology that make it particularly important, but there are also many uncommon or rare species present which are of special value. In addition, Loggerheads greatly benefits from the River Alyn, which runs the length of the park. Its waters provide a home for many interesting species, including otter. The River is entwined in the history of the park, being the reason that many of the mining structures in the valley were built. The river’s flow is very variable, and in summer, it is well known for disappearing underground flowing into natural swallow holes that form in the limestone of the riverbed.        

In the past Loggerheads has been a hub of mining activity, peaking in the 1800’s. The mines finally closed in the 1900’s, when mining became less profitable. The park’s mining history can be clearly seen throughout the park and this gives a real sense of depth to the Loggerheads. Indeed, it was a long running dispute over mineral rights in the 19^th century that caused the area to become known as “the Loggerheads” Another reminder of the mining history in the park is the Leete path, one of the main trails in the area, which follows the route of an old mining leat or water course. Water was taken from the River Alyn to a water wheel five miles away, and this can be walked today.

Today Loggerheads is many things to many people. A place of adventure for families to explore,  a place to get close to wildlife and experience the scenic beauty of the area, or a place to get away from it all unwind. Loggerheads is also an important place in the local community, supported by practical volunteers, on the doorstep to many who include a visit to the park as part of their daily routine. Overall Loggerheads is a place that people feel attached too, and somewhere they want to help conserve.

Post Code CH7 5LH