Walk 2639 - World's End near Llangollen

      
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Although a relatively easy graded walk, this route offers a beautiful 360° view in clear conditions, while still offering a moody feeling in less clement weather. Adequate parking is provided at the World's End car park (Grid ref SJ232483) on the road between the Llangollen Panorama and Minera. Although the route is classed as easy/ moderate, one needs to be sure footed for the descent into the valley. It is a steep and rocky path with several fallen trees across it. Also for the climb up to Craig Arthur, the path is narrow and the ground below very steep.

Leave the car park by the road and turn left up the hill. After approximately 40 metres a path is visible on the right which leads steeply up the hills. Follow this path tending to keep to the right. Already, you will have a great view down the valley to your right, with Llandegla forest behind you, and the hills surrounding the Horseshoe Pass off to your right.

Follow the path down a dip and up the other side, bearing right until you see the stile at the top of the valley (Grid ref SJ 237 476). Cross the stile and descend steeply down the old valley that has been cut out by the passage of the Eglwyseg river. It is worth stopping at the pot-holes where you can still hear the passage of the river below, particularly after heavy rain fall, or the first rains of Autumn after a dry summer.

Continue down to the ford, then continue along the Offa’s Dyke path which is clearly signed. Having gained some altitude on this path, you will eventually come to a way-post amongst ferns, where you will clearly see a path off to the left. This path is not shown on the OS map, but this is the route you must follow. Doubling back on yourself, follow this path and you will rapidly gain altitude heading toward a break in the rocks at Craig Arthur (Grid ref. SJ 226 474).

Although there is a path running north-east to south-west (your left to right), do not take either of these. Instead, follow the sheep tracks through the ferns to the outcrop that you can see almost directly in front of you. This outcrop provides an excellent place to stop for a coffee and take in the views. The Ponderosa Café on the Horseshoe Pass is clearly visible, off to the left of the antennae on the hills opposite.

From the outcrop, make directly north through the ferns again for about 100m until you meet another track which is not marked on the OS map. Turn right and follow this path for approx 1 km until you come to an apparent cross roads (Grid ref. SJ 228 461). This is actually where a stream originating at the pools near the cairn (Grid ref. SJ 231 463) runs down to the river in winter.

Turn right and follow the course of this (mostly dry) river bed up hill until you reach the cairn at the top. This 511 metre high point offers super views of the Berwyns, Moel-Y-Gamelin, the Clywdians, Deeside, the Mersey Estuary, Helsby Hill, and on a clear day, the start of the Pennines can be seen.

For the return, retrace your tracks back down the river bed, turn right at the cross-roads, and then continue on this track (past where you originally met it) until eventually joining back to the way marked footpath. At a cross-roads (Grid ref SJ 237 476) bear left and you should recognise the path that led to the stile at the beginning of the walk. Follow the original path back to the car park.

Suggested Maps

It is recommended you take a map with you when following a walk route. The preferred scale is 1:25000 used by the Explorer series.

	OS Explorer	1:25,000	Sheet 256
	OS Landranger	1:50,000	Sheet 117

Note : If two maps are listed at the same scale then either (a) both are required for full coverage of the route or (b) the route is covered on both maps.

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NOTE - all distances are "as the crow flies"