Wales

Erddig riverside walk

Enjoy a short circular walk taking you round the green waymarked route on the 1,200-acre estate with an array of natural and archaeological features. Take in Erddig’s famous 18th-century Cup and Saucer water feature, designed by William Emes, and follow the River Clywedog along the bottom of Wat’s Dyke and Court Wood into the historic village of Felin Puleston.

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Total steps: 11

Start point

Erddig car park, grid ref: SJ326481

Step 1

Begin at the dovecote and head down the main drive, past the 'No parking' area and cut through the small woodland past the Coachman’s tea-room.

The round, brick-built 18th-century dovecote at Erddig, Wales, with its pointed tiled roof. In the background a low sun glints through the branches of a tree — Pass the 18th-century dovecote | © National Trust/Vicki Coombe

Step 2

Go past the white gates on your right and head down the steep tarmac hill around the west front of the house.

Step 3

Head through the wooden kissing gate and, if you’d like to see the unique 18th-century water feature, known as the Cup and Saucer, walk over the wooden bridge on your left.

The Cup and Saucer

This cascading circular water feature was designed by William Emes in the 1770s, along with many other features on the estate. The waterfall drops about 10ft and was designed to lower the Black Brook quickly to prevent erosion. There is also a hydraulic ram from the late 18th century, which used to pump 10,000 gallons of water 90ft uphill to supply the gardens and fountains. The thudding noise of the ram was known as the ‘heart of Erddig’. Black Brook was so named because of its origins in the coal mines at Bersham, a few miles away.

Step 4

Retrace your steps back to the stone footpath, continuing over a stone bridge and along through the parkland.

Norman motte and bailey castle earthwork remains

On your right is Big Wood, where the 11th-century motte and bailey castle earthwork remains are situated. In winter you can see the steep slopes of the castle mounds. The motte and bailey was constructed in around 1071 by Hugh D’Avranches (Hugh the Wolf), the Earl of Chester, under instruction from the Norman King to gain control of the Welsh borders.

Step 5

Follow the footpath, curving right and over a second stone bridge which then veers left across the grassed area to another kissing gate into Court Wood. Here is the point where the Black Brook meets the River Clywedog.

Step 6

Continue through the woodland, which runs parallel with the River Clywedog.

Wat's Dyke

On your right in Court Wood, there is a steep bank which runs through the woodland. At the top of this bank is a large section of Wat’s Dyke. Constructed in the 8th century, it predates its larger cousin Offa’s Dyke, and is a 40-mile-long defensive linear earthwork in the form of a bank with a ditch on the western side, stretching from the Flintshire coast to south of Oswestry. There are 2 miles of Wat’s Dyke on Erddig’s estate.

Step 7

During spring, Court Wood on your right has a spectacular array of English bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta), as well as being a good habitat for small birds and mammals.

Step 8

Continue along the narrow path through the woodland until you reach the Felin Industrial Estate and follow the path round to the left.

Step 9

Go through the kissing gate and over the bridge on your left into Felin Puleston car park.

Step 10

At the cottage turn left and through the kissing gate, continuing along the stone footpath to follow the course of the River Clywedog.

Step 11

Continue through two further kissing gates and rejoin the original path by the stone bridge.

End point

Erddig car park, grid ref: SJ326481

Trail map

Erddig riverside walk map | © National Trust

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Erddig, Wrexham, LL13 0YT

01978355314

erddig@nationaltrust.org.uk

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