Situated on the westernshores of the Dee Estuary, Holywell is atraditional Welsh market town filled with family run stores, ancient heritagesites and picturesque parks. Surrounded by several smaller villages andseparated communities, this area of Flintshire was once a hot bed oftraditional Welsh industries with lead, cotton and copper production allhelping to increase the population to the 5000 strong that you'll find today.
Shoppingin Holywell
Amongst the Georgianproperties and listed buildings dotted along the High Street you'll discover agood selection of national and local stores all of which provide the essentialgoods for visitors and those living within the surrounding communities.
The Thursday market,pedestrianised walkway and several cafés make shopping a pleasant experience inHolywell, that is enlivened by thecharacter-filled street artists and musicians who add a splash of colour duringthe summer months.
Restaurantsin Holywell
Visitors toHolywell can take advantage of an excellentcombination of traditional pubs and international restaurants with plenty ofcosy log fires to curl up beside after a good day's walk.
Most menus include locallysourced, seasonal, produce and if you're hankering after some home cooked andhearty portions then you definitely won't be disappointed.
Landmarksin Holywell
Known locally as both theWelsh Lourdes and one of the seven wonders of Wales, Saint Winefride's Well haslong been revered for its healing properties and holy powers and is definitelyone to add to your landmark list, no matter what your thoughts may be about therejuvenating qualities of the spring water.
Another point of interestworth visiting whilst in Holywell are the ruins ofBasingwerk Abbey which can be found around a mile from the town centre andprovide a bit of peace and quiet as well as a fascinating glimpse of life inthe 12th century.
OutdoorActivities in Holywell
There's no better place tobe on a warm day in Holywell than Greenfield Dock.Here you will find some of the best views over the estuary and gain access tonationally recognised foot and cycle paths.
Pen y Ball monument isanother great spot to escape the high street at the weekend. The fairly steephike from Fron Park Road will reward you with some fabulous views of the surroundinghillsides and offer you glimpses of Snowdoniain the background.
Rainy days inHolywell shouldn't dampen your active spirits asthe local leisure centre is considered to be one of the best in the region andprovides a full range of swimming, fitness and sports activities to keep youfit and healthy on a visit to the north of Wales.
Naturein Holywell
Greenfield Valley HeritagePark is a great place to get closer to nature in Holywell. There are lakes,streams and woodland paths which make for the perfect place for a picnicaccompanied by the sounds of seasonal bird calls.
Heading out of Holywelltown centre, towards Greenfield, lies Pen y Maes woods which provides almost 20acres of tranquil countryside from which to discover a rich selection of floraand fauna.
EssentialHolywell
With its roots firmly setin the past, Holywell presents some of the mostinteresting historical sites in North Wales and is the perfect place to exploreancient ruins, listed buildings and a good choice of parks and heritage trails.
