I was tempted to follow the initial slope down to the right, but it was necessary to follow the zigzags to go under the bridge. Towards Flint’s industrial estate, I had to divert slightly from my planned route which was blocked by a locked gate, and follow a well-trodden grassy path instead, which is what’s in the gpx...

Mary Oz

From the centre of Holywell, we join the Wat's Dyke Way for a while, first passing a supermarket and residential, before dropping down onto a quiet unpaved road, before turning into Coed Llwybr-y-bi. Once through these (boggy in places), we join a long straight unpaved rural road. At a crossroads, we continue ahead on another quiet road and, at its end, turn up a sunken road, carved into the pink ssndstone....

Hiking Historian

A good direct route mostly on the Wales Coast Path. (i) the path across the saltmarsh east of Flint may be flooded at times of very high tides....

Hugh Hudson

I got a little confused by the right of way line at Coetia-Llwyd - the path actually crosses the first stile straight on then turns right into the field beyond the hedge, so there is no need to go anywhere near the buildings. The footpath that leaves down the hill (the first one I saw that mentioned the Wat's Dyke Way) starts with a very awkward stile quite high above the road surface and badly constrained by the holly hedge. The path starts on the left side of the hedge and crosses to the right near the bottom of the first field. This path is little trodden but mostly fine, though the path strip on the edge of a recently ploughed arable field was too narrow to walk on in places....

Hugh Hudson

A series of footpaths goes uphill to join Wat's Dyke Way which is the rest of the route....

David Sanderson

Mostly a sound route, but, as previous reviewer had noted, the marked crossing of the busy A55, despite still marked on OS maps, does not exist on the ground (although there is a finger post on the road from Pentre Halkyn)....

Hiking Historian

Mainly signposted as Wales Coast path (except for small deviation over a stepped footbridge and minor tarmac path near Dee View Road Connahs Quay). Unfortunately a lot of road/pavement walking......

Howard White

Really enjoyed this walk which followed the North Wales coastal path from Flint to Greenfield and was fairly flat with well made paths. Passed through a lot of reclaimed industrial land much of it now nature reserves now teeming with wildlife including lots of wild flowers and a natterjack road reserve. Spotted swallows, house martins, herons and redshank along the estuary....

Fiona Morgan

Taking full advantage of the Wales Coastal Path and the formation of a disused railway line, this is a pleasant and scenic route, steeped in history....

Dannywith

Unfortunately, about 40%-50% of the route is along main roads, but it is the most direct route and is probably the best available as it is all part of the Wales Coast Path. Where the route finally left the road again at Golftyn, I briefly struggled to find the path – it was right alongside some housing the far side of the car sales yard, and not through the car sales yard as indicated on the OS Map....

Mary Oz

2) the perfect straight line between Marsh Lane and the sewage works does not exist, despite it also being on OS maps. Marsh Lane is a cul-de-sac, and the adjacent footpath is on a boggy field. There is no path that runs along the north side of the sewage works; it's a ditch and a hedge....

Hiking Historian

Impossible to cross A55 (dual carriageway) at point shown...

Howard White

There's some time away from the main road as you pass the power station but then you rejoin it to enter Flint. The section of pavement into Flint is the least enjoyable of the walk as the road is busy, but there are a few interesting historical buildings on the way. A promenade leads to Flint Castle and the Life Boat Station and it's a short walk into town from there....

David Sanderson

Also problems at Bryn Ffyynnon Farm near Sychdyn - path obstucted....

Howard White

I also thought it was odd to go through the industrial estate, instead of following the coast path around the first wooded point to reach Flint Dock....

Paddy Dillon

Part Coastal path, part former railway line through Greenfield Park up to Holywell...

Howard White

Also line of track out of Flint shown wrongly - use track via April Rise farm....

Howard White

Access was still possible through the gate a little further down the road, but the field had been planted perpendicular to the route of the public access path, with no space around the edges to avoid trampling on the growing corn. As the road became rutted and gravelly after this point, and wasn't marked as public access on the Flintshire map, I turned around to pursue a different set of public access paths from the farm at the 90deg bend in Starkey Ln. Not wanting to give up, the least bad option at this point was to divert via the main road into Northop, and from there follow Connah's Quay Rd back towards the other end of Starkey Ln. There is a public access path at the end of Starkey Ln through a cow field, which eventually brings you out on the main road at the point where the pavement starts. However, you have to leave the field via the access road (2 gates to climb), not the overgrown public access point/stile, and you have to cross a 60mph road to get to the pavement (do not do this at rush hour due to commuting traffic from the A55). The official route continued through the next few fields to the junction of Connah's Quay Rd and Smithy Ln, but as I'd had more than enough of pulling thorns out of my fingers at this point I went up Starkey Ln to Connah's Quay Rd and hugged the verge for the short distance up to Smithy Ln (50mph main road - be very careful). However, the farmers were busy in a further field collecting the grass (not sure hay or silage), and so I ended up exiting early through a marked public access gate out of the second field, emerging onto Alun Close in Northop Hall. It is worth noting that the road section between Ewloe and Wepre Lane in Northop Hall is a major commuter route for those using the A494 to reach Connah's Quay, and at certain times of day crossing the road here will be impossible/hazardous....

geopenny

A short unpaved section, and, once more, many fields and tracks to the crossroads just outside Northop Hall, where we have a crossing and another unpaved road, but only for a few yards. A short footpath takes us away from an uphill unpaved stretch of road to a paved one, which we follow before taking the footpath into, and through, Wepre Park, a wooded country park with good paths, and also Ewloe Castle....

Hiking Historian

The route to the end point, the station, for some reason follows the curve of Castle Dyke Street and Castle Road; heading down Castle Street makes more sense....

Hiking Historian

It starts well, and has some great rural footpaths, but there's many errors with this route in terms if access and safety....

Hiking Historian