Caehol one

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A serviceable route between Caerwys and Holywell with both road walks and rural tracks and paths. Due to terrain and some stiles/steps, it is foot only.

From the centre of Caerwys, we head down the paved road until we join an unpaved track leading down to a sewage works and an old farm. Across the yard, we access the footpath in a steeply wooded slope, following the stepped path on the left uphill and into the fields beyond.

Once out of the fields, we cross the road and onto a wooded bridle path wending its way muddily uphill. Near its end, it becomes an unpaved track passing a solitary house, before turning and joining an unpaved road. Whilst unpaved, and well-used by traffic, the verges are wide to escape to if needed, although care is needed on the odd blind turn. Once through the scattered hamlet of Babell, we turn onto another bridlepath, again heading uphill. In places, especially dips, it can have standing water and deep mud, but just enough to not be a huge obstacle.

Eventually, once we've passed spoil heaps and a glimpse of a limekiln, we arrive at the historic limestone quarrying settlement of Brynford. Crossing the road and taking a footpath that runs alongside a school, we come lnto Holywell Common. A desolate green with outcrops of stone punctuated by bell pits, spoil heaps and quarries, it's the most interesting and pleasurable part of the route. Please note, however: be careful, as there are so many criss-crissing green tracks here, for walkers and sheep alike, and its easy to lose your bearings!

Once over the common (and passing and info board), we cross the road by a former pub, and follow an unpaved lane until the end, and then, once through a gate, we follow the ramp up and over the footbridge over the busy A55; it's stepped on the other side. Again, following an unpaved road downhill, we come into Milwr. We continue downhill on a mostly unpaved road (care is required), then follow the main road into Holywell, then along another mostly unpaved road behind the petrol station. This cuts the curving bend of the paved main road, and we cross at the next crossroads, and head down into the centre of Holywell at the bus station.

There's more pubs, shops and bus routes at the Holywell end (the choice is limited at Caerwys), but this is a good, if not very exciting, route, the Holywell Common section excepting.

Walked from Holywell to Caerwys.
Easy, direct route - though with long sections containing little interest. No issues with safety, access or accuracy.
1) Holywell bus station to Crooked horn (1.5 miles on road). Residential area out of town and over the A55 on a footbridge. No views until on the bridge. Only a few steps to access the bridge.
2) Crooked Horn to Brynford school. (0.6 miles off road).
Short section over Halkyn common with views towards Snowdonia. Obvious path to follow. Signs of mining/quarrying in the surrounding landscape.
3) Brynford school to Babell (2 miles paved).
A paved bridleway for approx 1 mile (look out for the lime kiln to the left at the start of the bridleway) followed by another mile of road walking. The Black lion inn in Babell has been closed for several years and is currently being converted to other use. Leaving Babell enjoy views towards the Clwyds.
4) Bridleway to Coed Trefraith (1 mile).
A short paved start leads to an unpaved bridleway part way along - joins a circular route between Caerwys-Babell-Ysceifiog which is route 1 in “Rural Walks in Flintshire”. At the road a footpath continues across fields to Coed Trefaith. This was a pleasant section.
At the fork in Babell, if the route took the right fork we would have come to the old post office. A left turn here would extend the off-road part of this section.
5) Coed Trefaith to Caerwys.
Steep steps leading down to fishery - take care here. Pass through and follow lane up steep hill. Head up Heol Ddwr passing the Royal Oak, on right, to the crossroads which is the end of the way.
Visited Cafe on the corner for a late breakfast before heading back.

If I was to repeat this walk I would leave Holywell and head straight up Pen-y-bryn to the Pet Cemetery then across the hill to Pen-y-ball. This is the route taken in section 14 of Pennant Walk 2. It is a steep start but you are afforded views over Holywell the estuary and beyond. Crossing the A55, passing over the common (wide open skies) and pick up the track to Ty-coch farm and meet up with the bridleway in section 3. This way is pretty exposed and would be unpleasant in wet/windy weather.

Returned following the path north out of town in parallel to Holywell road, passes Caerwys Hall . This is the same as the start of Walk 3 Caerwys Hall (Anne’s Walks - Six walks around Caerwys). Then Straight along the road through the woods, over a crossroads and across a couple of fields to the old racecourse, past Naid-y-March across the A55 to Pen-y-ball , the pet cemetery, down pen-y-bryn and into Holywell.

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