Welcome to Windy Ridge Cottage
A lovely cottage on Halkyn Mountain, set in a Site of Special Scientific Interest and next to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with stunning views over the Clwydian range. The mountains of North Wales and Snowdonia are within easy reach, as too is the beautiful Isle of Anglesey, with it’s neighbour Puffin Island. There are breathtaking waterfalls, cliffs and valleys, and now the all-Wales coastal path to enjoy. We can tempt you with wonderful walks, superb sights, easy access to Chester, wide beaches and the delightful local villages and towns of North Wales. Great for birdwatching, and all leisure pursuits. We can accommodate up to 4 adults. The weekly cost however is for the cottage, not per head, so if there are just the one or two of you, that's OK too.
Windy Ridge Cottage can accommodate parking for up to three cars, and to keep in touch with your emails and social networking during your stay, free wifi is available and mobile reception is OK.
Where we are
The cottage is in the hamlet of Wern-y-Gaer, in the village of Rhosesmor, just off the B5123 between the towns of Mold and Holywell. After turning off the B5123 at the Red Lion, Wern Road takes you, after 1 mile, past a couple of side roads, to a lane on your right, signed ‘Windy Ridge’. This shared lane leads directly to the cottage which you will see in front of you with an open gateway, where you can park up to 3 cars.
If you continue along Wern Road beyond Windy Ridge, you’ll get to the hamlet of Moel-y-Crio, and then on to the lovely village of Rhes-y-Cae.
Don’t worry about the Welsh pronunciation, you’ll be understood – but if you want to know more, we can explain how to pronounce the names and possibly their meanings.
Local amenities include churches, chapels, and pubs (of course). Post Office, Supermarkets, Banks, Garages etc – we’re not so isolated here, (only about 3 miles from the A55 and about 4 miles from Mold) but you won’t find it busy or bustling. Its open and peaceful, we do get some stronger weather from time to time, but it’s generally not a problem. We’re about 1000 feet above sea level, and thus a couple of degrees cooler than Mold or Chester. The night sky is quite dark here as we don’t have so many large towns on our doorstep, so it’s good to sit out on a summer evening with binoculars and just look at the moon and stars, whilst, of course, sipping your wine.
Things to do
We are close to exciting shopping centres such as Chester, Manchester and Liverpool, where theatres and galleries abound, but our own Theatr Clwyd (3 miles) and Venue Cymru (35 miles) in Llandudno both offer tremendous shows and entertainment.
Port Meirion, built by Sir Clough Williams-Ellis in 1925 definitely deserves a visit and additionally, the Great Orme at Llandudno, Bala Lake, Bodelwyddan Castle, Betws y Coed are all great days out. There are several National Trust locations nearby, including magnificent Chirk Castle, beautiful Bodnant Gardens, stately Penrhyn Castle, and Erddig Hall - where they have regular festivals and activities.
Flintshire towns are known for their legends and history, and castles abound, if you’re into exploring – there’s even a tale of King Arthur’s’ burial site in Rhosesmor. Mold is a thriving market town with livestock markets on Fridays, and stall markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays, where you can get some excellent bargains, and good coffee. Holywell got it’s name from St Winfride’s Well, the Lourdes of Wales, an historic site with plenty of tales, legend and mystery. With loads of restaurants and eating places in the towns and local villages, you won’t be short of somewhere new each day, to eat, drink and enjoy the splendid scenery and warm welcome.
Walking, bird watching, and sight seeing are very popular pastimes. The nearby Clwydian Range, with the famous Offas Dyke path running across Moel Famau and Moel Arthur to Prestatyn, is within easy reach. There are many nature reserves, bird sanctuaries, and public footpaths, but here on the mountain, you can simply wander anywhere.
Just walking along the sea front at Prestatyn or the beaches at Gronant or Talacre (15 miles) can be very relaxing. When the tide is out, the beaches here are vast and you can be as secluded as you wish. Two local pubs are within easy walking distance – less than a mile – and there are many more, equally accessible, if you’re happy walking a little further.