Dropping down into Whitford and then following the drive down to where Downing Hall once stood, there was a pleasant dampness in the air. The decision to walk up the lane to Carmel seemed odd to me when there appear to be better routes following footpaths to Holywell. Exploring these paths revealed two main routes that, no matter how pleasant sections were - some with wonderful views, there were instances of purposefully blocked paths meaning that no route could be recommended for all in its entirety....

Adam Gower

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

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

Starting through a wooded urban park, then following the Welsh Coastal Path along track, paved path and mercifully short pavement. The route's choice to join the footpath south of the dunes is a good one as following the coastal path (the beach) is murder on tired legs....

David Sanderson

At the road crossing approaching Ffynnongroyw I was reading the signs rather than the map so used the pelican crossing at the junction and the pavement from there, missing out a short section of the coast path. This route is considerably shorter and easier that the full coast path route at the Prestatyn end - I remember the full dune section from Talacre being very hard work at the end of a long day....

Hugh Hudson

At the end, we continue ahead as the road turns right; at the end, we join a tarmac drive heading through the golf course. Just past the club house, it narrows into a tarmac footpath heading through the dunes, but watch out for the golf balls! Into the caravan park, take a tarmac footpath left, running between the rows of caravans, which joins a road through the park (the pavement switches sides further on). We then join a broad tarmac path running through the ruins of the old Point of Ayr coal mine. The path joins a paved road, and, once under a railway bridge, we turn again onto the coastal path, a farm track running between hedges along another embankment. Once we're past the docks, we cross the railway bridge and then join an earth footpath running through some silver birch woods, before heading along the coast on a rough tarmac track....

Hiking Historian

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. 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. 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....

Hiking Historian

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.. 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.. 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.. It is a steep start but you are afforded views over Holywell the estuary and beyond...

Adam Gower

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

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

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